Land Hermit Crabs: Eco-friendly Pets with a Small Carbon Footprint

A pet can be a great source of joy in your life, and when you are striving to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle, you look for a pet that leaves the smallest carbon footprint. A land hermit crab fits that description, and here are six reasons why:

Hermit crabs eat all sorts of fruits and vegetables.

Hermit crabs are not picky eaters and eat just about anything. They can eat the same fruits and vegetables that you and your family enjoy, and if you have a garden, you can save money on their food by feeding your crab the same veggies that you and your family eat.

Hermit crabs need to drink chlorine-free water.

Tap water contains chlorine and other chemicals that can be harmful to your crab. You and your crab both should drink water that is either filtered or bottled. With the concern of the amount of plastic used to make water bottles and the impact on the environment, you can purchase an inexpensive water filtering system (one that is reusable) and use the tap water once it has been filtered.

Hermit crabs do not require much space and can live in a glass aquarium.

Hermit crabs do not need much space to roam around and can live happily in captivity within a decent-sized glass aquarium with a cover. Hermit crabs need humidity to be comfortable and healthy, so you can place a warm wet towel on top of the aquarium to help with this.

Hermit crabs have sand as their bedding and substrate.

Hermit crabs love to bury in the sand, and therefore, sand is best to place in the bottom of the crab's habitat. You can clean the sand by running it through a kitchen strainer and then reuse the sand within the crabitat.

Hermit crabs enjoy such eco-friendly toys as driftwood, dried choya wood, and shells.

Hermit crabs love to play in shells and on driftwood and dried choya wood. They will even eat some of the wood. Nature provides the shells and wood, so the burning of carbon fuels is not necessary for their production.

Hermit crabs are hypoallergenic and do not carry any known diseases.

Hermit crabs do not carry any known diseases, are odorless, and are wonderful pets for people who suffer from allergies. Unlike dogs, cats, horses, and other animals, hermit crabs do not need any type of vaccinations or medications.

If you feel the desire to get a pet and want to choose one that is eco-friendly, you may want to consider a land hermit crab. You will have a new companion to enjoy as well as be kind to your environment.

Sources:

http://www.hermit-crabs.com/care.html

http://www.hermit-crabs.com/food.html

http://www.hermit-crabs.com/molting.html

http://www.hermitcrabs.org