Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 11:34:14 -0800 (PST) From: Steve Clancy <sclancy@uci.edu> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1016$foo@default> Subject: Re: FW:
I haven't read this group for a while and am trying to catch up, so
apologies on referring to an old message.
This is off-topic, but I'm starved for Hermit crab info.
My two cents on terrestrial hermit crabs:
I've kept on now for over 8 years, and one ingredient that seesm to be
essential (besides food and water) is an ample depth of sand or fine
gravel that the crab can dig into and hibernate. My crab hibernates
about 3-4 months at a time buried in the sand. I mist it occasionally to
keep the sand wet. This seems to be the time when they molt. I've never
seen this discussed in any of the "hermit crab pet care" books.
Has anyone else had the same experience?
Please reply to me directly to avoid cluttering up the list.
--steve
Steve Clancy, M.L.S., Science Library, University of California, Irvine
P.O. Box 19556, Irvine, CA 92623-9556 U.S.A.
714-824-7309 * http://sun3.lib.uci.edu/~sclancy * sclancy@uci.edu
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"You can't fight evil with a macaroni duck!!!"
On Sun, 2 Mar 1997, Rand Nicholson wrote:
> >----------
> >From: Brian Kitchen[SMTP:kitchenb@pilot.msu.edu]
> >Sent: Friday, February 14, 1997 3:21 PM
> >To: Jeff
> >
> >Crayfish And Hermit Crabs
> >
> >Hermit Crabs
> >
> >While true crabs are contained in the order Brachiura containing the
> >short-tailed crabs, hermit crabs are often considered to be classed in the
> >order Decapoda - the long-tailed ten-legged crustaceans including lobster,
> >shrimp and crayfish. While lobster, shrimp, crayfish and true crabs have a
> >protective armored plate covering their abdomen, hermit crabs have none.
> >While the lobster has special appendages around their tail used to propel
> >themselves through the water, in the hermit crab, this appendage has become
> >modified to enable the crab to hold onto an empty shell which it uses to
> >protect its vulnerable hindquarters and soft belly. Like all Decapoda
> >members, the hermit crab has five pairs of legs.
> >
> >
> >
> >Housing and Feeding Your Hermit Crabs
> >
> >You will need a small tank lined with aquarium gravel or coarse sand. (Some
> >people use corncob litter and Astroturf. While Astroturf will work fine,
> >corncob should be avoided due to the growth of bacterial and fungal
> >organisms when the cob is wetted by food and feces.) You can provide a few
> >decorative rocks. For water, provide a flat dish with water in it,
> >something on which the crab can easily crawl into and out of. Keep it
> >filled with fresh water.
> >
> >You will need to provide new shells for your crab to move into as it grows;
> >marine snail shells should be available at aquarium supply stores selling
> >hermit crabs. Shells you collect in the wild must be first soaked for 24
> >hours in bleach water, then thoroughly rinsed. Keep in mind, though, if
> >they are not the kind of shells the hermits normally use is the wild, they
> >probably will not use them in captivity. (In the wild, hermit crabs will
> >kill a mollusk in order to take over it's shell; if you keep more than one
> >hermit crab, be sure to provide extra shells for them all to grow into.)
> >For food, offer poultry mash, soaked or finely ground monkey chow or dog
> >chow, leafy dark greens, shredded fruits and squash; avoid citrus fruits.
> >For a treat, offer crushed Vanilla Wafers. (Believe it or not, the results
> >of a study conducted by Florida Marine Research showed that this was the
> >hermit crabs favorite food! As this is not a highly nutritious food
> >product, do not feed in excess!)
>
>
> ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
>
>
>
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