Hermit Crabs
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What are some tips for caring for pet hermit crabs?
I’m saving up money to get some pet hermit crabs and I was wondering how to care for them, what do they eat, how long do they live? That stuff, I have an old aquarium that I THINK is 5 to 10 gallons. And, if it’s not too much trouble, does anyone know of any pet stores in the coastal Maine area that sell hermit crabs?
They can live for decades if given proper care(50 years+).
Try not to buy them from malls(including mall pet shops) or tourist stand. Nine times out of ten, they are in poor condition and more likely to die. Hermy specific forums like Crabstreetjournal or Landhermitcrabs are good places to ask questions if you fell Y!A doesn’t provide enough. Most items made for hermit crabs are crappy and expensive, don’t buy them.
In the wild a hermit crab colony may have over hundreds and hundreds of crabs. They are social, so never have one crab(Unless he’s in an isolation tank of course!). Different species can mix, but make sure you can make the tank comfortable for everyone.
A 10 gallon tank is the smallest size tank your crabs should be housed in. If you’re tank is smaller, go on Craigslists and see if you can pick one up for free. Petsmarts sells 10 gallon tanks for around $10.
You’re going to need a lid for the tank. You don’t want to risk your crabs escaping or major humidity loss. Mesh is not the best thing, because they can rust and make the environment unsafe. Best buy a glass lid from Home Depot(take the measurements of your tank).
Your 10 gallon tank should have an 8 watt under tank heater to keep the crabs warm. If you live in an area wear the temprature is the range of 72F-83F all year round, you don’t need a heater, but chances are your house falls below acceptable temprature at least during winter. Monition your temprature with a thermometer. Digital thermometer will require little maintenance, and can be purchased at Wal Mart in combination with a hygrometer. Check dial thermometers every so often(stick it in the fridge and see the temprature). If it’s off, replace it.
Hermies have modified gills which allow them to live on land. They need good humidity. It should be between 75%-84%; buy a hygrometer to monitor humidity. As I said before, it can come in a combo with a thermometer. If you buy a dial hygrometer, you have to calibrate it every so often to make sure it’s still working. This link will tell you how.
http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modules/news/article.php?storyid=54&keywords=calibrating+hygrometer
Misting your tank can increase your humidity, but it’s a pain to keep doing it. Make a little hold in the corner of your substrate, and add water. Moist substrate should keep your tank’s humidity good. Moss pits are great for humidity too. Hiawatha moss is good for them and can be found at craft stores. Get a little plastic basket with good quality suction cups(if you’re worried, aquarium silicone sealant is safe to use as a glue) and stick the moss there. This is on moss.
http://naturallycrabby.com/home/blog1.php/2007/06/16/dont-forget-the-moss
Now, while I’m on humidity let me tell you about one of the most annoying inventions to hermit crab kind. I feel at least one person who hasn’t done there research will say “Use sponges, sponges are the best!”. I say they’re annoying because sooooooo many people believe they should use it in place of a water bowl. They won’t drown, and need to dip in order to get some water into there shells. They breed bacteria and need to be sterilized daily. All they are is a pain in the butt. Don’t be fooled into buying them.
My rant on sponges has led me to bowls. All species of hermit crabs need fresh and salt water. You can use the freshwater in your tap water, just use dechlorinator to remove the chlorine(you don’t want their gills to burn). Make sure the dechlorinator doesn’t have slime coat because that will cause a problem. Poof, you’ve got you fresh water down. Now, for salt water. Use salt made for marine aquariums only(a brand like Instant Ocean, or Oceanic). Anything else is poor in comparison. This link will tell you how much salt you should use per brand.
http://crabbywiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Ocean+Water+Mixes&highlight=making%20ocean%20water
A good substrate is very important. If you don’t have proper substrate, your crabs can’t preform a normal molt, and if you have bad substrate your crabs can become dehydrated. You can use high quality play sand, coral sand, or eco earth. Sand can be moist or dry, eco earth has to remain moist. Bake sand before adding, and expand EE in pre-made salt water.
For food, most of it comes from your local grocers and your local aquarium supply store/pet store. Commercial food is not an acceptable diet. They are scavengers in the wild and need a nice varied diet like we humans do. Fruits, veggies, meat, calcium foods(dairy in moderation/once a month, cuttle bone sold for pet birds, egg shell, honey), and other proteins(walnuts and such) should all be included in your hermies diet. This website is a big help with what they can and can’t eat.
http://hermitcrabcuisine.com/
You can go cheap on decorations. I’ve found a lot of nice plastic plants and plastic baskets to make a second level at the local dollar store(I used to buy shells there, but now they’re all too small for my hermies. Hermies didn’t get too big, the shells got smaller). Coco huts(hidey), coco walls(climbing wall), plastic plant(climbing toys), moss(good humidity increaser, snack, and digging area), pre-used fish/reptile caves(hideys and climbing toys), logs from the pet shop(both), ceramic unpainted pots(hideys), and legos(if you have any lying around, they can be hideys or climbing toys if you or someone you know is good with them) can decorate your tank quite nicely.
Have at least three shells per crab(more the merrier), and boil them before you add them and once a week afterward. Painted shells should never be looked at as an option. The method used to stuff them in is extremely cruel and stressful on the crabs. Out of all my painted shell rescues only Rob survived. I still have his purple thing. If he changes out of a painted or cracked shell wait eight hours after the change to move it. It can stress them out if they want to move back into their old shell. They are sold in packs for $5 at Wal Mart or craft stores. They’re cheap and safe. Since you live in a coastal area, you can also try a tourist shop. They sells cheap shells.
If your tank is around 5 gallons, it’ll make a great isolation tank. You need an extra tank for new crabs(after your first hermies), sick, injured, and surface molters. You don’t need to decorate it with much. A hidey, substrate to dig, and the standard bowls will suffice.
One or two times every year(depends on size) your crab(or crabs if they have a molting party >-<) will molt or shed their skin. Normally a crab will find a nice spot underground(they may be in and out during this time) and begin the process. It takes anywhere from a few weeks(normally for smaller crabs) to a few months. Don't disturb them unless necessary(mold grows on the substrate, you find mites or ants in the tank). If you're unlucky, your crab may undergo a surface molt. Same as a regular molt, only not underground.
They'll look dead, but unlike deceased crab they have no smell. You don't have to isolate normal molters, only surface or sick crabs. Give them foods full of chitin(insect exos), protein(meat), and calcium(honey, cuttlebone, egg shell) once they come back up.
Hermit Crab Shell Change
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