Archive for December, 2009
Crab Live
Sunday, December 27th, 2009
How To Create A Hermit Crab Habitat-Tank and Environment
Okay, so you are going to become one of the growing band of crab enthusiasts known as “crabbers” but before you purchase your amazing little friends, you will need to look at where your crab is going to live, otherwise known as the hermit crab habitat. So with this in mind let’s start with the basics.
The Tank
I may be stating the obvious but your hermit crab won’t need such an elaborate home as, say, one of your furry friends. Nevertheless, in order for your pet to thrive and be happy, you will have to create a hermit crab habitat that is as appealing as possible so he can rightfully think of it as “home sweet home”.
So just how do you create a healthy habitat for your pet? Presumably you know that a hermit crab habitat would naturally be in a tropical environment, so you are going to need to make his tank as close to a “tropical paradise” as possible.
To begin with you will need a tank of sorts and this can be either glass or plastic. Be warned, though, you do need to make it secure because your little Herman hermit crab is a master of escapology! A hermit crab habitat needs to be escape proof, so this means keeping a lid on top of the tank to prevent him from climbing out, and you from spending hours looking for the little fellow.
I would steer clear of any tank that is marketed as a “hermit crab kit” as these are way too small for comfort. Ideally your tank needs to be no smaller than 10 gallons, bigger if you can afford it, since this is not only going to house Herman but also some home comforts, not least a food and water bowl.
Substrate or Floor Covering
You know when you move into a house, the first thing you do is buy wall to wall carpeting, well the same can be said for your hermit crab. Substrate is the name for the floor covering that would be found in his natural hermit crab habitat and in most instances this would be sand. Incidentally sand makes a great substance for your crab to burrow in – and burrow is one of the natural things that Hermit Crabs do – they just love to burrow!
If you purchase play sand that you would normally put in your kid’s sandpit, then you might want to wash it and bake it dry at 300o F. This serves to sterilise it and you can always wash it again if required.
There are other options for flooring such as coconut fibre-based bedding which is created especially for reptiles. This is ground up so it looks like fine soil and is also ideal for burrowing. Crushed coral is another option. Two materials which are definitely not suitable for your hermit crab habitat are gravel and wood shavings.
Central Heating
Like us humans, hermit crabs like their home to be kept warm. To keep Herman happy you will need to keep the temperature in the tank between 72 – 80o F. Anything less than this and your crab may become weak and stressed and susceptible to illness. Unless you live in the tropics, you will most likely have to use a heater or combination of heater and lights to maintain the temperature.
Humidity
Temperature alone won’t keep Herman happy and you need to consider the humidity factor as well. Even though crabs live mostly on land, they “breathe” using their gills. Maintaining the right amount of oxygen for your crab is dependent on the amount of humidity in the air. Consequently, if the air is too dry, the crab to all effects, suffocates.
The humidity level needs to be around 70 – 80 percent for Herman to be able to breath properly. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to provide humidity in your hermit crab habitat. Just placing his water bowl inside his tank will increase the humidity! You could also try placing a natural sea sponge in a dish as well. The sponge will hold a lot of water and its surface area allows for evaporation to take place, again boosting humidity levels.
Now you have all the tools to build a “home from home” for Herman and make him a very happy hermit crab. Enjoy him and have lots of fun.
About the Author
Jerry Montgomery is reviewing a book to help you raise healthy Hermit Crabs http://www.ugothermitcrabs.com
Helmet – Street Crab live 1995
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