-10 Easy Hermit Crab Care Tips-

There is often a misconception that hermit crabs are "throw-away" pets. It may be because of their price, availability, or just how they are marketed by most pet stores. They are also often portrayed as easy to keep pets. The truth is, even though hermit crabs are relatively easy to keep and take care of, they require more than a plastic container and some gravel. I have spent hours trolling through hermit crab websites and researching, (and of course spending time with my own hermies), and I have compiled an easy to follow list that sections off each important step to remember when keeping hermit crabs as pets.

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1. Hermit Crabs are Not Hermits!!
They are very social animals. I do not recommend keeping just one. Try and keep at least two or three hermies. You will
notice that they will normally group together and keep each other company :)

2. Hermit Crabs Love to Dig.
Provide your hermie with sand or 'forest bedding' so that they will be able to dig in it. Or, mix the two and make a lovely playground for them. I do not recommend bedding used for small mammals (wood shavings or pellets) or gravel, as they are not good for your crab (they do not retain moisture and do not allow them to dig). You can use the sand found at your local pet store, or even the play sand found at your local do-it-yourself store. Make sure the amount of your bedding (better known as "substrate") is twice the height of your biggest hermie, or more. That way, when the time comes for them to 'molt' (change their skin), they can find a nice quiet place for this to happen. Which leads to our next tip:

3. Hermit Crabs Molt!
Not a lot of new owners may realize this. If your crabble digs into the substrate and stays there, do not be scared.

Sometimes hermit crabs need to shed their skin, and so they dig into the ground and go into a sort of hibernation so they can rest before the big change. This may take weeks depending on the size of the crab, so it is best to let them be and not try to dig them up or disturb them. It is hard to tell if they are molting or just hiding sometimes, but just let them be and if you smell something bad in those weeks, then you know that it did not go well.

4. Hermit Crabs Need Humidity!
Hermit crabs have hard gills towards the back part of their body. These gills are not like a fish, therefore land hermit
crabs cannot breathe underwater. Do not make a body of water for your crabs that they cannot easily get out of. Always leave something in the water dish for them to use to climb out with (such as a sponge, piece of coral, or stick).

Even though hermit crabs cannot breathe underwater, they still need moisture so that they can breathe the air (they still have gills after all!).

It is a good idea to have your crab's home fitted with a glass lid (most pet stores have these lids available) so that the tank (also known as a 'crabitat' to dedicated crab owners) retains its humidity. A good range for the humidity should be around 65%-80%. However, you can't have humidity without....

5. Warmth!
Hermit crabs come from a warm tropical climate. Warm humid air is what is best for them. The easiest and safest way to make sure your hermies are warm is to get a tank heater. The kind that you can stick under the tank or on the side of it is recommended (it's also known as a U.T.H., or 'Under Tank Heater'). An overhead lamp may be too strong for them, avoid them if you can. Once you combine water and moisture with warmth, you have humidity! And not to mention happy crabs. To make sure that you have the right amount of heat and moisture, it may be a good idea to look into getting a humidity and heat thermometer. The price range for these can be anywhere from five dollars and up. A good range for the heat should be around 73-78 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. What's for Dinner?
In the wild, hermit crabs are scavengers. They will pretty much try and eat anything, but that does not mean that everything is good for them. Try and provide your hermie with a range of different foods for them to try, but do not give your hermie any spicy food or foods with preservatives. Fruit, veggies, meat (foods that can come dehydrated or raw, such as shrimp or fish, are a good choice), rice, unbuttered popcorn, etc. are some things to keep in mind. I have even given my hermies organic baby food and they love it! Include some sort of calcium and carotene in their diets as well (cuttlebone and carrots are some examples). This is so that they can maintain their hard shells and a reddish hue.

7. I'm Thirsty!
Since hermit crabs come from a tropical habitat, it is important to provide your hermies with fresh water and also salt water. Do not give them water from the tap, there are metals and other things in it that can harm them. You can either clean their water with a dechlorinated mix (found in the Betta fish/hermit crab section of your pet store), or, since they do not drink that much, bottled water will do as well. To make salt water, do not use table salt. Use either sea salt or a special mix of salt for crabs (also found in the Betta fish/hermit crab section of your pet store).

As said earlier, make sure the water dishes are not too deep, otherwise there is a chance of a smaller crab not being able to get back out of the dish and drowning. A lot of people use a half of a clam shell, they are decorative and are very functional, and they are not too deep either. :) A wet sea sponge placed in the crabitat helps with the humidity in the tank, and also if your crabs don't feel like bathing, they can just nibble on the sponge.

8. Hermit Crabs Love Shells.
As they grow, and as temperatures fluctuate, hermit crabs will need to change their shells. It is best to have a wide variety for them to choose from. Hermit crabs can be quite picky! A good amount of extra shells to have is about 2 to 3 per crab.

I always make sure to have shells with size openings that are their size, and a few that are just a little bit bigger than
their current shell (size opening refers to the width of the opening in the shell.). Also, you will notice that some shells are thicker than others. These are good in case the temperature in their crabitat drops. Thinner shells are of course better for if the temperature rises.

Never ever, EVER buy or give your hermit crabs shells that are painted. The paint is toxic to them, and they will eat the paint. Even paint labeled 'non-toxic' is harmful, for it is non-toxic for humans, not crabs. The painted crabs you see at the store were forced into those shells, leaving them uncomfortable, itchy, and may have put a few in shock, causing them to lose a limb or two.

9. Hideys and Toys
Hermit crabs love to have a place to hide. Always provide your crab with a shady spot or hiding place, such as a small bark log, a coconut hut (often seen in pet stores), or even a hemp net that they can relax under. They also love to explore their surroundings, so providing your hermie with things for them to do will keep them occupied. Give them anything they can climb on (that is safe for them to chew) such as a climbing net (coconut fiber or hemp netting), choya wood (a type of wood that has a lot of holes in it; perfect for climbing and hiding), unpainted flower pots (they can hide or dig under it), rocks, coral, they love it all :)

10. Losing limbs? Cage Streaking? Chirping? Listless?
If you have seen or have had any of the above happen, be concerned, but do not panic. These are common signs of stressful conditions. A lot of the times these may happen shortly after you bring your crab home.

If a crab is losing limbs, you need to act fast. This is normally caused either by stress (from the long journey to the pet store, to waiting there in bad conditions for you to find him) or unpleasant crabitat conditions (too dry, too bright, etc). When you first get your crab do not handle him too much, let him get used to his surroundings first and get settled into his new home. Make sure that you are providing enough water, warmth, and moisture to his home. Also, ensure that he gets some light, but also has a place to hide.

If you see a naked crab (i.e. no shell), you need to take the crab, gently wash him with dechlorinated water, and place him
with his shell in an isolated place (a cup works well because there is not much room for him to go anywhere else but back in his shell).

If you hear your hermies chirping, something is annoying them. It could be you, another crab, or their environment. Determine what could be causing this and help them feel better :)

If your crab seems lethargic or listless, you also should examine their environment again. Is the air too dry? Are they
getting too much sun? Are they lonely? Also, keep in mind that crabs are most active at night, so they may just be resting.