So, you have purchased a hermit crab...

It's amazing how many of us have bought hermit crabs and didn't receive an ounce of information or guidance about how to take care of them!

Here are some basics about crab care...I suggest you take a look at our "Resources" page when you are finished, to connect with some veteran hermit crab owners to get some extra help!

Behavior:

Crabs love to explore and CLIMB! Most crab owners have found that their hermies are most active at night. It isn't uncommon to hear clunks, claps and scratching noises coming from the tank---this is your crab exploring!

Many people that don't have hermies are afraid to handle crabs because they automatically assume that along with holding the crab will come a nice solid pinch! NOT TRUE! The key to handling hermies is to give them some time to adjust to their new surroundings, and being gentle with them when you hold them. The best thing to do is open your hand so that it is completely open and keep it still. This will allow your crab to walk around and explore, and not feel the need to suddenly "hold on" for stability.
If your crab does pinch, don't pull the crab off of you! As painful as it might be, sometimes the best thing to do is just hold completely still and the crab will let go within a minute or two.

Food:

Hermit crabs have a varied diet and need a variety of vitamins and minerals, especially as they move through their molting process. Just like humans, hermies also like variety in their diet. Feeding the same food day-in, day-out will eventually lead to boredom and a loss of interest in the food.

A diet that contains many of the "natural elements" that a hermit crab would be exposed to in their natural surroundings is essential. Fruits, foliage, grains, seaweed, and other sealife related items are a must, in addition to items high in calcium. Crushed oyster shell and cuttlebone help meet calcium needs.

Check out our "Under the Sea" and "Sweet Tooth" mixes in our store, and our other special items to supplement your hermies diet!

Housing:

Hermit crabs should have enough space to move around and explore. They should also have housing that allows you to keep the proper level of humidity and temperature in their "crabitat".

Most hermie owners will use glass fish tanks or terrariums. Some owners also use Kritter Keepers (small plastic tanks). Most hermie owners would agree, that using a glass terrarium or fish tank is the safest route to go to provide adequate space and heating sources.

In terms of tank covers, some owners use standard fish tank tops, others use a glass cover, and then there are some that use the mesh screen tops. One thing to keep in mind while using mesh screen tops is that you need to use something to keep the humidity at the proper level in the tank, and also need to make sure you keep pests out of the tank such as flies, gnats, ants, spiders, etc.

Climbing:

Be sure to keep plenty of items for your crab to climb on inside of the tank. I would recommend a nice tall piece of cholla wood, drift wood and vines/plants within the tank that are not harmful and fun to climb on.

Heating:

Crabs need to have a comfortable environment to avoid stressing them too much. Tanks should be in the upper 70s to low 80s as a guideline. There are different ways to heat your tank, some opt for Under Tank Heaters (UTH), while others prefer to use an external above tank heat source such as day-glow or night-glow bulbs. Ensuring the tank is warm enough makes for a better environment. Of course, always make sure your tank is not too warm! This could cause your crabs to streak (leave their shells) and make them vulnerable, or even worse, kill them. Some species do prefer more warm environments. Check out the helpful links area to read more about this on the sites provided.

Hiding:

Crabs don't like to stand out in the open all day! They love places to hide and climb under. "Coconut huts" seem to be a big favorite for crabs, as do other hollowed out items that they can climb under. Be sure to add a few hiding places to your tank.

Humidity:

Crabs breathe through modified gills. As a result, they need a humid environment to ensure their gills stay moist and do not dry out causing suffocation. Tanks should be in the 74-78 percent humidity range. Some species do prefer more humid environments. Check out the helpful links area to read more about this on the sites provided.

There are many different ways to make your tank more humid. A popular source being water dishes with sponges. This allows your hermie to drink, bathe and also helps the tank have increased humidity. Sponges should be cleaned regularly (boiling will help kill bacteria), and there should be enough space in the water dish for hermies to have clear access to the water to drink and "bathe". Sponges are used to ensure hermies have a way to climb out of the water and their water dish and not drown.

More recently, hermie owners have also turned to do-it-yourself (DIY) options and have created homemade bubblers and waterfalls that increase humidity.

Please keep in mind that water used in the tanks should NEVER be regular tap water that contains various chemicals including chlorine! Spring water (with a noted real spring source), or dechlorinated water only should be used.

Molting:

Perhaps the scariest time for a crab owner is molting---especially the first time around! Molting is the process a crab goes through to grow, regenerate lost limbs and repair itself. In the molting process the crab sheds its exoskeleton and then goes through a hardening process---all part of the molt.

