Hermit Crab Care
All about Hermit Crab Care
Hermit crabs make wonderful pets and hermit crab care is much easier than caring for some reptiles, such as lizards and snakes. While many species of hermit crabs live in the ocean in tidal pools, there are also hermit crabs that live on land, and these are the ones that are kept in aquariums as pets.
If you think hermit crabs received their name because they like to live alone, you are wrong. Hermit crabs are actually very social creatures and should you get one as a pet, be sure to get a few friends to go with him. The name hermit comes from the fact that hermit crabs have very delicate abdomens and do not have a natural shell to protect them. So they use the shells that have been discarded by other crabs and sea creatures, such as snails. As they grow out of one shell, they molt, or shed their skin, and then choose a bigger shell in which to live.
The word “hermit” refers to the fact that each individual crab lives in his own shell. The shell that they adopt is worn so that they can still stick out their legs and walk, carrying the shell with them. So, every hermit crab has his own personal little cave which he can withdraw into for protection. Hermit crabs live in groups of up to one hundred in the wild and you can have as many in a tank as will fit the size comfortably and that you can afford to support. Each hermit crab needs around two gallons of space, so you should start out with a ten-gallon glass tank, which can hold up to five medium-sized hermit crabs.
A well-cared for hermit crab can live to be up to eighty years old. They need as much humidity and heat as tropical fish, which means temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees and humidity in the same range. You will need a gauge to check the humidity level. Hermit crab care means having an aquarium or terrarium in which they can live, sand or another good substrate in which they can crawl around, and bowls for salt water, regular water, and food.
Both water dishes have to be large enough for the largest crab to submerge himself in them. You might have to put a natural sponge or some sort of rocks in the dish so that the smaller crabs can climb into the water without drowning. Hermit crab care means finding out what they eat and providing them with the appropriate food and water. You can buy prepared hermit crab food, but many people say the healthiest way to feed them is with normal people food. They can eat just about anything--vegetables, fruits, breads, meats, and even egg shells. Water must be fresh and not chlorinated.
Hermit crabs can be very active and need to have things in their enclosure on which they can climb. They also need objects to hide under and a place where they can molt undisturbed by other crabs. Some people with multiple hermit crabs have a special tank because it is not unheard of for one hermit crab to eat another when their exoskeleton smells new.
Although when you first bring him home, your hermit crab may want to pinch you with his claws, after settling in, he will learn to be held and will become very friendly.