Crab in car

[Reynaa]

hi all new here
I don't have an aquarium. But I do have an issue. I found a crab in my car about a week ago and I need help identifying it so that I know where to release it. Can anyone help

 

[marchmaxima]

Hi Reyna

A picture might help. Also, where has your car been? I'm thinking it had to have been near a waterway.

 

[Etunes]

Ya, a picture is definatly in order. Where you parked in the middle of a swamp?

 

[Reynaa]

Hi Reyna

A picture might help. Also, where has your car been? I'm thinking it had to have been near a waterway.

Hi, like I said am new here so I have no clue how to attach files with an iPod touch. But here is a link to see the pictures. The last time that I went to the beach was about a month ago. Jeckyl island GA USA

MobileMe Gallery

thanks

 

[HN1]

I could be wrong, but it looks like some sort of mithrax. It's probably best released in a rocky, tidal area. Just a guess though.

 

[Reynaa]

crab in car

Thanks HN1.
How long can they live without their normal habitat?

 

[HN1]

No clue.... I'd say the sooner you can return it the better.

 

[WhiteDevil]

How'd he get in the car? fall out of a tree? dropped by a gull?


I would put it back where you were last at the shoreline. just take em to the jetty or a rock pile and let him do his thing.

 

[mgamer20o0]

Welcome to AA. sounds like a odd problem. dont know anything so cant help.

 

[Reynaa]

Hi all,

Crab in car güy, we have identified it as a fiddler crab female. We have her all set up in a plastic container, My very Fırst aquarium lol. We Will be our closet beach is 350 miles away and a trip is planned for this weekend. İ need a little help Food wise what The hll do they eat?

Önce again all thanks alot

Al,

 

[gzeiger]

The aquarium setup should be mostly sand, with a small pool of shallow water at one end. These crabs are mostly terrestrial and need to be able to leave the water. They also like to burrow in sand or mud. They will appreciate a little salt in the water, but it should be on the low end of brackish. For a short stay full fresh water is fine, especially if you're not sure how much salt to add.

They are omnivores and will eat a wide range of kitchen leftovers. Small bits of raw meat are probably preferred, but they should take vegetables and even bread too. Most pet stores will have a pellet food formulated for hermit crabs that should be a good match for their long term nutritional requirements.

I can't recommend releasing it at this point because of the possibility of introducing diseases back to the wild population after its extended stay in contact with humans and especially the fact that you don't really know where it came from. But, since it's probably going back anyway, are you sure it came froom the beach? Fiddler crabs are brackish water creatures and are more likely to be found on the shore of a river or creek connected to the ocean. Have you been anywhere like that?

 

[Reynaa]

Hi gzeiger

That is actually about how we have her set up pretty much except is in a bucket with fresh sand from Jeckyl Island, Ga. We took a trip last weekend to visit family and the hopes that we could get this crab home.


Maybe is not a fiddler crab have you seen the pictures, and I can post more cause I don't want to take it to the beach and it die when I can just drive 30 minutes to where It may have come from. you sound like you know your crabs LOL.


My wife drives past a pretty big lake on daily basis so it may have come from there if that is the case it has to be a fast runner since she says that she did not stop at the lake.

We live about 350 miles from closest beach and it has been about a month since we last went there. How long will it live without its natural habitat?

Anyway if it belongs at the beach it will be there this weekend. if in the lake it will be there about 30 minutes from postitive identification.

I will be posting more pictures if I can figure out how.

Thanks for the help

AL

The aquarium setup should be mostly sand, with a small pool of shallow water at one end. These crabs are mostly terrestrial and need to be able to leave the water. They also like to burrow in sand or mud. They will appreciate a little salt in the water, but it should be on the low end of brackish. For a short stay full fresh water is fine, especially if you're not sure how much salt to add.

They are omnivores and will eat a wide range of kitchen leftovers. Small bits of raw meat are probably preferred, but they should take vegetables and even bread too. Most pet stores will have a pellet food formulated for hermit crabs that should be a good match for their long term nutritional requirements.

I can't recommend releasing it at this point because of the possibility of introducing diseases back to the wild population after its extended stay in contact with humans and especially the fact that you don't really know where it came from. But, since it's probably going back anyway, are you sure it came froom the beach? Fiddler crabs are brackish water creatures and are more likely to be found on the shore of a river or creek connected to the ocean. Have you been anywhere like that?

 

[NeoCatsy]

Reynaa where are you from in GA?

 

[Reynaa]

Calhoun, GA

Reynaa where are you from in GA?

 

[gzeiger]

I can't really tell from the pictures, but it doesn't look like a fiddler crab to me. The back legs don't appear to be the right shape. Fiddlers tend to walk much more upright. On the other hand, I don't know of any other semi-terrestrial crabs in this part of the country, and I'd be extremely surprised if you've managed to keep an aquatic saltwater crab alive for a month in the environment you've described.

If it is a fiddler, it could live for maybe a couple years in your box, depending how old it already is.

I must recommend again that you not release it. A local pet store might take it off your hands and get it to a good home. The potential consequences of spreading disease to the wild population as well as the low survival rate of re-released animals after acclimating to captivity really make this a losing proposition in my mind. I understand you feel badly for the crab and feel responsible in some way for removing it from its home, but it wasn't intentional and you've taken good care of it.

I'm a die-hard keeper of native fish that I catch myself, and on our forum our most sacred rule of ethics is that once removed from its home water it's better to kill a fish, even (especially) an endangered species, than to return it later.