You’ve filled the pool and broken out the flip flops, there’s lemonade in the fridge and the ice cream truck is coming down the street. You’ve got everything checked off on your summer list from Beach Ball to Water Balloons but there is something that may not be on your list. Something many crabber’s forget about . Before you run out the door stop and check the stats in your crabitat.
With summer temps on the rise its time to check your tank to make sure you are not overheating your little babies. Checking the air temperature is not enough, it is vital that you check the substrate temperature regularly to make sure it is not too hot. Depending on where you live and how you cool your home you may not need a heat source at all in the summer. If your home is cooled by air conditioning you will most likely still need some added warmth in the tank. If you require no additional heat source, be sure to change your overhead bulbs to a very low wattage. Your hermies need their light year round! Check the location of your tank and ensure the air conditioning is not blowing directly on your tank or you will cause wildly fluctuating temperatures inside the tank.
For additional information on Crabitat overheating check out the article that Marie wrote.