How to Take Care of a Crab
If you are looking for a small pet that is easy to care for, a crab -- particularly a hermit crab -- might be a good choice. Pet owners praise hermit crabs for their low-maintenance requirements, lack of odor and hypoallergenic properties. Be sure to learn how to properly care for your new creature.
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Instructions
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Prepare an appropriate habit for your crab, commonly called a "crabitat." A 10-gallon glass aquarium is an ideal choice because it is roomy and easy to clean. To give your crab something to walk on and tunnel through, cover the bottom with sand or coconut fiber.
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Give your crab some friends. Hermit crabs are not actually hermits, as their name suggests, they prefer to live in groups and travel in packs of 100 or more in the wild. Purchase at least three crabs to live together.
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Set the right temperature and humidity for your crab. Proper tank condition for a hermit crab is between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. To maintain the high temperature, use a 15-watt heat lamp or a heating pad placed underneath the aquarium. The humidity in the tank must be at or above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. To increase the humidity, add a wet sea sponge to the tank or lay a wet towel over the top of the aquarium.
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Feed your hermit crab. They are omnivores and eat just about anything. Commercial crab food is available in pet stores. You might prefer to simply feed your crab what you eat, such as meat, fish, vegetables and fruit. Always keep a shallow dish of water in the tank.
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Provide extra shells for your crabs. When a crab outgrows its shell, it sheds its exoskeleton in a process called molting. Don't panic if you see what looks like a dead crab in your tank; it could be an old exoskeleton. The crab then moves into a new shell. It is essential that you have empty shells in your tank that are slightly bigger than your crabs' current shells, so they have new shells to move into.
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Tips & Warnings
Hermit crabs love toys! They enjoy climbing on and hiding in things like plastic plants, hollow logs and flower pots.
It is OK to withhold food from your crab one or two days per week, so they will eat the food that they've hidden.
Always pick up a crab by the back of its shell to avoid getting pinched.
Place any ill crabs in an isolation tank to keep the others from getting sick.
References
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