Ocypode Quadrata (Ghost Crab)

[Ghost_Keeper]

So I recently hatched 4 baby ghost crabs, and I'd say this is the best batch of ghosts I've raised yet! too young to *** by looking at the body, the claws are a good indicator. They're very active, and will chase down live prey. I keep them in a 20 gallon long tank, which can house them their entire life. These guys came from 2 that I got to breed, but most of the baby crabs died in the very early stages. Very interesting pets. Will Post pictures soon.

 

[CosbyArt]

Nice, sounds like it is a interesting pet. You mentioned live prey what do you feed them? I ask as any information I found talked about canned/frozen/dried food to use. I'm waiting to see some pictures of it all. my wife saw me looking up the details about them and she said no new pets lol.

Never seen the ocean in my life, let along the little crabs but knew them from TV shows. Apparently they really zoom in on them as I read they are only 2.5" in size. A nice trait is the 3 year lifespan. I know when I get to know a pet mantid good and their personality, it seems it's on to the next one - the real con to mantids is the short life. I found these while looking about the Ghost crabs...

 

[Ghost_Keeper]

My ghosties like to eat gut loaded crickets, traditional crab food, shrimp and some random bugs from outside. The long lifespan is definitely a plus. Their favorite live food is woodlice, they love to pop them open. If you keep them in the right housing, they'll become less cryptic and walk right up to the glass and stare at you. They can be purchased, but are incredibly expensive. http://www.gulfspecimen.org/specimen/arthropoda/true-crabs/
Luckily their care is almost exactly like Uca. Sp but get to be quite large.

Here is some video, sorry for bad quality, will get the actual camera out tomorrow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iuNg9e7czU

 

[CosbyArt]

Sounds like a fun pet to have. Great to see they do live prey too, definitely helps with food. A bonus of the crazy eyes staring back at you lol. I just hope they don't have the Fiddler crab smell that my niece's pets had as they got awful when they weren't cleaned properly.

That is a bit expensive for just 3 crabs, the minimum order. Would be cheaper to drive to a beach and collect your own, especially if your going on vacation or up for a road trip.

Awesome, they are so small and are out and about too. I figured you would have to do the half sand/water setup for them, but I guess the sand is just kept wet?

 

[Ghost_Keeper]

they like the cave, and as they age I'm going to add more sand, and water can be very bad for them (these crabs drown quite easily) They don'y smell if you clean the tank regularly, and with road trip, kritter keepers are great for holding babies! I acquired my first batch through a road trip. They wick the water out from the sand using those legs hairier than a biker's =)

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

Wait, they breed in your tank? There's no drifting larval stage? Do they need saltwater to soak in or are they actually terrestrial? I always assumed that the bottom of their burrows are flooded.

 

[Ghost_Keeper]

I have a separate breeding tank that simulates an open ocean area to the best extent, and their tunnels DO reach the water table in the wild, but rarely.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

I'm really interested to see your breeding tank and captive bred babies. This is completely fascinating, I didn't know that you could breed any kind of crab with planktonic larvae at home!

 

[Ghost_Keeper]

Yeah! Once I clean up the tank (I let algae grow freely in it) I'll post some pictures. If you listened closely in the video you could hear its filter in the background. the CB babies are very calm in comparison to WC.

Here is my most aggressive little guy posing on my hand (he's also the largest)

 

[CosbyArt]

Thanks for sharing a photo of your big guy, he looks great

I gotta say I learned a lot about them, and it seems like it would be a great new hobby/pet if I start looking for something else. Although I have a similar mantid pet "in the works" as it were now. Congrats on the babies too

 

[Ghost_Keeper]

Thanks for sharing a photo of your big guy, he looks great

I gotta say I learned a lot about them, and it seems like it would be a great new hobby/pet if I start looking for something else. Although I have a similar mantid pet "in the works" as it were now. Congrats on the babies too

Thanks! and once you get away from the price, they're a lot of fun!