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Australian Crabs (Coenobita Variabilis) Care Guide

Australian Hermit crabs (Coenobita Variabilis) require different habitat conditions than most other crabs. This care sheet was created for people to understand how best to look after their Australian crabs and provide the best habitat possible for them.

Writing Credit: Ash Day

Substrate

Correct substrate is essential for a healthy crab habitat, without correct substrate the crabs will not be able to dig successful tunnels and therefor will not be able to have successful molts. Incorrect substrate may dry out quickly (requiring more misting which may allow the water to build up over time at the bottom of the tank, resulting in a flood) or may not be able to break down waste. Unsuitable substrate includes gravel, straight shell grit, calcium sand, straight coir peat or straight play sand. 

The Australian crabs require an 8:1 ratio of play sand and coir peat brick, do not get confused with coir mulch which is ‘chunky’ and ‘stringy’ in appearance, coir mulch is not suitable for substrate and may harm the crabs. Both play sand and coir peat brick can be picked up at Bunnings.

Following the 8:1 ratio, for every 8 cups of play sand that you put in, you need one cup of soaked coir peat (coir peat expands when wet). 

It is extremely important to mix these two together at the correct ratio, substrate that is just play sand will not be able to hold water well and will get flooded due to the need for extra spraying due to ‘drying out’ or not being able to regulate the humidity. Straight play sand will not be able to hold the moldable shape efficiently that molters and diggers require. Coir peat on its own may cause bacterial blooms and molting problems if the crabs are kept on straight coir for an extended period of time. When play sand and coir peat are mixed together at an 8:1 ratio, these two components of the substrate will balance each other out creating a suitable substrate for the Australian crabs to live and thrive on.

What are the benefits of mixing play sand and coir peat? Having the 8:1 ratio of play sand and coir peat ensures that the:

Waste breaks down efficiently

Mixing the two helps regulate humidity

Less likely to flood or dry out

Holds the mouldable shape for moulters and diggers

Less likely to have mould or a bacterial bloom

Introduces good bacteria to the substrate

Aussie crabs are very active diggers and spend the majority of their time digging about the substrate, the deeper the sub you can provide for them, the happier they will be in their habitat. Ideal depth of substrate is half the tank, this provides suitable digging and molting space for the crabs.

*Additional Substrate Ratio Info – Credit to Emily Coker*

Please note, the ratio guideline goes slightly over the 8:1, but is a very close representation of about how much coir peat to use per bag of play sand. You do not have to follow this formula exactly, this is just a guideline to simplify the amount for you.

The ratio is 8:1 of sand:coir peat, which equates to approximately 20kg play sand:1/3 of 9 litre coir peat brick. That means 8:1 = 1 bag of sand:1/3 brick OR 8:1 = 1:1/3. The 9 litre brick is the Bunnings brand (Coir Power OR Easy Wetta).

8:1 = 20 kg bag of play sand: 1/3 brick of coir peat (3 litres)

8:2 = 20 kg bag of play sand: 2/3 brick of coir peat (6 litres)

8:3 = 20 kg bag of play sand: 1 brick of coir peat (9 litres)

8:4 = 20 kg of play sand: 1 1/3 bricks of coir peat (12 litres)

8:5 = 20 kg of play sand: 1 2/3 bricks of coir peat (15 litres)

8:6 = 20 kg of play sand: 2 bricks of coir peat (18 litres)

8:7 = 20 kg of play sand: 2 1/3 bricks of coir peat (21 litres)

1:1 = 20 kg of play sand: 2 2/3 bricks of coir peat (24 litres) 

As you can see, the end result would go over by about 4 litres of coir peat to be a true 8:1, but the recommendation for those in the US using 5:1 is also slightly over with no harm to the crabs. If you wish to be a little under in coir peat, you would want to use closer to 1/4 brick (which at 1:1 would make you at 18 litres of the 20 needed, and you would be 0.25 litres under at 8:1). That's why we are stressing, once again, that this is a guideline and not exact, but it's a good starting point to help you understand how much is needed. Either 1/3 brick or 1/4 brick for every 20kg bag of sand are acceptable and recommended options.

