Hermit crabs are fun pets to care for in your home. They
used to be reserved for souvenirs from seaside vacations, but
now they can be bought almost anywhere. They make wonderful
starter pets for kids. They make a great alternative to the more
traditional gerbils or hamsters, and they have a much longer
lifespan than goldfish! Contrary to what you might expect if you
are new to hermit crabs, it is possible to play with them, and
they do have little personalities of their own. Do you think
hermit crabs may make a great pet for you? Here are some helpful
hints to get you started.
Before you get your crab, you need to get the basic equipment
and supplies in place. First, they will need an aquarium for
their house. Forget those teeny, tiny cages you see at the shops
by the beach; hermit crabs really need a ten-gallon aquarium to
be comfortable. If you are getting more than one crab, obviously
you will be a bigger aquarium. A pet shop will be able to advise
you on the best size for the number of crabs you will be
housing. Make sure the aquarium has a snug fitting lid so your
little friends do not make a run for it! Place a heating pad
under the tank to keep your crabs feeling nice and tropical.
You will need something to cover the floor of the tank, as well.
Three to four inches of sand works best, but you can also use
crushed coral or reptile fiber bedding. If you use something
other than sand, it is still a good idea to cover a portion of
the floor with sand, so the crabs will have somewhere
comfortable to go when they molt.
Now that you have the house and the flooring covered, you will
need to get two shallow water dishes and a food dish. Shallow
shells work well for this job. In one water dish, you should
keep fresh water, and in the other, keep salt water, made with a
marine aquarium salt solution. The dishes need to be shallow
enough for the crabs to crawl into. A natural sea sponge is a
nice addition to the fresh water dish, your crab will love to
pinch it, and it will help keep the humidity levels up the
aquarium.
The last thing you will need to gussy up your hermit crab home
is some decorative wood pieces for the crabs to climb on. Coral
and coconut shells also make great additions that your crab will
love to play with.
Once you get your crab, to feed it, you will need to get some
commercial hermit crab food. You can supplement that food with
small pieces of fruit, meat, cereal, or fish. Additionally, make
sure your crab gets crushed eggshells or oyster shells to boost
their calcium level; it is important to keep their fragile
skeletons strong. Cuttlebone is another option for this purpose.
To care for your crab, clean their water and food dishes daily,
and spot the clean the tank when necessary. You will want to
provide plenty of extra shells, in increasingly larger sizes, so
your crab can change homes as they grow. Shells with wide
openings are best. When your crab molts, remove the skin they
have shed as soon as possible.
One optional, but useful accessory to get is a tank thermometer
and humidity-measuring tool. Your hermit crab will be most
comfortable when the temperature is kept around 72°F - 80°F and
the humidity level is between 70% and 80%.
With these helpful hints, you are ready to get your hermit crab.
All that is left to do now is come up with a name for your new
pet!