How to Groom a Pet Hermit Crab

Grooming your hermit crab can be a fun experience for both you and your crab. A simple, weekly bath helps to maintain your crab's health, cleanliness and aid in its development. Give your crab a bath to help it to maintain its shell and body.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Plastic containers
• Paper towel
• Tepid water
• Dechlorinating solution

1. Choose 2 containers to bathe and dry your crab. Select containers that are non-metallic and big enough to accommodate your crab. Suitable containers are dishes and plastic containers.
   
   

2. Line one container with a paper towel.
   
   
   

3. Pour tepid water into the other container.

4. Dechlorinate the water.

5. Add any special ingredients to the water. Pet shops often sell special hermit crab bathing supplements that aid in a crab's grooming, bathing and development.
   

6. Place your crab in the water in an upside-down position.
   
   

7. Wait 2 to 3 minutes as your crab sits in the water.
   
   

8. Watch your crab emerge from its shell and sit in an upright position. The crab's movements cause the water to undulate inside the shell and debris to be expelled from it.
   

9. Remove your crab from the container of water.
   
   
   
   

10. Hold your crab over the water as the excess water drips off its shell and body.
    
    
    

11. Put your hermit crab in the container lined with a paper towel and allow it to dry off completely.
    

12. Replace your hermit crab in its habitat.
    
    

Tips & Warnings

• Never use chemicals or detergents when grooming your hermit crab. Crabs are very sensitive to chemicals and contact with them can be poisonous.
• A lengthy submergence in water can cause your hermit crab to drown. Do not leave your submerged hermit crab unattended for more than the length of time that it takes to bathe it.

[crabby62]

on 9/13/2009 Bathing a crab causes stress and can interfere with osmoregulation. It's better to provide a fresh and salt water dish and allow the crab to tend his own needs as s/he would do in the wild. The only thing that should be added to their water is a good dechlor that removes chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals. Stress coat and products that stimulate a slime coat should be avoided.

[Daethian]

on 6/10/2009 Forcibly bathing your hermit crab is not recommended. The less stressful and preferred method is to instead offer water dishes deep enough to allow your hermit crabs to wade in and bathe themselves.

[HermitPaws]

on 4/27/2008 This is also known as Bathing your Crab and is NOT RECOMMEND by Hermit Crab owners all over the globe!!!
i've have had hemit crabs for 6 years and learn this "grooming" Stress your crab and may kill it!