Mike’s Fish Tank – Hermit Crabs
Posted by Dustin Horton // January 21, 2014 // Articles, Mike's Fish Tank // 1 Comment
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, but it is a good idea to bathe crabs. Submerge them in room temperature water for 30 seconds-1 minute and allow them to air dry.
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 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.
A lot of kids have just a small cage and putting 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.petsaplety.biz. check it out. I post care sheets, coupons, new animal arrivals, contests and more. Any questions, email me at friskyy@hotmail.com
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One Comment on "Mike’s Fish Tank – Hermit Crabs"
Actually I disagree on the you can keep one hermit crab it’s ok. Hermit crabs need at least to be in a ten gallon tank for three crabs (the bigger the tank the more crabs you can add)
Anyways, Hermit crabs can get depressed if kept alone and in small bug carriers. I might also add that hermit crabs are extremely difficult to care for as they’re equipment is expensive
You can’t keep crabs in those hermit crab cages, the minimum tank is 10 gallons with two or three to five gallons per small, medium and large crabs. Hermit crabs need distilled tap water, regular tap water kills hermit crabs so it’s recommended to buy API Tap Water Conditioner. they need two water shallow bowls one for fresh the other for salt water. The salt water should be Instant Ocean
Now Hermit crabs need high humidity and a under tank heater will help, I also recommend misting the tank with distilled water
they need a humidity gage,a thermometer and play sand, don’t use gravel or calcium sand, play sand is cheap along with a mix of Eco Earth