Mike’s Fish Tank – Hermit Crabs

This week we will talk about hermit crabs. There are 6 hints for a healthy hermit crab.

1. Provide new shells for crabs to grow into.

Hermit crabs love to switch shells and need larger shells as they grow.

The new shell should always be a little bit bigger than the one it is in at the present time.The shell opening should be the same size as the large pincher. Crabs will not always change shells. If they like the shell they are in, they may stay right there.

2. Not all shells are suitable.

Always buy shells at your pet shop, where the shells have been properly cleaned and processed.

If you use a shell you find at a beach, be sure to boil it for a few minutes to rid it of any parasite or bacteria that could be there.

3. Bathe your crabs.

Crabs will clean themselves if you provide them with fresh water in their bowls. But it is a good idea to bathe your crabs on a weekly basis.

Put a little bit of room temperature water into your sink and let the crabs move around in that for 5 to 10 minutes. After that, allow them to air dry

4. Create a healthy social environment.

Crabs thrive on company. They are most active and entertaining when kept in pairs, or in a crab community.

As you increase the amount of crabs, be sure to increase the amount of space for them. They also need a warm and humid environment. A good day temperature would be 75 to near 78 degrees, night time temps, 65 to 70 degrees.

5. Promote exercise by creating a playground.

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

6. Serve a balanced diet and fresh water daily, preferably in shell dishes.

Crabs need calcium and they can get this from their shell dishes. They thrive on premixed hermit crab food and treats.

You can also serve them some fresh fruits and vegetables. They sometimes try to bury their food so remove all uneaten food after their daily feeding.

The crab farms suggest putting a small amount of warm water into your sink and sprinkle some of their food around the edge of the water. This simulates the eating habits when they are on a beach near an ocean. Then take them out, rinse them off and you are all set.

This method will also keep your hermit crab tank cleaner too. We stock a big variety of hermit crab supplies and hermit crabs as well.

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

[mappress mapid=”2″]