Here is a quick chart to gauge how much coir peat you will need for different quantities of sand following the 1:1/3 ratio. Note that for the US, it equates to about 1 bag of sand for every 10 gallons of space:

1 bag of sand (20 kg) = 1/3 brick of coir peat (3 litres)

2 bags of sand (40 kg) = 2/3 brick of coir peat (6 litres)

3 bags of sand (60 kg) = 1 brick of coir peat (9 litres)

4 bags of sand (80 kg) = 1 1/3 brick of coir peat (12 litres)

5 bags of sand (100 kg) = 1 2/3 brick of coir peat (15 litres)

6 bags of sand (120 kg) = 2 bricks of coir peat (18 litres)

7 bags of sand (140 kg) = 2 1/3 bricks of coir peat (21 litres)

8 bags of sand (160 kg) = 2 2/3 bricks of coir peat (24 litres)

9 bags of sand (180 kg) = 3 bricks of coir peat (27 litres)

10 bags of sand (200 kg) = 3 1/3 bricks of coir peat (30 litres)

11 bags of sand (220 kg) = 3 2/3 bricks of coir peat (33 litres)

12 bags of sand (240 kg) = 4 bricks of coir peat (36 litres)

13 bags of sand (260 kg) = 4 1/3 bricks of coir peat (39 litres)

14 bags of sand (280 kg) = 4 2/3 bricks of coir peat (42 litres)

15 bags of sand (300 kg) = 5 bricks of coir peat (45 litres)

16 bags of sand (320 kg) = 5 1/3 bricks of coir peat (48 litres)

Humidity & Temperature

Correct humidity and temperature are essential for a the crabs health. If the crab habitat gets too cold the hermit crabs will be at risk of going into a dormant state, risk of streaking increases as does the risk of limb dropping and even death. The correct temperature range is between 26-32C, with 28C being the average temperature you are aiming for in your crabs habitat.

Humidity is extremely important in your habitat as well, hermit crabs need humidity to breathe through their gills. Without the accurate amount of humidity in their tank, the hermit crabs are essentially suffocating. The recommended amount of humidity is an 80% average.

To increase humidity, try adding a pit of damp sphagnum moss, adding bubblers (air stones) to their fresh and salt water pools as well as ensuring the lid is tight. If the lid does not fit properly humidity and temperature can escape, if this is the case try wrapping glad wrap around the tank to seal it until a correctly fitting lid can be found or cut.

Heating & Lighting

As previously mentioned, the habitat should have an average temperature of 28C with a 26-32C range. Heating can play a very important role in keeping that temperature balanced and steady.

UTH (under the tank heaters) are a great way to raise the temperature in your habitat without drying out the substrate and can be bought on eBay or from most pet shops. UTH, however, should actually not be put under the tank as its purpose for the hermit crabs is to warm the air, not the substrate. 

If the substrate is heated up, there will be no way to keep the air at the ideal temperature without ‘cooking’ your hermit crabs that are in the substrate. The substrate provides an ‘escape’ from the conditions if they become too hot, the crabs will bury down into the sub to cool off from the heated air if need be. If the sub is heated up because of the heater being under the tank, you run the risk of actually cooking any molting or digging crabs that may be in the substrate.

The UTH must be stuck onto the side or back of the tank – cannot be on the inside of the tank - (duct tape or packing tape can be used for this), above the substrate line and then the tank must be insulated. Alfoil, cardboard or car sunshades that have being cut to size would work as insulation for the hermit crab tanks. The sun visors can easily be picked up from Harvey Norman or from eBay, cut to size and then stuck with duct tape or packing tape on top of the UTH, ensure that the insulation is covering the sides and the back of the tank, this ensures the hermit crab tank stays heated and is not hugely effected by any temperature drops that may occur due to changing seasons, air con, drafts etc.

Although some people do not believe that lighting can increase colour in the aussie crabs, I (along with many other aussie crabbers) have personally experienced that the correct lighting has increased hermit crab activity as well as giving them a ‘richer’ colour rather than that pale white that is often seen amongst the Australian captive crabs. For this reason, UVB and UVA lighting is recommended for the Australian crabs (as with most other crab species). UVB allows for the absorption of vitamin D in the crabs, as well as making them more active and giving them a ‘richer’ and ‘deeper’ colour.

Fresh & Salt Water

The Australian land hermit crabs (like other land hermit crabs) require one pool of fresh de-chlorinated water and one of de-chlorinated marine grade salt water. The depth of the pool should be deep enough for your largest crab to fully submerge with easy access in and an easy exit out.

In order for the fresh water to be safe for the hermit crabs you should always treat your water prior to use. It may contain traces of chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals or pollutants in the water. These chemicals and such need to be removed from the water. If not removed, the water may actually be harming the hermit crabs.

