How to Create a Hermit Crab Habitat
Provide your crabs with a glass tank., Install the substrate., Install a humidity gauge and two thermometers, One for the cool end, one for the warmer end., Give your crabs hiding places and plenty to climb on., Place a fresh water dish and a marine...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Provide your crabs with a glass tank.
Plastic does not hold heat or humidity well, and should only be used as temporary transport.
Your tank will need a lid to hold humidity in.
Your crabs can also climb the glue in the corners of the tank and escape, so many owners use a mesh lid covered with Plexiglas. -
Step 2: Install the substrate.
This should be aragonite sand (best choice) or coco fiber ( brand name Eco Earth in the US).
Aragonite sand can be found in reef stores, coco fiber should be expanded with ocean salt water.
Never use anything with cedar or any other conifer in your hermit crab tank. , Hermit crabs need a range as they are cold blooded and rely on being able to move to the temperature in their environment that their body needs.
Humidity should be 70-80% at all times.
Spritzing alone will not do this.
A moist substrate will help you keep humidity up, as will a container of terrarium moss.
Do NOT use peat moss.
Sponges are a bad idea as well as they harbor bacteria and can make you and your hermit crabs sick.
The temperature at the cooler end of the tank should be about 70-72*F, and up to 82*F at the warm end.
Extended periods of cool temperatures can make your crabs sick or kill them.
You can create a warmer end by placing an under tank heater (UTH) on the bottom of one end of your tank.
Be sure to attach a thermostat so the temperature does not go above 82*F.
UHF's can reach temperatures over 100*F even though they don't feel that hot to you, and can cook a buried crab.
You can also place an overhead light with a heat bulb in it.
Some use a clamp lamp or a reptile hood made just for heat lamps.
Crabs need a day and night cycle, so if you need heat on them at night, use a Moon Glow bulb that releases no UV rays. , Avoid any conifers and do not ever use metal inside the tank. , Some casual studies have found that "Hermit crab salt water" does not have any salinity to it, and lacks vital nutrients that are present in ocean salt water that the hermit crabs need.
Provide your crabs with a dish of marine salt water.
You can purchase the salt at your pet store in the aquarium section.
Make sure the water dish is at least half as deep as your largest crab, and give your smaller crabs a way to climb out of the bowl, such as small glass pebbles or uncoated river pebbles.
As for fresh water, chlorine will blister your crab's gills, so you must use a water conditioner that removes chloramines and heavy metals, as many homes have copper pipes and hermit crabs are especially sensitive to copper. , Keep in mind that painted shells can be dangerous for your crabs.
Often the crab was forced into the shell, and the paint will begin to chip and peel and the crabs will eat this paint, which may not be good for them despite the paint being "non toxic" for humans.
It was not tested on hermit crabs, thus you must keep in mind it can be harmful to them. , Hermit crabs are scavengers and require a very diverse diet.
Your hermit crabs cannot live on commercial foods alone, and there is a large following that is of the understanding that the preservatives in the commercial foods actually contribute to molting abnormalities and toxicity that builds up in the crabs. , Your crabs also need cellulose found in things like cork bark, so add some to your tank for climbing and eating, and grape wood and cholla wood are also good sources of cellulose, and will help your tank look natural and interesting.
You can also find hemp nets made from natural hemp that your crabs will like to munch on and climb on. , -
Step 3: Install a humidity gauge and two thermometers
-
Step 4: One for the cool end
-
Step 5: one for the warmer end.
-
Step 6: Give your crabs hiding places and plenty to climb on.
-
Step 7: Place a fresh water dish and a marine salt water dish in the bowl.
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Step 8: Make sure you have other shells inside so they have options to change shells if they want to
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Step 9: and make yourself familiar with the type of shells your crab species prefers.
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Step 10: Provide a wide variety of foods.
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Step 11: Make sure to offer frequent servings of seaweeds and algae
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Step 12: proteins in the form of meats
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Step 13: calcium rich foods
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Step 14: organic earthworm castings
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Step 15: chitin sources such as meal worms and shrimp
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Step 16: and fresh fruits and vegetables.
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Step 17: Keep educating yourself about your crabs
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Step 18: and enjoy!
Detailed Guide
Plastic does not hold heat or humidity well, and should only be used as temporary transport.
Your tank will need a lid to hold humidity in.
Your crabs can also climb the glue in the corners of the tank and escape, so many owners use a mesh lid covered with Plexiglas.
This should be aragonite sand (best choice) or coco fiber ( brand name Eco Earth in the US).
Aragonite sand can be found in reef stores, coco fiber should be expanded with ocean salt water.
Never use anything with cedar or any other conifer in your hermit crab tank. , Hermit crabs need a range as they are cold blooded and rely on being able to move to the temperature in their environment that their body needs.
Humidity should be 70-80% at all times.
Spritzing alone will not do this.
A moist substrate will help you keep humidity up, as will a container of terrarium moss.
Do NOT use peat moss.
Sponges are a bad idea as well as they harbor bacteria and can make you and your hermit crabs sick.
The temperature at the cooler end of the tank should be about 70-72*F, and up to 82*F at the warm end.
Extended periods of cool temperatures can make your crabs sick or kill them.
You can create a warmer end by placing an under tank heater (UTH) on the bottom of one end of your tank.
Be sure to attach a thermostat so the temperature does not go above 82*F.
UHF's can reach temperatures over 100*F even though they don't feel that hot to you, and can cook a buried crab.
You can also place an overhead light with a heat bulb in it.
Some use a clamp lamp or a reptile hood made just for heat lamps.
Crabs need a day and night cycle, so if you need heat on them at night, use a Moon Glow bulb that releases no UV rays. , Avoid any conifers and do not ever use metal inside the tank. , Some casual studies have found that "Hermit crab salt water" does not have any salinity to it, and lacks vital nutrients that are present in ocean salt water that the hermit crabs need.
Provide your crabs with a dish of marine salt water.
You can purchase the salt at your pet store in the aquarium section.
Make sure the water dish is at least half as deep as your largest crab, and give your smaller crabs a way to climb out of the bowl, such as small glass pebbles or uncoated river pebbles.
As for fresh water, chlorine will blister your crab's gills, so you must use a water conditioner that removes chloramines and heavy metals, as many homes have copper pipes and hermit crabs are especially sensitive to copper. , Keep in mind that painted shells can be dangerous for your crabs.
Often the crab was forced into the shell, and the paint will begin to chip and peel and the crabs will eat this paint, which may not be good for them despite the paint being "non toxic" for humans.
It was not tested on hermit crabs, thus you must keep in mind it can be harmful to them. , Hermit crabs are scavengers and require a very diverse diet.
Your hermit crabs cannot live on commercial foods alone, and there is a large following that is of the understanding that the preservatives in the commercial foods actually contribute to molting abnormalities and toxicity that builds up in the crabs. , Your crabs also need cellulose found in things like cork bark, so add some to your tank for climbing and eating, and grape wood and cholla wood are also good sources of cellulose, and will help your tank look natural and interesting.
You can also find hemp nets made from natural hemp that your crabs will like to munch on and climb on. ,
About the Author
Rebecca Phillips
Rebecca Phillips specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 8 years. Rebecca is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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