Hermit crabs – Caring For All Pets

Before keeping a hermit crab from the beach, it is important to be fully prepared for having a hermit crab at home. This includes having a proper tank, all the supplies it needs, and proper food. In some areas of the world, it may be illegal to remove Hermit Crabs from the beach so check with the laws in your area first. Areas like Australia can have protected parks where preservation is put into place. Otherwise, outside these areas taking hermit crabs from the beach can be done. Below are all the things to have ready for bringing home a hermit crab. Items Needed To Keep Hermit Crabs From The Beach 39 to 76 litre (or 10 to 20 gallon) Tank Tank size is really important. It helps to ensure that the hermit crabs have plenty of space to move around. If you've got an aquatic hermit crab, the tank size can be the same. Water Source Of Fresh And Salt Water If it's a land crab from a beach shoreline, the water source only needs to be a bowl of fresh water and a bowl of saltwater. The bowls should be large enough for them to climb into but not be completely submerged. If it's an aquatic hermit crab, there should be enough water to submerge them. This keeps them in an environment close to their natural one. It is important that the water be saltwater, as that's the water they can survive in. Never, ever use table salt as it contains iodine which is harmful to all hermit crabs. There are saltwater mixtures that can be bought to ensure the water is where it needs to be. Climbing Items To Keep Them Entertained Hermit crabs love to explore. Both land or aquatic crabs enjoy climbing items. These items should be safe for them to climb on, with no sharp edges and materials they can hide under or climb on. This could be driftwood, rope nets, cholla wood pieces (dried cactus) just to name a few. These items add variety to their tank and keep them entertained. Use Substrate So They Can Burrow The substrate is really important as hermit crabs need to burrow. Soft sand or coconut fibre are the two best substrates for hermit crabs. Coconut fibre is especially good for land hermit crabs as they need humidity in their cage and it stays moist. Once again, aquatic hermit crabs should have enough water to submerge themselves in, but it is okay to put sand in the bottom of their tanks. Humidifier For Humidity Levels Land hermit crabs require a humidifier to keep their tanks at the property humidity level. The humidity level should range anywhere from 70 to 80%. Plenty of places online, as well as local pet stores, will carry a humidifier that will measure the humidity in the tank. Spare Shells From The Ocean Or Beach Hermit crabs go through a molting period where they shed their shells. It is important and critical to providing a variety of different shells so that the hermit crab can find a new shell to carry on its best. Moreover, when living in groups, hermit crabs should be separated during their molting so they aren't disturbed. During this time, they might appear dead, but alas, they are just shedding their exoskeleton. If they are burrowed under their substrate, they should be left there and not disturbed. If separating them is necessary, providing a substrate in the container they are put in is absolutely needed. These are the biggest items needed to have a thriving and successful tank for a hermit crab. Once again, on top of having a well-maintained tank, it is also important to have a good variety of food choices for the hermit crab as well. Land hermit crabs kept as pets have been known to eat small bits of cooked chicken that has been boiled in water as well as hermit crab food, lettuce, and other veggies. Other foods can include shrimp, salmon, and even boiled eggs. Other veggies that are safe for hermit crabs include carrots and spinach. They can also eat fruits such as mangoes and even coconut. All foods fed to a hermit crab should be cut up appropriately and be of the proper size for them to eat. Pieces too large won't be able to be consumed properly. While land and aquatic hermit crabs share some similar features and can be kept as pets, they have their overall differences. Either way, it is quite interesting to see how and where they actually come from. The ocean and beaches are their natural habitats and when they're kept as pets, it is critical to ensure that they have everything they need to keep them happy and healthy! Hermit crabs are an interesting choice for a pet and can be quite fascinating to watch and care for. While most people might get their pet hermit crabs from a local pet shop, it can be beneficial to learn about where hermit crabs come from. Considering they do need a water source, hermit crabs can be found in the ocean. Nearly all species of hermit crab are found in saltwater, although as pets they typically require a freshwater source as well. Having both sources ensures the crab has access to water for drinking as well as storing it in their shell. Even though pet hermit crabs require access to both types of water, hermit crabs are found in the ocean itself.