Mike’s Fish Tank – Hermit Crabs

So many people are into hermit crabs as pets. They are fun, easy to care for and inexpensive. Here are some helpful hints.

Hermit crabs love to switch shells but need larger shells as they grow to maintain adequate body moisture.

For a proper fit, the new shell should be larger than the present shell, and the shell opening should be the same size as the crab’s large pincher.To ensure that hermit crabs function in their homes, shells should be properly cleaned, and chosen carefully. Crabs will clean themselves if you provide them with fresh water in their bowls.

If the bowl is big enough, the crab will get right into the dish pf water. Also, add a hermit crab sponge to the dish of water.

This adds moisture which is beneficial to the crab. If a hermit crab gets too dry, he will have a hard time shedding which can result in death.

Crabs thrive on company and are the most active and entertaining when they co-exist in pairs or in a hermit crab community.

When increasing the number of hermit crabs, be sure to provide more space for them. They also need a fairly warm and humid environment, 70-75 degrees F. However I want to point out that if you want to keep just one hermit crab, it is perfectly OK.

If the temperature gets too high, for example middle to upper 80’s, that is too warm. You risk drying out your carb.

A lot of kids have just a small cage and puting more than one might not be a good idea.

Crabs love to climb! Coral and choya wood will encourage activity. Again, be sure they have plenty of room to play!

Crabs need calcium obtained from shell dishes. And, they thrive on pre-mixed hermit crab food and treats, along with a variety of vegetables and fruits. They will bury their food, so make sure you remove all uneaten food prior to their daily feeding. One way to feed is to put just a little water in the sink, sprinkle the hermit crab food around the edge of the water.Let your crabs eat for about 15 to 20 minutes and put them back into their cage. Swish out your sink and your crab cage stays clean.Hermit crabs do not eat that much, so you will not be wasting much food if you only add a little bit in the sink.They also make an undertank heater that sticks to the bottom of your hermit crab cage. You plug it in and it emits just a small amount of heat that helps keep your crab from getting too cold. This is especially helpful in Winter.

Pets A Plenty is located in the Blockbuster Video Plaza, Rte 281 Cortland, 753-9213. Open 7 days a week. We now have a website. WWW.PETSAPLENTY.BIZ. check it out. I post care sheets, coupons, new animal arrivals, contests and more. Any questions, email me at friskyy@hotmail.com