How to Own a Pet Hermit Crab

A hermit crab is a great pet to own. It lives in a small tank where you can watch it climb, dig and crawl around. While a hermit crab is a low maintenance pet, it does require more care than most people think. With proper food, a healthy environment and a bit of misting, your hermit crab should live a long life.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Larger shells
• Water dishes
• Sand or pebbles
• Hermit crab
• Tank

1. Pick a hermit crab out at a local pet store. Most pet stores offer a decent selection of crabs, often in decorated shells. You should be able to pick up all the supplies you need to own a hermit crab at the same pet store.

2. Buy a tank to put the crab in. You do not need a very large habitat, and a 10-gallon glass aquarium can safely hold 5 hermit crabs. You need enough room for the crabs, 2 water dishes, extra shells and climbing toys.

3. Provide a proper environment for your pet hermit crab. The temperature should not dip below 72 degrees F, and there should be at least 70 percent humidity. You will also need to give the hermit crab enough substrate to bury himself in and a few climbing toys.

4. Provide a few shells that are larger than the hermit crab's current shell. The shells should be 1/3 larger than the previous sized shell. Young crabs molt (and change shells) frequently, while older ones only molt once every 18 months.

5. Bathe your hermit crab once a week in dechlorinated water or mist daily. Most hermit crabs sold in America are tree crabs that should not be submerged in water. Keep clean water supply in the tank for these crabs to bathe themselves.

6. Pick up crabs gently by grasping the backs of their shells. Handle your hermit crabs regularly to get them conditioned to being held.

7. Feed your hermit crab special food available at the pet store. For treats, your hermit crab will eat just about anything you put in the tank--fruits, vegetables and well cooked meat are great for crabs.

Tips & Warnings

• Crabs need a humid environment to protect their gills.
• A molting crab will disappear under the sand for about ten days. You may want to provide a second tank specifically for molting crabs.
• Despite the name, hermit crabs do not like to live alone. You should have at least two crabs, if not more.
• Remember that crabs pinch. Respect that natural behavior and do not poke at or bother their claws.
• Hermit crabs are nocturnal and tend to disrupt their tanks each and every night. You should put the tank back together about once a week.

[HermitPaws]

on 4/27/2008 NEVER USE PEBBLES!!! im a Hemit own er for 6 years now. and pebble get stuck up in there shell and kill them!!! Use Eco Earth(Shreded coconut husks) or sand From you petstore.