(I know they are not turtles, but they didnt fit anywhere)
I got some of these Haloween Moon Crabs, just wondering if anyone has any tips on keeping them?

About all I know is that they should be offered brackish water. I don't know how necessary it is for their survival but I have read that they do need it.

Here is some info I found, the recommendations seem to be consistent with everything I've read about them.

http://www.reptilecity.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=reptiles&Product_Code=HMC&Category_Code=HERMIT

Species Information: Gecarcinus Quadratus
Origin: This crab originates from Costa Rica.

Size and Longevity:

This species ranges from 2 to 2.4 inches in length and has been reported to live 8 to 10 years in captivity. They are nocturnal and move mostly at night. These crabs are social creatures and seem to do best in groups of two to four, but in captivity if more than four are kept in close quarters they will fight. It is best to keep no more than three or four in a setup because of this. This species of crab has been called one of the most colorful crabs on the planet due to the beautiful colors this crab has.

These crabs are seen at night dragging leaves and food into their burrows and even climbing trees. They have dark black-colored bodies and an almost fluorescent-orange set of legs. They can be kept easily without having a lot of room and can really give your home that tropical look. These animals are hard to pass up deal at this great price!

Habitat and Caging Requirements:

These hermit crabs are arboreal, meaning they enjoy climbing, and a good 15 to 20 gallon tank can comfortably house three or four of these crabs. The setup needs to be part land and part water. The water is best if you keep a small amount of salt added to it and the land needs to be sand. You can also take plastic pipe that is around two or three inches in diameter and cut them to a length of 4 or 5 inches and push them down in the sand to simulate the burrows that they dig to hide in. Add some wood for climbing, a few plants, small rocks, and an under-gravel filtration system. With all of those things your habitat should be good to go.

Temperature and Lighting Requirements:

These animals are primarily nocturnal so they seem to do best with low-wattage bulbs for lighting. They are also used to tropical or subtropical temperatures so you need to keep the temperature around 75 to 80 degrees. Keep the substrate in their tank moist at all times!

Feeding and Nutrition:

These little guys seem to do well on commercial hermit crab food, but also have a huge appetite for many other food items as well such as: apples, bananas, peaches, pieces of fish, and chicken just to name a few.

Handling and Care:

These animals are pretty docile and after you begin feeding them they will even reach out their claws and take food from your hand. They seem to take to captivity fairly well. Many people have enjoyed them as pets and some say that they handle their crab quite often.

Written By: Howard Stinson

THANKS A BUNCH!!!!!!!!!!!

Let us know how they are doing and post some pics!

They are good so far. I would love to post pics (to show off all the babies) However, I still cant get them small enough to post, my files are too big.

If you use photo bucket it should automatically resize them for you.