If you care for land hermit crabs, remember to consider these important items.
1. Spray Bottle-- If your crabs have been removed from their humid tank environment for even a short amount of time, their gills (near the 4th and 5th pairs of legs) and abdomen must be sprayed with dechlorinated water to ensure that the breathing gills and blood vessels on the abdomen are kept moist and functional. Spray more often if the atmosphere in their tank is found to be low in humidity. (I have noticed that some hermit crabs seem to dislike being pelted by strong gusts of water from a spray bottle. Therefore, an eye dropper is a great substitute to use instead of a spray bottle.)
2. Friends-- Hermit crabs are very social and are happiest and most active with companionship. Buy at least two. I strongly recommend that you choose crabs of similar size to prevent bullying and to prevent the chance of a smaller crab drowning in a larger crab's water dish. As has been my experience, large crabs can inadvertently walk atop smaller crabs, which can sometimes pin the smaller crab down and clip off a leg. Should you desire to keep crabs of different sizes, house them with similar-sized companions in separate tanks. Mating is very rare in captivity, and reproduction cannot take place without the ocean where hermit crab eggs hatch and live as plankton for the first 26-60 days of their life.
3. Space-- Too often people crowd too many hermit crabs into one cage, reducing the life span and increasing the stress of their pets. The more space your hermit crabs have, the more exercise they can get, and the more active they will be. I'd recommend that you purchase the largest cage that you can afford. You can increase the walking surface area of a smaller cage by adding items for the hermit crabs to climb and sit on.
4. Warmth-- Crabs must be kept at 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit or else they might become sickly and lethargic. An under-the-tank heater pad is most effective to use, for placing it in a corner of the tank can allow crabs both warm and cooler places in the tank. All other heat sources (including other products sold at pet stores) have been found to be innefective, inconsistent, or dangerous. Place a thermometer inside the cage and be particularly observent of it during the winter months or when your home's air conditioner is running at full force. Do not place your crabs' tank near a sunny window in attempt to warm them. It can be a death sentence!
5. Calcium-- Hermit crabs in captivity often lack calcium, an item critical to the maintenance of the exoskeleton. Provide your hermit crabs with the opportunity to nibble on coral, barnicals, or sand dollars, since these items are high in calcium carbonate. Scraping powdery crushed cuddle bone into the food or water is highly used and recommended. Crushed oyster shells (found in the bird section of your pet store) can also be used. Some use boiled egg shells as a calcium source, but I do not endorse that method, since yoke films have the potential for dangerous sominela bacteria growth. Never give any dairy products (milk, cheeses, etc.) to a hermit crab in the hopes of providing calcium.
6. Natural Sea Sponge-- Natural sea sponges make great humidifiers. Rinse them thoroughly before use and do NOT place them in the water dish. Doing so blocks the crabs' entrance to their drinking source. Instead, place the sponge elsewhere. Always buy at least 2 sponges so that you can alternate their use. While one is being used, the other can be cleaned and dried to prevent the growth of bacteria. Sponges should be discarded and replaced after about 3 months of use.
7. UV Light -- It has been suggested that hermit crabs will benefit from regular exposure to UV light only during daytime hours. Consider using a 2.0 watt florescent bulb.
1. Spray Bottle-- If your crabs have been removed from their humid tank environment for even a short amount of time, their gills (near the 4th and 5th pairs of legs) and abdomen must be sprayed with dechlorinated water to ensure that the breathing gills and blood vessels on the abdomen are kept moist and functional. Spray more often if the atmosphere in their tank is found to be low in humidity. (I have noticed that some hermit crabs seem to dislike being pelted by strong gusts of water from a spray bottle. Therefore, an eye dropper is a great substitute to use instead of a spray bottle.)
2. Friends-- Hermit crabs are very social and are happiest and most active with companionship. Buy at least two. I strongly recommend that you choose crabs of similar size to prevent bullying and to prevent the chance of a smaller crab drowning in a larger crab's water dish. As has been my experience, large crabs can inadvertently walk atop smaller crabs, which can sometimes pin the smaller crab down and clip off a leg. Should you desire to keep crabs of different sizes, house them with similar-sized companions in separate tanks. Mating is very rare in captivity, and reproduction cannot take place without the ocean where hermit crab eggs hatch and live as plankton for the first 26-60 days of their life.
3. Space-- Too often people crowd too many hermit crabs into one cage, reducing the life span and increasing the stress of their pets. The more space your hermit crabs have, the more exercise they can get, and the more active they will be. I'd recommend that you purchase the largest cage that you can afford. You can increase the walking surface area of a smaller cage by adding items for the hermit crabs to climb and sit on.
4. Warmth-- Crabs must be kept at 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit or else they might become sickly and lethargic. An under-the-tank heater pad is most effective to use, for placing it in a corner of the tank can allow crabs both warm and cooler places in the tank. All other heat sources (including other products sold at pet stores) have been found to be innefective, inconsistent, or dangerous. Place a thermometer inside the cage and be particularly observent of it during the winter months or when your home's air conditioner is running at full force. Do not place your crabs' tank near a sunny window in attempt to warm them. It can be a death sentence!
5. Calcium-- Hermit crabs in captivity often lack calcium, an item critical to the maintenance of the exoskeleton. Provide your hermit crabs with the opportunity to nibble on coral, barnicals, or sand dollars, since these items are high in calcium carbonate. Scraping powdery crushed cuddle bone into the food or water is highly used and recommended. Crushed oyster shells (found in the bird section of your pet store) can also be used. Some use boiled egg shells as a calcium source, but I do not endorse that method, since yoke films have the potential for dangerous sominela bacteria growth. Never give any dairy products (milk, cheeses, etc.) to a hermit crab in the hopes of providing calcium.
6. Natural Sea Sponge-- Natural sea sponges make great humidifiers. Rinse them thoroughly before use and do NOT place them in the water dish. Doing so blocks the crabs' entrance to their drinking source. Instead, place the sponge elsewhere. Always buy at least 2 sponges so that you can alternate their use. While one is being used, the other can be cleaned and dried to prevent the growth of bacteria. Sponges should be discarded and replaced after about 3 months of use.
7. UV Light -- It has been suggested that hermit crabs will benefit from regular exposure to UV light only during daytime hours. Consider using a 2.0 watt florescent bulb.
When spraying a hermit crab's
gills, wait until he comes far
out of his shell. Then aim the
spray bottle into his shell so that
his gills and abdomen are
moistened.
gills, wait until he comes far
out of his shell. Then aim the
spray bottle into his shell so that
his gills and abdomen are
moistened.
