experiment with land hermit crabs

[lmchapin]

I put my first fledgelings in their own enclosure a week ago. This is actually a reptile enclosure that I have modified for finch. Normally I rinse out the enclosure base to a drain located in its floor every few days. What I want to try is to fill the bottom with sand and coconut fiber and introduce land hermit crabs. The finch love to feed out of the soft foods bowl (egg, veg, etc mix) and of course they fling a lot of it and it falls and sits at the bottom. My theory is the crabs will eat this mess and even bird poo and keep the enclosure bottom clean. Has anyone tried this? The finch babies love to go to the ground and I am not happy with them picking up all the old egg food, but I dont want to rinse it down daily. It is a big enclosure measuring 2' depth and almost 7' wide with my screened addition. It has artificial and live plants with vines. The babies seem to love it and they explore all over.

[Domenic]

Never heard of land hermits for an aviary but sounds like it might be ok. The one issue you may run into is how to birds react to the crabs and vice versa. One may attack the other, or be too scared to function normally.

That aviary is gorgeous. I love the bromeliad in the back. Really really cool!

[cindy]

How would you provide the crabs food they require without the finches eating it? Would the crabs bathe/soak in the same water the finches may drink/bathe in. Why not try a few little button quail in the aviary?

I am not sure I would attempt this. JMO.

[lawnsofdawns]

I agree with Cindy. Plus, button quails are very adorable. Seems much more feasible than hermit crabs.

Very pretty aviary, though!

[limeslide]

How would you provide the crabs food they require without the finches eating it? Would the crabs bathe/soak in the same water the finches may drink/bathe in. Why not try a few little button quail in the aviary?

I am not sure I would attempt this. JMO.

I agree. Hermit crabs, while terrestrial, do require both salt (marine) and fresh water in order to maintain bodily equilibrium. While hermit crabs would (gladly) eat the poop your birds make, mine have never really taken a big interest to seed, leaving it aside to rot in the soil. They do love fruits and vegetables (meat, too!) but they like it on the ripe side so the place may stink up before the hermit crabs start feeding on it, the birds, with their delicate respiratory systems, will absolutely not like this.
Consider the plants in the aviary goners if you get hermit crabs, they will destroy any plant they can reach. I am not sure if they can take down a grown finch, but pretty sure a group can and will readily snack on a fallen fledgling unable to get up. Plus, crabs are great climbers and you will in no time see them in the perches with your finches, and even in the nests, eating the hatchlings and the eggs!
Also, hermit crabs do need to shed their exoskeleton as they do not grow along with it as birds and humans, and in order to do so need very deep soil, at least 6 inches for the smaller crabs, and up to a foot for grown, large crabs. Some crabs can be under the soil for months before they reappear. They also do not grow with their shells and will need to be provided with suitable shells with the right weight, opening, width, girth, etc.
Also, keep in mind that crabs are not "throw away pets" and can live for years, and you may end up with ginormous crabs in ten, maybe twenty years with nothing to do with them!
This is a bad idea overall, this is coming from a person that has owned various hermit crab species for over four years.

[Dayna]

Love the aviary! As others have stated I would be worried about not only the finches but the crabs as well but everyone has said enough about it already, I really just wanted to comment on what a beautiful enclosure you have for your birds. What lucky babies you have!