Hermit Crabs make wonderful pets they are friendly, intelligent, odour free and very clean. They have evolved to live on land and use an empty shell as a portable home, as well as protection.
To successfully keep hermit crabs, a good enclosure is essential. Saltwater is necessary for the crabs to bath in, freshwater is necessary to drink and food provided fresh daily. Along with a heat source, areas for the crabs to climb on and move about are also essential. This can be achieved with a log, rock or tree branch. A good substrate for the bottom of the enclosure is coco peat, which is a shredded coconut shell fibre such as Kritters crumble.
Hermit crabs are great climbers so be sure to place a lid on thier enclosure.
Hermit Crab Life Span: 15 years +
Hermit Crab Size: 2-10cm
What do Hermit crabs eat?
Hermit crabs love to eat meat and vegetable foods. Hermit Crabs should be given a diet of hermit crab pellets (which has meat product in it) and fresh fruit and vegetables, diced into small pieces. One of Hermit crabs favourite fresh foods is apple and should be given fresh daily.
Hermit crabs will also require a fresh, clean water supply at all times. If the water container is a little deep for the hermit crabs, place a few pebbles in it to help them climb out.
Where do pet hermit crabs live?
To successfully keep hermit crabs, a good enclosure is essential. Saltwater is necessary for the crabs to bath in, freshwater is necessary for hermit crabs to drink and food provided fresh daily. Along with a heat source, areas for the crabs to climb on and move about are also essential. This can be achieved with a log, rock or tree branch. A good substrate for the bottom of the enclosure is coco peat, which is a shredded coconut shell fibre such as Kritters crumble.
Hermit Crab Heating:
Hermit crabs are ectothermic, meaning they are 'cold blooded'. Hermit crabs need heat provided to them from the hermit crabs surroundings. That is best done with a heat lamp or heat mat. Of course we don’t want it too hot in the hermit crab tank, but a gentle 25°C to 30°C is quite comfortable for them. In the absence of heat, hermit crabs will slow down, eat less and generally appear a bit lethargic.
Hermit Crab Shells and Moulting:
One of the fascinating things about land hermit crabs is that they live in other creatures discarded shells. As hermit crabs grow they will leave their old shell and find another larger one to move into. To assist the crabs with this, a few spare shells should be kept in the aquarium for such occasions. As the crabs can be fussy about which shell should be their new home; make sure that the shells are only slightly larger than the one that your hermit crabs are currently living in.
After moulting, the skin is usually left on the floor. Crabs will eat this skin as it is rich in calcium, they may even eat it before you even know it has moulted.
Hermit crabs will usually bury in the substrate for a week or so while their skin hardens up. Make sure there is plenty of food and water in the hermit crabs enclosure even if they are inactive. When hermit crabs moult, it is a very traumatic time for them, so you should take care not to touch them too much whilst they are moulting.
Here you will find accessories that your Hermit Crab needs to be happy and healthy.
If you are interested in purchasing a Hermit Crab or would like to find out more, click here, or ask one of our friendly Reptile staff for more information on 02 9629 3282.
At Kellyville Pets we love our animal friends and are committed to matching owners with the right pet and providing customers with unsurpassed advice, service and selection of products. This is our way of ensuring our animals have the best possible start in their new home with you.