HERMIT CRAB
- Hermit Crabs have five pairs of legs, including one pair with strong claws to climb and hold food.
- Hermit Crabs are not "true crabs." They have a smaller, soft abdomen which is protected by living in an empty snail shell. As they grow and molt, they need to move into larger shells.
- Though the average lifespan is much less, Hermit Crabs can live up to 10-15 years or more in captivity.
Diet
Land Hermit Crabs are omnivores, requiring a diet of both plant and meat. A commercial hermit crab diet can be supplemented with assorted fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, and small pieces of fish and meat. For extra calcium requirements cuttlebone or boiled egg shells should be offered.
De-chlorinated fresh water should be provided at all times; they also need saltwater provided to them. Some species of hermit crabs need saltwater for survival, the other species like to soak in it occasionally. When mixing the saltwater, use a salt made for marine aquarium fish (table salt is poisonous). Animart also sells pre-mixed saltwater, just bring in your own container.
The easiest way to offer the two types of water is in dishes deep enough for the crabs to submerse themselves yet shallow enough to get out without help.
Housing
Hermit crabs are social and 1-2 will be very comfortable in at least a 10-gallon aquarium. A 20 gallon long aquarium is ideal for 3 or more crabs. One half of the tank should have 5-6” of sand and the other half should have 5-6” of a soil based substrate for digging.
Keep the crabitat between 80 - 90ºF with an under-tank heater, or low wattage lighting. It helps to have a lid on your tank to keep in moisture, and to keep your crabs from escaping. Originating from tropical parts of the world; the humidity inside the crabitat should be kept at 80% at all times. This is important because hermit crabs have modified gills that they breathe through, not lungs. If the humidity levels are too low, the gills will dry out and become stiff and the crab will essentially suffocate. Misting the soil side of the tank daily usually provides enough humidity. Don’t mist the sand as it can cause the sand to clump and grow fungus.
Hermit crabs can be very active, especially at night, so provide plants, low hanging vines, and driftwood to climb on and provide hiding spots as well.
Handling & Care
All food and water dishes need to be cleaned and refilled daily. Also remove any uneaten bits of food from the tank. Avoid detergents and chemicals as these can be harmful to your pets
Wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap after handling any animal.
Shells
Provide a variety of shells for your crab to move into as it grows, molts, or just decides it wants a new shell. You never know what kind of shell a Hermit Crab may like – providing a good selection of various sizes and shapes will help keep your crabs happy and help prevent fights over the best ones! Hermit crabs seem to prefer “O” shaped openings. Do not disturb a crab that is in the process of molting. Hermit crabs need a deep layer of substrate to bury themselves to assist with molting. This is a very stressful time and bothering them now could cause death.