There are a couple of products in which you can use that can be picked up from most pet shops or from eBay, including:

Prime (Prime is the water conditioner to aim for, but if you can't find Prime then the following brand will do)Please note though, that the following conditioner does not remove Amonia

API (If purchasing API ensure that the API does not contain stress coat, stress coat can cause harm to land hermit crabs and should not be used in their fresh or salt water.)

As for salt water, never use 'Table Salt', 'Aquarium Salt' or 'Hermit Crab Salt' which is lacking in essential minerals that hermit crabs need to live a healthy life. The salt water must be marine grade, salt water products that can be used for the hermit crab pools that provide all the essential minerals for the crabs are:

Red Sea

Instant Ocean

MarineTropic

Oceanic

Other brands of marine grade salt that would be suitable include:

Blue Treasure

Ocean Nature by Aquasonic

Diet

As with the other crab species, any commercial foods containing sugars or preservatives should be avoided with the Aussie crabs as commercial foods are not beneficial to the crabs and are not an adequate diet for them to be on. If commercial foods are fed out there is a higher risk of illness or death to the crabs as it is lacking in essential nutrients and may contain harmful ingredients.

Please see the list of acceptable foods that can be given to hermit crabs, and a list of inedible foods that shouldn’t be given to hermit crabs. It is a very large list with lots of variety to ensure your crabs do not miss out on the best diet available.

To ensure your Aussie crabs are getting a balanced diet make sure you provide sources of calcium, protein, as well as varied vegetables and fruits (always check the edible food list to see if a food item is safe).

Shell Preferences

Australian crabs prefer shells with a ‘d-shape’ opening, shells that Aussie crabs prefer are the:

Nerite Shells

Tonna Shells

Babylonia Shells

Whale eye Shells

Apple Snail Shells

Japanese Land Snail Shells

Murex Trappa Shells

Murex Ramosus Shells

Frog Mouth Shells

Shark Eye Shells

Turbo Shells and Magpie Shells – although these are less common with the Australian Crabs as the openings are ‘round’ rather than D-shaped.

As the hermit crabs grow, they need to exchange their shell for a larger one. You should provide at least 5-6 shells per crab that are similar in structure but slightly larger for the crab to change into. If there are not enough suitable shells for the crabs to choose from,  ‘shell envy’ may occur where the hermit crabs will fight over a specific shell. Adding extra shells to the tank that are suitable should help prevent shell envy from occurring.

(Ensure any shells are boiled before adding them to your tat)

Overcrowding Risks

It is vitally important not to overcrowd your tank, overcrowding can lead to a crab that is molting being dug up as a result of too many crabs digging at the sub in a crowded tank, this can lead to death for the crab that is molting. Overcrowding can also cause stress and lead to increased fights amongst the hermit crabs and not enough adequate space for their exercise needs or to freely move about their tank.

There are a lot of things to consider when deciding on how many crabs should be in one tank, such as hermit crab size, if you plan to upgrade, depth of substrate etc. The general rule to go by though 10 gallons per hermit crab (about 38 litres per crab)

#hermit crab #australian crab #coenobita variabilis #care guide #hco #hermit crab owners

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Why Can’t I Handle My Hermit Crab?

While hermit crab guides in pet stores or beach shops may say its okay to handle your hermit crab there are many reasons that you should not. While we understand that we cannot tell people what to do with their pets, here is some reasoning why hermit crabs should not be handled.  

Writing Credits: Lacey Ann Vermeulen, Emily Coker, and Ceri Tremblay

Hermit crabs are not domesticated animals like a cat or a dog. Hermit crab are and always will be wild animals. It always best not to mess with wild animals.

Irreversible long term gill damage. When you take your crab out, they cannot breathe as the humidity in your home is not suitable for the crab to breath correctly.  

You can get pinched out of defense. Hermit crabs are prey animals and will either run away to hide or pinch to get away from a predator. Many people mistake this as exploring or “having fun”.

You can disturb them if they are getting ready to molt. You never know when a crab will be getting ready to molt, if you touch the crab during this period he may delay his molt. Delaying a molt in a hermit crab can end up making their next molt go badly or killing the crab. If you would like to take ID pictures of your crab its best to do it after a molt. You can also get great picture by cleaning off both sides of the glass and placing the lens of the camera right up against the glass with no flash.  

#hermit crab #crab #handling #hco #hermit crab owners

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Crab Emergency: Surface Molting

Isolation 

Isolation tanks can be very advantageous for crab care. You never know when you are going to have a tank emergency, a sick crab, a shell drop, a fight, a limb drop, or something else. 

