Care of Hermit Land Crabs

Although land-dwelling hermit crabs have a reputation as easy-to-care-for, hardy, inexpensive pets, they actually require a tremendous time investment for proper care. In captivity, hermit crabs often suffer from nutritional deficiencies, infections, limb loss and premature death. For this reason, animal welfare organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) encourage a boycott of pet hermit crabs. However, with diligent care, it is possible to provide a suitable home for land hermit crabs in captivity.

Things You'll Need

  • 10-gallon or larger terrarium
  • Calci-sand substrate
  • Dechlorinator
  • Terrarium bathing pool
  • Sea sponge
  • Terrarium heater`
  • Thermometer
  • Hydrometer
  • Spiraling shells
  • Commercial hermit crab food
  • Fresh fruit
  • Fresh vegetables
  • Live crickets
  • Quart jar
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Instructions

  1. Habitat Setup

    • 1

      Lay a 2-inch-thick layer of Calci-sand substrate in your hermit crab's terrarium. Calcium-enriched sand helps to prevent calcium deficiency, a very common and serious problem affecting pet hermit crabs. Change substrate at least twice monthly to prevent mites, mold and bacteria.

    • 2

      Place a bathing pool in your hermit crab's tank and fill it with tap water. Add a small amount of dechlorinator, according to the manufacturer's instructions, to eliminate harmful compounds from the water. Change this water at least once daily.

    • 3

      Soak a sea sponge in dechlorinated tap water and place it in the terrarium. This will help to keep the hermit crab's habitat suitably moist. Moisten the sponge daily, and boil it to sterilize it at least once per week.

    • 4

      Install a thermometer of any style in the terrarium. The temperature in the habitat should never fall below 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 5

      Install a basking rock, heat lamp or other terrarium-safe heater in your hermit crab's habitat. These are available in many styles appropriate for use in hermit crab habitats.

    • 6

      Install a hydrometer to measure the humidity of your hermit crab's tank. Hermit crabs require a habitat with a constant humidity between 70 and 100 percent.

    • 7

      Scatter shells of varying sizes throughout the hermit crab's habitat. Include several that are slightly larger than your crab's current shell size. An appropriately sized shell should have a circular opening slightly larger than the crab's largest claw.

    Daily Care

    • 8

      Offer hermit crabs a constant supply of commercial fortified hermit crab feed, changing the food once per day to prevent insects, bacteria and mold from taking over the tank. A hermit crab's appetite will naturally vary; it may eat voraciously on some days and then fast for a day or two.

    • 9

      Provide food treats one to three time weekly to give your hermit crab a healthy, varied diet. Chunks of raw fruit, such as apple, pear, avocado and banana are appropriate treats, as are vegetables such as carrot, broccoli and squash.

    • 10

      Release two or three small, live crickets in your hermit crab's tank a few times per month. Seek "gut-loaded" crickets, which have been fed large amounts of nutrient-rich food and offer the most nutritional benefit. Some hermit crabs enjoy eating crickets, while others will ignore this treat.

    • 11

      Bathe your hermit crab in a quart of dechlorinated water twice per week. Fill quart jar with tepid tap water and add a dechlorinator. Place the crab inside the jar for about five minutes, allowing him to partially leave his shell. Although your hermit crab should be able to partially submerge himself in his habitat's bathing pool, regular, complete submersion is necessary to cleanse waste from his shell and to prevent parasites.

    • 12

      Monitor hermit crabs for any signs of illness or infection. If a hermit crab exhibits a sign of disease such as "streaking" without a shell or losing its largest claw, quarantine it to prevent the infection from spreading to its tank mates.