Guide to Hermit Crabs

If a low maintenance, relatively low cost pet is on your wish list, take a look at the hermit crab. This little creature isn't time demanding, doesn't need to be walked and can be entertaining. If you have been thinking of a hermit crab, or two (believe it or not, they like to have friends), there are a few things to consider first.

The first thing you will need for them is a home. Aquariums work really well for hermits; they are fairly inexpensive and come in a wide variety of sizes. As with any animal, it is best to get your hermit crabs the largest enclosure that you can afford. However, a 10 gallon tank will be sufficient for 2 or 3 crabs. Be sure to get a top for the tank...hermit crabs are excellent climbers.

Your new crab will need something to sleep on...substrate. There are a number of suitable substrates for crabs that are readily available in pet stores. Play sand, cali-sand (calcium sand) and moss all make fine choices. Basically, you need a substrate that will hold moisture, something that the crabs can dig in. Ideally, this needs to be 2 to 3 times as deep as the crabs are tall.

Hermit crabs molt as they grow. This means that they shed their exco-skeleton, the hard shell-like covering on the parts of their body that comes out of their shell. When this happens they dig into the substrate, for safety. This process can be very lengthy and the crabs should not be messed with during this time. They will resurface when they are ready to face the world again.

As the crab molts, it will grow. Just a little each time...you won't notice it each time. However, the crab will need new, larger shells to move into. Generally, you will need two or three shells of varying sizes for your crab to choose from. Don't be surprised if your crab changes shells several times before sticking to one.

If you are lucky and can sit very still, you may be able to see your crab switch from one shell to another. This process can be very quick or can take a long while depending on the crab. If you do manage to see it, you will also see the part of the crab's body that is normally kept under wraps...very interesting, indeed.

Like every other pet, hermit crabs need food and water. Being scavengers, hermit crabs can and will eat a variety of foods, however, there are many commercial crab foods on the market. Any of these are fine and can be supplemented with fresh fruits and other household foods.

Water, on the other hand, is a little more complicated than most other pets. Hermit crabs require two type of water. Fresh water, this should be bottled water as hermits are very sensitive to toxins that may be found in tap water. They also require a salt-water supply. Both of these water sources need to be deep enough for the crabs to submerge and bathe in, but not so deep as to drown.

The humidity and water are very important to hermit crabs as they have a modified gill that they breathe from (instead of lungs). This means that they need to have a humid (70% - 80%), but not so humid as to cause mold to grow.

One last thing that is needed for happy hermit crabs is a place to hide. This can be anything from a half coconut shell with a door opening to fake plants or rocks stacked carefully into a cave.

Now, the fun stuff. Hermit crab cages are fun to decorate. Since crabs LOVE to climb, they would use fake vines, small artificial trees, rocks, logs, just about anything with a texture that they can get a foot hold in will work. Be imaginative, have fun and you will build a habitat that any hermit crab will love.