Writing Credit: Emily Coker

Your isolation tanks can be set up very basic. All you need is a smaller sized aquarium (even a 10 gallon will suffice, or larger if you want it to be), that has a secure lid, a light source for his day and night cycle, a heat source such as a UTH or heat lamp, a freshwater and salt water pool deep enough for a crab to submerge in fully, a food dish, deep substrate of at least half the tank, a digital gauge and something to hide under and climb on. 

As you can see, it's set up almost exactly like your main tank, except on a smaller level and with less additional climbing. It can be very bare. If you choose not to keep an isolation tank, then you will need to rig up another way. 

Some of these ways can include: 

Using a Kritter Keeper filled with sand fairly high with a small dish for both pools (depending on what kind of emergency it is), and setting it inside your regular tank with the lid on.

Cutting a 2 liter bottle on the bottom and placing it around the crab and a few inches into the substrate, with the lid taken off.

Tupperware rigged up similarly to the bottle OR Kritter Keeper.

Placing soap caddies in the tank in a way that no other crab can get to it. 

#hermit crab #crab emergency #surface molting #molting #crab #hco #emergency #hermit crab owners

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Crab Emergency: My Crab Isn’t Moving

There are  several reasons a crab may be immobile.

Writing Credit: Emily Coker

The very first reason is that they are new to the tank. While every crab is different, they are all more than likely super stressed out. Crabs go through A LOT to end up in their homes with us. A LOT. Some never get past the trauma and pass away from it (We call that PPS, or Post Purchase Syndrome/Post Purchase Stress), some just need time to de-stress, some have been putting off molts so they are lethargic, and some are just very shy. 

How people choose to handle new  and/or sick/molt-ready crabs, depends on the person. Some people choose to ISO new crabs regardless of health, others like to introduce them directly into their new home upon arrival.  Whatever you choose to do, it's extremely important that you stay hands off COMPLETELY for at least the first month. The only interaction they should really get out of you, is when you change food and water, or if they are active enough to socialize with you through the glass. Picking them up or poking at them will only stress them out further and can indirectly cause their death, even if you're just checking to see if they are dead. 

Your crab might just be shy. This happens. What you see as cause to worry, he really may just be chilling. He may not move spots for months and you may not really see activity from him until a year or longer. Sorry! Crabs have individual personalities just like we do, and shy babies do happen. Part of having crabs is accepting who they are. 

Your crabitat may not be up to par. If your substrate is wrong, your humidity is low, your heat is low, your enclosure is too small, you are overcrowded, you don't have enough shells, you aren't feeding the right foods, you don't have the correct pools, or you  don't have enough for them to do... Then they're unhappy and suffering and you need to take steps to remedy this as quickly as you can before you lose them. It may not be too late. Why you have the wrong setup could be because you won yours at a fair, you followed bad pet store advice, you're really short on time, or you're waiting on the funds to do it. None of these are your fault, and it's not too late to make it right. If the cost is what's holding you back, then focus on the most important things, such as humidity, heat and substrate.

Your crab may be getting ready to molt. Some signs of a molt ready crab is lethargy, heavy eating, cloudy eyes, broken limbs, hanging out by their pools, changing shells repeatedly, digging, and general inactivity. If your crab needs to molt, he may be weak which explains his immobility, just give him time and provide what he needs as usual (food, water, heat, humidity), and wait for him to dig down and hope he doesn't try to molt on the surface. 

Your crab might be dying. It's possible he's too far stressed. He'll either try to de-stress by being inactive or digging down, or he may just die. Dropping multiple limbs is a sign of severe stress and most don't survive it, especially if they are messed with, although there's always a chance. If your crab is hanging out of his shell, emits a really dead, rotten fish smell, starts to rot - your crab has passed away. I suggest leaving him alone as much as possible, even  if you think he's dead, unless you smell it. Not all crabs have that death smell. Dying crabs don't have to be separated from other crabs. It is also important to note that crabs have a bad smell when they are surface molting, as well, so it's a good idea to err on the side of caution and still leave him be. The surface molt smell has more of medicinal odor to it. Either way, it's recommended to give them at least 72 hours before picking them up and confirming death. 

You may need to ask yourself these additional questions:

Do you, right now, have a crab that isn't moving?

Is there a bad, rotten fish smell?

How new are the crab(s).

Is the crab hanging limp out of his shell, with eyes curled? Or is the crab tucked deep inside the shell?

Has the crab dropped any limbs?

Has the crab made any attempt to bury himself or hide?

