Hermit Crabs Basic Care

BREATHING

There is one function of hermit crab anatomy that is important to understand; how they breathe. Hermit crabs are able to breathe in two ways. When they take up life on land, their gills become modified shortly thereafter. These gills are near their chilipeds and ambulatory legs and allow them to extract oxygen from the atmosphere. The underside of the tail is covered with fine blood vessels, which absorbs oxygen directly from the air. For either method of breathing to work properly, moisture and humidity must be present. The presence of high humidity and a continuous supply of fresh water will mean the difference between life and death for your hermit crab.

PLACE OF ORIGIN

Most of the hermit crabs sold in this country are found in the tropical Caribbean area.

TEMPERATURE

The temperature range for Hermit Crabs is 65-95 degrees.

HUMIDITY

Humidity is critical, keep the humidity level at 100 percent.

HOUSING

An all glass 10-gallon aquarium is recommended. You can use a larger tank if you want; more space to roam will make the crabs happier. To save money you can use a tank that leaks, since holding water is not necessary when caring for hermit crabs. The tank must have a sliding or hinged glass top. The top is necessary to maintain humidity levels and also to keep the crabs from escaping.

SUBSTRATE (What to put in the bottom of the tank)

Ocean sand collected from an intertidal area is recommended. However if you are like me and do not live near an ocean here is the alternative. Go to an aquarium or pet store and purchase a couple pounds of very fine grade Dolomite or crushed coral sand to mix with your other sand (recommended #6-20 Silica) in a ratio of about 1:5. To this add about a quart of seawater obtainable from a health food store or marine fish shop, allow the water to evaporate in the sand. This substrate will give your crab an environment just like it's natural one. It also provides rich minerals and salts, which may be very essential.

DECORATING THE TANK

After you have added your beach sand to your aquarium you are ready to decorate it. For the crabs the decoration should include climbing areas for them to exercise and secondly the decor should include hiding places where the crabs can rest undisturbed when they want. Some crab owners use pieces of coral in their crab tanks and the hermit crabs seem to enjoy climbing over them.

PLACEMENT

A crab tank should NEVER be placed in a window, especially with a Western exposure. An afternoon summer sun will turn the crab tank into a crab-bake. Do not place your aquarium under an air-conditioning unit or the crabs will become inactive due to cold temperatures. In cold rooms it is good to add an aquarium light to your crab tank to provide necessary warmth.

FEEDING

Offer tree crabs at least one food from each of the following categories at least once a week for a balanced diet.

RAW MEATS---Ocean fish---Ocean shrimp---Beef liver---Beef heart---Lean Beef

RAW FRUITS---Apples---Bananas---Oranges---Pears---Grapes

RAW LEAF VEGETABLES---Romaine---Escarole---Bean sprouts---Celery leaves

COOKED VEGETABLES---Lima beans---squash---carrots---peas---potato

OTHER---Peanut butter---Crackers---Whole grain bread---Dry Dog food Dry Cat food---Crab food

NOTE: Soak any dry food prior to offering.

WATER

Another important part of your crab's diet is a constant supply of fresh water. This is essential not only for drinking, but the crabs also carry a small amount of water in their shell to moisten their soft tail. The water dish should be cleaned and refilled every day. Do not use metal jar lids for the water container. They do not hold much water, they tip over easily and crabs are sensitive to dissolving metals. We recommend using various types of clamshells, one advantage is that the composition is calcium carbonate and this mineralizes the water very slightly. This will benefit the tree crabs over an extended period of time. Glass or plastic will also work well and are more economical.

SCHEDULE OF CRAB CARE

DAILY: 1. Remove uneaten food from tank and feed. 2. Clean and change water in dish. 3. Spray crabs lightly with lukewarm water using a mister bottle.

WEEKLY: 1. Wipe glass inside and out with a paper towel. 2. Inspect sand for cleanliness and buried uneaten food. 3. Even out sand and make sure that digging has undermined no rocks.

BI-MONTHLY: 1. Clean tank, replace sand. 2. Inspect rocks and wood for fly larva, and sterilize if necessary.

SHELLS

It is very important to have extra shells in the tank with your crab. At least two for every crab. These shells should be slightly larger than the shell your crab is currently using to allow your crab to grow and change shells at it's own pace. The shells should also be different in appearance; believe it or not crabs are particular about their new prospective homes and will change often, seemingly just for fun. When selecting shells for your crabs, be sure that the interiors are clean and roomy, and more rounded than oblong. It is also important that the shells have no small holes other than the opening.

HANDLING AND TAMING

To tame a crab, it must be handled, and the best way to begin is by holding the crab so that he cannot pinch you. This is done by grasping the shell so that the crab cannot reach your fingers. Begin taming your crab by holding it frequently. Let them gain confidence in you by showing them you will not harm them. Even a tiny crab can give you a very painful nip if he finds a soft spot, such as between your fingers, and they do not let go easily. When a crab does pinch you, it is probably because of fear of falling. Remain calm and get to the nearest running tap with luke-warm water and this will cause him to let go. Once you have tamed your crab, you need not fear being pinched and you can look forward to a lasting friendship with him. Just remember to treat him, as you would want to be treated if the roles were reversed.

MOLTING

The most important aspect of molting for the owner of land hermit crabs is recognizing this interesting feat. Molting is a growth period as well as a regenerating period. The hermit crab may bury itself in the substrate of his home or may shed the exoskeleton on the surface during the molting period. This shedding is similar to that of a snake. However the crab will retain the shed exoskeleton at the opening of his shell. This is so the crab can eat the shedding to provide necessary calcium for its future well being. There is no way to determine when a crab will molt except that you will notice your crab becoming very inactive and he will most likely bury himself for two weeks prior to shedding. Small crabs may molt as often as every other month while larger crabs may not molt for eighteen months or longer. At this time of shedding many new crab owners may fear the death of their crab and discard it before any further investigation. But you only have to peek behind the discarded exoskeleton to see a very pink and soft hermit crab completing its molt. In about ten days your crab will return to his normal activities.