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Anybody have crabs? (1 Viewer)

Dave Poehlman

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Mar 8, 2000
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Uh.. Hermit Crabs, more specifically.

(I knew that title would get your attention)

The wife and I were at the mall and saw some at the pet store and now she's hell-bent on getting some. I've been reading up on how to care for them (http:\www.hermit-crabs.com) and I find them very interesting. But the sites I find don't really give an un-biased opinion.

Questions:

Do they smell if properly cared for?

When they do pinch, how hard is it? And how to get them to let go without hurting them?

Are they noisy? I've read they're active at night and can even make a "chirping" noise, is this something I'd want in another room other than the bedroom?

How often do they need to be fed? Are they a pet I can leave for a few days and not have to have anybody come and check on?
 

Nick Sievers

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Jul 1, 2000
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Phew, thank god this thread wasn't what I thought. But you never know around these parts.

No I don't have Hermit Crabs, I just wanted to chime in for a second.
 

John_Berger

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Nov 1, 2001
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When they do pinch, how hard is it?
My nephew happens to work at a local pet store, and a hermit crab decided to become attached to a coworker's palm as she held it in her hand. He said the scream was deafening and she basically had to sacrifice that miniscule part of skin to get the crab off her hand.

Take that as you see fit. :)
 

Kevin Farley

Second Unit
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Dec 14, 2000
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I had a few when I was around 13 or so. They're not that bad. When I used to play with them, and they would pinch my fingernail, fingers, etc. and they didn't hurt. It only hurt when they got the webbing between my fingers. Once in a while they will want a bigger shell; It's freaky to see them out of the shell! (well, it was for me. I was 13.)

The first time it opened in my hand it freaked me out, but I got used to it. (him.)

Fun pets!
 

Jamie Doucette

Stunt Coordinator
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May 3, 2002
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I'm not sure how it would work with hermit crabs, but when I've gone lobster and crab fishing, the way to get those suckers... err.. pinchers off is to just let them hang (ie: hold them up in the air and let them dangle). Just be sure to catch them when they fall.


BTW, for a second I thought your topic header was a new low for the HTF! :D
 

Kirk Gunn

Screenwriter
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Aug 16, 1999
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We've got a dozen in the dining room right now. Steamed and smothered in Old Bay seasoning.....
htf_images_smilies_yum.gif
 

Garrett Lundy

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Mar 5, 2002
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Do hermit crabs eat carrion like some other crabs? If so, then feeding your pet might prove to be a rather smelly spectacle

"Don't throw away that four day old fish dear, I have it resting on the windowsill to get it ready to feed crabby"

On the other hand, my pet scorpion eats live bugs. They don't get a chance to smell bad. Plus any spiders or other pests I find in my house means I get to watch an exoskeletal themed gladiatorial battle to the death.

Best fights so far:

2000: Fred the scorpion vs. "El Diablo" the mexican death beetle (Actual classification befuddled all local bug experts, but it had really big pinchers).

2002: Fred the scorpion vs. Pair of 3" long green beetles (Easily captured while they were distarcted trying to copulate on my doorstep).

2003: Fred the scorpion vs. Iggy the scorpion. I tried to breed them, But its nearly impossible to determine their gender. And appearently they were NOT gay, and didn't like be thought of as so. Fred impaled Iggy with a venemous stinger to the mouth-area.
 

Dan Lindley

Second Unit
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Sep 19, 2000
Messages
396
The hermit crabs I played with in Long Island Sound (still do, when I can) really couldn't pinch in any way that could hurt. Never thought of them as pets, though. Sometimes opened up a couple as a youth, in the name of science.

I have sworn to have no pet with an IQ greater than a venus fly trap in my house. But if my kids scream loud enough, hermit crabs may be a good fall back...

Dan
 

Dave Poehlman

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Well... it's too late anyway. I'm the proud owner of 2 hermits: Louie and Snowy (my 4 year old named them... all of his pet names end in "e" sounds :) ).

Anyway.. they're pretty cool. Snowy is pretty active and is not as timid as the larger Louie. After reading up on hermits, it seems they'll eat all sorts of things like fruit, popcorn, peanut butter.. and studies show they prefer to try new foods and have a varied diet. Apparently you can train them to eat from your hand. They also love to climb and explore.

Also, they can get as large as softballs if provided with proper conditions! Which kind of has me creeped out... the thought of a softball sized crab scurrying about. We have a large conch shell my mother brought as a souvenir from Florida... maybe someday it'll fit. I haven't been able to determine their genders yet. It's pretty difficult because the only difference is two small dots on the underside of a female... and since they spend most of their time well within their shells.... it's hard to see their "privates".

They're pretty clean from what I've read. You just need to bathe them once a week or so by dunking them in water and letting them run around to dry off. (they love to run around after a bath apparently)

The only drawbacks: All water they come in contact with must be unchlorinated. Chlorine will provide a slow and painful death. Carribean Hermits (which is what I have.. I think.. most pet stores don't even know there are different species with different needs) need both fresh and salt water (Ecuadorians need only salt water to drink.. I think.. still reading). Their tank needs to be kept between 70° - 80°F and humidity kept at about 50%.

I'll try and post some pictures when I get a chance.
 

Tony Whalen

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Jan 29, 2002
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Real Name
Tony Whalen
All water they come in contact with must be unchlorinated. Chlorine will provide a slow and painful death.
Dave, if you haven't done so already, go visit the aquarium section of your local pet store. They have easy-to-use dechlorinator liquids that should make water safe for the crabbies. (I assume it'll be safe... works great for fish.. dunno why it wouldn't work for crabs.)

I agree! Bring on the pics! :D
 

Mary M S

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 12, 2002
Messages
1,544
We had two, and they were fun. One got away, we had given up hope of locating…I had nightmares of hearing a crunch one night if I moved through the house in the dark, (they were little guys).
My son comes out of his bedroom about 3 nights later, nervously, “MOM, there’s SOMETHING making weird noises in my ROOM like someone’s trying to GET IN. I went in snapped on light ….quiet as a church….”MOM, I SWEAR…there’s SOMETHING in my room!” I sit down on the bed for 5 min. talking to son with light on….nothing. He goes back to bed. Two minutes later….MOM!!!!

Turns out it was the prodigal hermit crab, scraping a little tunnel into the sheet rock wall, but he wouldn’t resume his mining activities till the room was dark and quiet.

The little guys can be handy too. In desperation one evening after many harrowing years of science projects, when we once FORGOT all about the project due in two nights we were scouring the house and garage for ideas, He used the ‘hermits’ for his Science Project, and won 1st place (in the school…very odd but it was his documentation that did it, not the subject) with a hermit crab race.
 

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