How to Clean up After a Pet Hermit Crab

Hermit crabs, like other pets, require clean habitats. Regular upkeep of a hermit crab's habitat ensures a suitable environment in which it can thrive. Remove waste, clean shells and rearrange the tank decorations of your hermit crab's habitat to keep it happy and healthy.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fish net

1. Remove droppings, old food and parts of exoskeleton from your crab's habitat. Scoop up the substrate or sand in your crab's habitat with a fish net, sift and dispose of the remaining waste. Replace the clean, sifted sand back into your crab's habitat.

2. Wash shells that contain food and water daily. Use clean water and a damp napkin to clean off slimy build-ups on the bottom of the shells. A clean area to provide food and water for your hermit crab is critical to its health.

3. Replenish your hermit crab's food and water sources in the clean shells.

4. Clean extra shells in your hermit crab's habitat. Shake out sand or substrate accumulations in shells that your hermit crabs may adopt or no longer uses. Sand or substrate in the shells may interfere with the hermit crab's shell adoption processes.

5. Switch out wet sponges in your crab's habitat. Keeping moist sponges in your crab's habitat provides the humidity necessary for a viable habitat environment, but reusing the same sponges may promote bacterial or mold growth.

6. Rearrange your hermit crab's tank decorations. Putting tank decorations in different places provides the hermit crabs with different landscapes in which to explore, exercise and entertain themselves.

Tips & Warnings

• Change the substrate in the hermit crab's habitat every 4 to 6 weeks.
• Never use chemicals or detergents when cleaning up after your hermit crab. Crabs are very sensitive to chemicals and contact with them can be poisonous.