So, what is molting like? Well, many owners have experienced different scenarios. The most common is your crab digs under the sand and is suddenly missing in action for a few weeks or months (the bigger the crab, often the longer underground!). Of course, one's natural instinct is to dig, dig, dig and look for the crab. The best thing to do, however, is leave your crab alone. Allow nature and your crab's body(and your superb care) do the rest. Some people will isolate their crab, or at least block their crab off from other crabs (best done using a 2 liter soda bottle cut in half--place the top half of the bottle over the crab---do this only if you know where the crab is and can ensure you are not harming the crab), other will just let the crab be and keep as best an eye on it as possible. One thing to keep in mind is that crabs can be cannibalistic. I have found that feeding my other crabs plenty of extra shrimp and fish help keep them away from the molting crab and everyone is perfectly happy.

So, what signs can a crab owner look for? Well, many crabs will become extremely lethargic and will dig, dig, dig. Now is the time to determine whether or not you plan on leaving the crab in the tank, or want to move it into an "isolation tank" where it can be isolated and completely out of harm's way. If you choose to use an isolation tank, its environment should be similar to the crab's regular tank to avoid stress. Be sure to keep plenty of calcium rich foods on hand and access to water. Also, make sure you have deep substrate and a warm, humid environment for your crab. Now is the time to ensure conditions are perfect as molting can be extremely stressful to a crab.

There are times when you may not have enough time to move your crab, and the crab may not dig down. This is called a surface molt. It is exactly as it implies---a molt on the surface of your substrate. During this kind of molt, it is extremely important you protect your crab and ensure no other crabs can get near the molting crab. This is a very vunerable time for the crab, and protecting it is essential. The soda bottle barrier works very well in this instance and ensures the least amount of disturbance. You can even watch your crab molt.

Shells:

Imagine growing up and still wearing the clothes you had as a toddler---pretty uncomfortable, right? Now, imagine growing up and still sleeping in your crib and tiny nursery...pretty tough to do!

Just like we need space to grow, so do our hermies. It becomes even more of a necessity for our hermies because their lives depend on it! Hermit crabs require a shell to keep their soft, vulnerable abdomen out of harm's way.

Crabs need a variety of shells that allow them to grow available to them, and their tank mates. You should keep multiple shells in the cage for the various sized hermies that you have, and always keep a few shells the same size as your hermie, as well as slightly larger to allow them to molt (shed their old exoskeleton and grow a larger exoskeleton).

Most hermit crab owners recommend shells with openings that are at least 1/4" larger than the current shell to be available. With tiny crabs, you may also want to make shells available that have slightly smaller opening increases.

Remember to keep multiples available to avoid major shell fights.

Streaking:

Hermit crabs can become stressed very easily, and with this stress comes the potential to streak, or leave their shell. As an owner, this can be very frustrating because it is difficult to sometimes get a crab back into its shell if you do not address the issue causing the streaking. Perhaps your tank is too hot or there was a shell fight. Whatever the cause, do not let your crab walk around the tank without their shell on. This is a dangerous time for your crab.

Try to work with the crab to move it toward a shell. Keep an eye on the crab to ensure other crabs are not attacking it. If the crab doesn't move into a shell (offer a few) within a few minutes, VERY VERY VERY gently move the crab into an isolation environment and provide access to a number of clean shells (including their previous shell). Cover the tank and allow it to be dark. This will give the crab the quiet and secure environment it needs. Hopefully this scare will be very short lived and your crab is just keeping you on your toes!

Water:

Water is a necessity for hermit crabs for several reasons. Most importantly is to ensure a proper level of humidity in the tank. Additionally, hermit crabs need water to bathe and drink!

It is important to note that hermit crabs can drown! The use of sponges,coral, shells, or rocks in the water dish is important to ensure that small hermies, especially, can get out of the water, and out of the dish. If you choose to use sponges, please be aware they should be cleaned and sterilized every other day to avoid harmful bacteria build up.

You should NEVER use tap water in a hermies water dish, and should only use real spring water (with an actual spring source listed) or dechlorinated water.

In addition to regular fresh water, a dish (or bowl) of salt water should also be available to your hermies to bathe, drink, etc. Most veteran hermie parents use a variety of commercial mixes to create the proper salt levels. Doc Well's and Instant Ocean are two such mixes. Check out the "Resources" section to do some further reading as to what brand may be more suitable for you