I am wanting to get some Hermit Crabs and was wondering if anyone on here has any.

Ive read several websites on care, etc but its good to hear first hand things I think.

Kia

My stepsons have a hermit crab. They had 3 but the other 2 died. They said they can be hard to keep alive. I don't know. This one is doing pretty good. You only have to put food in and sprtiz the cage with water everyday. Pretty easy to take care of. The cage stinks sometimes but a simple cleaning takes care of that.

with any pet replicating their natural environment is key. Hermit crabs live in trees so keep some driftwood and things for them to climb in their cage. I would never get one of those little critter cages for them even tho people do it all the time. It is just too small and the poor thing just basically has to sit in there day and night.

I had mine in a ten gallon fish tank and i would not suggest any less if you do not want to be cruel. I lined it with sand on one side and flat pebbles on the other. make sure you keep sponges soaked with water at all times for them to drink. Keep the food far enough away from water so it does not get wet. Wet food will mold and the mold will make them sick. Spray them with a water bottle mist daily. ONce a week it is helpful to set them in a shallow dish of lukewarm salt water. The saltwater helps keep their lungs healthy. Make sure the water is shallow enough for them not to drown! The salt water also keeps them clean and in the best health.

They are scavengers so in addition to bottled hermit crab food i would throw them bits of ceral, or fruit, just to give a variety. If you put things like fruit or meat in there remove what is not eaten the next morning to keep out disease and bugs.

They are nocturnal, so view them at night to see them their most active. I use to let mine out supervised and just let them roam thru the house.

After reading your post DC, we now will be changing my sons' hermit crab envirnment. We have a ten gallon tank my husband just asked me the other day if we should throw it away. My stepsons mom got the hernit crab for them and I never knew alot about them, but we will be setting up the tank for him tomorrow. They have him in a real small plastic cage. Poor thing, he probably hates it in there.

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After reading your post DC, we now will be changing my sons' hermit crab envirnment. We have a ten gallon tank my husband just asked me the other day if we should throw it away. My stepsons mom got the hernit crab for them and I never knew alot about them, but we will be setting up the tank for him tomorrow. They have him in a real small plastic cage. Poor thing, he probably hates it in there.

GOOD FOR YOU! many people make this mistake because of the way those things are sold as cages with the crabs. Another tip...they are
pack creatures...they like to travel in mulitples. If you are able to pick up one or two more to keep that lil guy company he would be very happy. they are not really solitary creatures.

Thanks DC, we will get at least one maybe 2 this weekend.

Good deal Sheltieluvr! Hat's off...!

Just be sure to supervise if there are extra shells [which there should be so they can grow]. They sometimes fight over a desirable 'house'.

Heh, when I had my hermit crab, I'd sit him on the floor of the shower when I took a shower so he could clean his shell. When I didn't take him into the shower, I let him romp around the bathroom full of steam. He seemed pretty happy with it.

Well we got the NEW home set up for my sons hermit crab. We got some pretty aquarium rocks and piled them up on one side of the ten gallon aquarium leaving about 4 inches on the other side empty. We then put about 1/2 inch of water in there so they can get to the dry rocks but yet they can go to the other side and get wet. We also went to the pet store and got 2 more, they were actually having a sale buy one get one free. No sponges in the new home. I have read and even talked with them at the store and they said they cannot drink from a sponge. They actually chew on the sponge to get the water therefore they eat the sponge and it isn't necessary for them to do that. He said actualy water dish or to do what we did and put water in the actual bottom yet having enough rocks on the other side piled up so they can get out of the water. They also said they do not like sand. Which my husband and I have to probably differ on that beings at the ocean they are on the sand. But we just chose not to as it would make it harder to clean, since there is constant water in there it will definatly need a weekly cleaning. When we brought the 2 new ones home, the original one was all over, he really seemed happy to have some friends. They have been given veggies and like that too. So thank guys for all the tips. Maybe I will take a pic of the new home and post it.

Actually there is 2 types one land crab and one water crab. The land crab is the most common used as pets. They need the sand as they love to bury themselves. So go with the sand. Just give him a shallow water dish. Just make sure he can climb out so he won't drown. Congrats on the new ones!

quote:

Originally posted by stormhaus dobermans:
I am wanting to get some Hermit Crabs and was wondering if anyone on here has any.

Ive read several websites on care, etc but its good to hear first hand things I think.

Kia

Yes I know of where you can get crabs.

Get your crabs while their hot. Hurry going fast.

Also make sure you give them a calcium source...I use a cuttlebone like you use for birds. Just prop it up in the corner of the tank. Or you could break it up....whatever....make sure you supply them with extra empty shells.