I need help with hermit crab care!?

[Adriallie]

The other day i went to the fair(fieldtrip) and my friend won me a hermit crab, me loving animals, i kept it. So when i brought it home, my mom HATED it, but i still managed to charm her into buying me the sponge and food because thats what everyone kept saying i needed to care for my hermit crab. But the thing is, i researched it and hermit crabs need big tanks and another hermit crab to socialieze with but my mom doesnt want to buy a tank because she says that they're small and just fine in the critter keeper (that's what it came with at the fair) and since i play with my hermit crab a lot she says it won't get lonely but what about when im at school or not at home!! I keep trying to persuade my mother to buy me a bigger tank but she keeps saying that the critter keeper is fine even though i know its NOT! Also, my dad gave me 50$ to waste on something and i wanted to buy stuff for my hermit crab but my mom says it's a waste off money and that's it "fine". OH and lastly, i bought the food from petsmart but i dont know if my crab is eating it and im worried, i also checked the ingrediants and they weren't bad (i read about the ingrediants that slowly kill your hermie) But i don't think my crab ate so i put a fresh banana in and he still didnt eat it! Then i put a grape and i dont think he ate it either... Please help im really worried and i need a way to persuade my mom to let me buy the stuff for my crab!

[Daphne]

First u should prob show ur mom all the websites that tell u how to properly care 4 the hermit crabs. Try 2be nice and not 2 "argumenty"If ur critter keeper is one of those six inch ones u need a new home really soon. If it's a larger critter keeper ur crab will be ok for a while just not forever. Tell ur mom nicely a new tank and other necessary supplies aren't a waste of money, and that u love/care about ur hermit crab and want to give it a good long life, and that u cant do that without another crab and a larger tank. Just ask her for only one more hermit crab, not like three. As far as the food goes, some crabs may get a little picky. U might want to try buying a different brand of safe food. My crabs r really picky theyll only eat the food in the pic I posted and a little bit of blueberries. Keep in mind they can only eat blueberries and grapes in cut them open cuz their claws can't grip the skin.if u hav an Ecuadorean it might like SAFE flower petals and fruit more. Good luck

[Rachel]

Ok hermit crabs are social animals and DO need company, humans handling them is actually stressful for them and not at all a substitute for a species buddy. I would suggest showing your mum the basic equipment list I am linking below, maybe asking her to sign up to one of the care groups on facebook and talk to other keepers. Before talking to her again get reading up on them some more and trying to do things to show you are going to take care of them yourself. Keeping on at parents constantly usually puts them off even more and will just annoy her, showing you are responsible and being mature about it means she is more likely to take the time to listen to what you say. She may be worried about you losing interest in a while and her ending up having to take care of the crabs herself but unfortunately without the right care the crab will end up passing away even if it takes a few months. Stuff like the right humidity and substrate is absolutely vital for these and despite what some stores say they are exotic pets and as such need more care.

IF she won't let you get what is needed for the crab as hard as it is it may be better to find him a new home with somebody that has an established healthy colony and will give the varied diet, water and other care that he really needs.

If you shop around on sites like preloved and in charity shops you can find a nice sized tank or even clear storage box which can be used for them. At least part of their diet can be little slivers of your own food (tops off carrots, little bits of chicken or other meat you have, apple cores, bits of fruit and veggies, plants from the garden etc) and they only eat a tiny amount which makes feeding them economical. Eggshells for instance make a good calcium source and a single cuttlebone can last months if broken up into little bits and given a piece at a time. This is also probably why you think he is not eating, the amounts can be so tiny it barely shows. Keep trying different bits of natural foods (not pellets and commercial stuff, overpriced and just not great for them) and you should hit on something he needs for this stage in the moult cycle soon. Coconut is always a favourite.

Once everything is set up there should be no need to change the substrate (playsand is also very cheap which is a bonus) or anything in the tank bar food and water so yes, it costs money at first, but afterwards its mostly shells and salt (a box of this lasts months too so you could use pocket money for this). I have three very large tanks with different species now and it costs me barely anything to maintain the habitats and feed them. Hermit crabs can live years, potentially decades, with the right care so this could end up being lifelong pets so please bear that in mind while deciding what to do.
I hope this helps and whatever happens the little one has a long healthy life.