Is the crab very pale, have broken leg tips, or cloudy eyes?

How long has it been since you've noticed any kind of movement from the crab?

Is your substrate sandcastle consistency of at least half the aquarium worth  of children's playsand and eco earth (and possible other organic  material/amendments), that you set up with dechlorinated fresh water?

Is your heat and humidity both between 79-86 percent/Fahrenheit (or the equivalent in Celsius).

Do you have several places for them to hide and to climb on? 

#hermit crab #crab #crab emergency #emergency #hco #hermit crab owners

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Crab Emergency: Naked Crab

If your crab was the victim of a shell jacking, it should take a new one fairly quickly. If your crab dropped his shell on his own, he may need more assistance. A crab cannot survive without his shell and a healthy crab would never drop his shell for any reason other than if he got stuck, another crab tried/was successful in forcing him out, or something within his shell hurt him. 

Writing Credit: Emily Coker

Dropping shells on his own otherwise is usually a sign of severe stress, and possibly a crab with a "suicide mission" (for lack of better word, don't take this literally). Crabs also keep their shell on when they molt, so molting is not an excuse to drop his shell. If your crab is naked, please grab a mug, bowl, or tupperware (does not have to be large) and fill it with about a half an inch of dechlorinated fresh water. This is to keep his abdomen moist, as he could dry up. Place your naked crab into the mug with 2 or 3 of appropriately sized shells, including what he came out of, if possible. Then, place your mug in either your ISO tank or your main tank, and cover it with a cloth for darkness. Leave your crab alone for at least 45 minutes. When the time is up, check to see if your crab is in a shell. If he is, it is safe to take him out of the mug and keep him isolated, or place him back with the general population if you do not have an ISO tank (you can also rig up an isolation tank within your main tank, if your main tank is large enough - more on this below). If he drops his shell again, you will need to repeat the process. If he never went into a shell after 45 minutes, then you will have to manually re-shell him. A naked crab will more than likely not try to pinch you. Take your thumb and index finger, and hold him by his side where his soft abdomen meets his tougher exoskeleton. Place his tail inside of the shell (preferably a round opening/turbo shell) as deep as he will let you, without applying any rough force. He may or may not unravel his tail to assist you in this. After he is in his shell as well as you can manage, place him down onto the substrate (preferably isolated from any other crab) and leave him alone. You will have to check on him occasionally, but since what he went through is very stressful, it's important that he have privacy and darkness to calm down and de-stress.

#hermit crab #crab emergency #naked crab #hco #hermit crab owners #emergency

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Crab Emergencies

We often have people coming to us with emergencies. This is best to do when you either have a sudden issue, a death you'd like explained, or just to go over conditions to rule out any problems. In case of an emergency, please send a message to us via Tumblr or Facebook. An admin will help you as soon as possible! Posting a photo of your crabitat is also recommended in order for us to help you solve the mystery. Please do not think we are trying to hand out blame or waste your time. This survey is important, and this is the best way for us to help you. 

What type of enclosure is your crabitat, and how large is it? Can you describe your lid?

What all does your substrate consist of, and how many inches tall is it? Is your substrate moist? If so, with what kind of water?

What type, if any, of hygrometer are you using to monitor your humidity and heat? What do you average? Where is it located in the tank?

Do you have any heat sources? If so, what kind?

Do you use moss? If so, what kind?

What type of waters do you have available, and are they treated with a water conditioner? What is your water source? Are your crabs able to fully submerge, shell and all? Please list all brands associated with your pools/water treatment.

How many crabs do you have, and what sizes are they?

If you do not have a photo of your crabitat, can you please explain what it looks like? Do you have hiding spots, climbing opportunities and other decor? What kind of decor?

What type of diet do you feed, and do you follow any safe or unsafe lists? Which sources are you using and where are you getting your foods?

What type of interaction do you have with your crabs? For example, do you ever take them out of their enclosure? If so, what for?

How new are your crabs and how did you obtain them? Have you ever lost any? If so, can you explain what the issue was, if known?

Do you have multiple extra shells available for your crabs to change into? If so, what types are they and are they the correct sizes?

Have there been any sort of fumes or chemicals near the crabs?

What does your tank maintenance include, and how often do you do it?

Is there any other information you feel would be helpful for us to know? Either way, please describe in clear detail what your issue(s) is. 

Emergencies

Naked Crab | My Crab Isn’t Moving | Surface Molting

#hermit crab #crab emergency #emergency #form #hco #hermit crab owners