Strongpets Blog » Hermit Crabs

Hermit Crab Food

admin — Sat, 09 May 2009 19:29:46 +0000

Hermit Crab Food

Hermit crab food can be purchased at any local pet store. It is good to use a mixture of both the solid pellet and the powder. Include fresh fruits and veggies, but do not feed citrus to them. Crabs also need calcium, so always keep a bit of cuttlebone in the tank, away from the water. It is also a good idea to purchase sea salt at your local pet store and place a tiny bit in a corner for the crabs to eat if their bodies need it. The minerals are good for their exoskeleton.

Hermit Crab Water

You may read that it is good to completely submerge your crab in water every week or so for a good cleaning. This probably won’t hurt your crab, but we have found excessive water can hurt your crab if they don’t dry out properly. Strongpets has had the best luck by keeping a special hermit crab sponge saturated with water in the cage at all times. Simply wet the sponge twice a day and place it in a shallow dish. Do not leave standing water in your cage if there is a possibility of it tipping. Water can stand in the bottom, causing your crab to be too wet, which will kill him.

Tap water has chlorine in it, which is deposited on their gills and can harm them. Please use bottled (not distilled) fresh water.

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Hermit Crab Cage

admin — Sat, 09 May 2009 19:28:33 +0000

Hermit Crab Cage

Hermit crabs do well in cages that have bars so they can climb for exercise. One that has a plastic bottom tray but bar sides will be perfect for your crab. Some people like to use fish tanks, which work just as well. You can use rocks in the bottom, but we like the special sand made especially for hermit crabs. You can get a variety of colors, including glow in the dark! Sand is better for quick scat and food cleanup since it is easy to find in the sand.

Your hermit crab loves to climb. You can purchase logs and sticks that work well, or place large beach shells (such as conch) or rocks in the cage for climbing purposes.

Shells

Hermit crabs need several different sized shells in their tank. As they grow, they will move from one shell to another. Have several sizes, starting from their own size and increasing ready for them in the tank.

Warmth

The temperature in your tank or cage should range from 65-85 degrees F. You can use a heat lamp to warm a side of the cage, or even a desk lamp to warm them for an hour or two. You may find they will climb to the top of the cage if you have a warm light to the side.

Hermit Crabs

admin — Sat, 09 May 2009 19:27:25 +0000

Hermit Crabs

If you have children, I don’t think you can leave a beach resort without a hermit crab in tow. Who can resist them? Hermit crabs are actually fascinating pets, and can thrive if you learn what they need to live a healthy, strong life.

Molting

You may look in your cage and find a piece of claw in the sand, or that your hermit crab is out of his shell. Do not worry, he is probably molting. Your crab will shed his shell when he is healthy. A new shell is underneath and will harden. Leave the outer shell in the cage so he can eat it and gain back the calcium needed to harden his new exoskeleton.

NEVER TRY TO PULL YOUR CRAB FROM HIS SHELL. A HERMIT CRAB WILL ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE RIPPED APART AND DIE RATHER THAN BE PULLED OUT OF THE SAFETY OF HIS SHELL.

Community

Hermit crabs live in communities. It is best for you to purchase two or more at a time.

Claws

The hermit crab has a large claw used for climbing, which will hurt if it is pinching you. It is alright to hold your crab, but be careful not to keep your fingers near this claw. Remember, your crab will use his claw for climbing, so don’t be startled if you feel a slight pinch. If he holds on to you and does not let go, you can place your hermit crab under a cool stream of water to startle him off. Do not throw your crab out of surprise, since the fall may injure or kill your hermit crab.

Breeding

Hermit crabs do not reproduce in captivity. In their natural habitat, land hermit crab females carry the eggs for a short time. They release them at the shoreline, and the babies live in the water for about six molts. Following this, they come back to the shore and remain land crabs for the rest of their lives.