I need a list of all things i need for a hermit crab?

Question

i am thinking about gerring one

Answer 1

Land Hermit Crabs are portrayed as easy to care for, cheap and novelty pets. This is not really true! There are some basics that you need to know before actually buying your first Hermit Crabs. Read on below and then you can decide if this is the pet for you.

FIRSTLY: DONOT get just one land hermit crab! They are wild exotic crusteaceans and they thrive and live in colonies of 100 and more so you must be prepared to get at least 2. 2 Does not cost anymore money to take care of then 2 or 10.

Sea sponges:
Natural, un-bleached and un-dyed sea sponges only. Non-man made. These can be found in pet stores and in some department stores as well.
They need to be rinsed and dried to keep bacteria and uglies away, so have an extra or two so you can rotate them. Boiling will also sterilize them.

Thermometer and Hygrometer:
Land Hermit Crabs, breathe through modified gills therefore they must have the proper humidity in order to breathe as well as the proper temperature in order to thrive.
You need to monitor all of the tank conditions. One for the temp and one for the humidity will get you started. Keep them as close to substrate level as possible since that is where the crabs are most of the time.
76 - 80 degrees and everyone will be fine. Do not allow the Hermit Crabs to get cold for long periods or they can die. Humidity ranges should be around 76-80% relative, sustained.
With in these levels your crabs and their home will be a happy and active one. If it gets too warm, you can always prop up the lid, same if the humidity gets too high, prop the lid up.To add moisture/humidity add an extra moist sponge or even a bubbler in their water dish.

Housing:
Glass tank with lid (aquarium with glass lid is best) Can use a quality Kritter Keeper with saran wrap over the lid.

Substrate:
Options include... Calci-Sand, Sterilized playsand, Aragonite Sand, Moist coco-fiber bedding, Crushed coral.
You can mix and match, have seperate areas and containers, it is up to you. Remember there needs to be enough substrate to fully cover the "floor" or the tank. Deep enough for your largest crab to fully submerse or cover it's self. The substrate also needs to be pretty smooth, meaning little to no jaged edges to scrape or injure the Hermit Crabs Exoskeleton prior to, during and after molting.
It also must be insect and chemical free. Human or animal grade not the kind that is used for construction or masonry.

Light:
Hermit Crabs require 12 hours of sunlight each day. This can be a combo of natural and artificial light. The normal aquarium hood light can be good enough.
Once you are ready to get more advanced or need more heating you can buy a bi-light that has both day-glo and night-glo bulbs.. for heat and light during the day and heat during the night. Always try to have full spectrum when possible so the Hermit Crabs get enough of the proper lighting.



Heating:
Land Hermit Crabs live in tropical areas, there for it is quite warm and humid. First there is the heat. Sometimes the lights you use give off a fair amount of heat, yet that does not reach the depths of your substrate when some crabs may be burried.
A UTH (Under Tank Heater) will answer this issue. Found in the reptile area of most pet stores and available in a variety of sizes.. once firmly attached to the bottom of your tank, it will provide heat to the substrate which some crabs prefer.
Make sure you have a cool side and a warm side. UTH should not be used on plastic Kritter Keepers due to warping and the toxic fumes some plastics can give off.. so watch where you stick it!

Dishes:
You will want at very least 3 dishes. 2 are for water and one will be used for food. Sometimes it is good to have extras due to seperating wet and dried foods or to switch out for cleanings.
They are to be heavy and sturdy, non-porous and NON-METALLIC. Remember there is to never be any metal within your crabs home, especially that may come into contact with water or moisture.

Extra shells:
Rule of thumb, 3 per crab.. one larger,
one about the same and one slightly smaller. Do not offer painted or decorated shells if you can help it, the paint is toxic. Wash them and offer them different ones from time to time. If the crabs do not have a proper shell they will die.
Water basics:
Use only de-chlorinated or bottled water for everything Hermit Crabs related. The chemicals in tap water (chlorine and heavy metals are toxic to Hermit Crabs also will burn their modified gills.)
You can treat tap water by using a water conditioner for fish, make sure their drinking water doesn't have stress-coat in it though.
Land Hermit Crabs must have both fresh and salt water for drinking. The salt should be obtained from a good aquarium store or pet department, reading the directions carefully.
The fresh water should be de-chlorinated as well. Both dishes should be deep enough for your largest Hermit Crab to fully submerse it's self, while at the same time provide items like shells, smooth stones for your smaller crabs to use to get in and out of the water. One or both water sources can have bubblers or sponges, it is up to you.

Misting Bottle:
Have one ready if your humidity drops, or to spot clean a crab who you want to play with, or to physically check. You can also have a second one with fresh salt water to control mold and fungus. This water also must be de-chlorinated and Hermie Safe.

Food:
Provide a nice selection of fresh and dried foods daily. Fresh foods can stay for 24 hours or less only because of mold and spoilage. Dried foods can stay for 2 or 3 days as long as you monitor it carefully.
Rotate food selection so that you crabs do not get bored and live a more natural scavenger type life. Check out our food lists. One should always provide fresh fruits, veggies, meats and fish.

So here is a sample shopping list...
10 gallon glass tank with solid lid and strip lights
1 50 lb. bag of play sand
temperature and humidity gauges
2 water pool containers
2 food dishes (one for dry one for fresh/moist)
1 or 2 coconut hidy caves
some vines and cholla wood
1 bottle of spring water
1 container of either oceanic brand or tropic marin aquarium salt
sifter for cleaning the sand
small ISO container for molters
compressed brick of coconut fiber bedding
any kid of decorations or toys for the tank


Remember they must have both bright and shady areas in the tank, cool and warm areas. They must have 12 hours of sun and 12 hours of night. HUmidtiy MUST be between 75%-85% relative and the temps. between 76-82 degrees F

Good luck, if you have questions you may contact us through our website.

Answer 2

Hermit Crabs make great low maintenance pets! They are also very entertaining animals; they can climb, dig, hold on to your shirt with their claws as you walk. All you need to keep a crab is a crabarium (old fish tank), some gravel, extra shells in different sizes, and water and food dishes (make sure the dishes are shallow enough for the crab to easily climb out of) and you are all ready for your crabs!

Care of the tree crab includes daily feeding and watering. A commercial food from a pet store is sufficient, however you may supplement the diet with fresh fruits and veggies, but you should make sure not to leave un-eaten fruits or veggies in the tank for more than 24 hours. In addition to drinking water, hermit crabs also need to be sprinkled daily with luke warm water to keep them from drying out. Mist from a spray bottle filled with lukewarm water works well. Keep the tank temperature between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. About once a month you should remove all the gravel from the crabarium, rinse it well without soap and let dry before returning it back to the crabarium; this will remove non eaten food, and waste.

Hermit Crabs need to change homes when they grow, so you will need to provide your crab with extra shells that are 1/3 bigger than it's current shell, because your crab will grow. Hermit Crabs have a hard exoskeleton that does not grow as the crab grows. The crab will shed its exoskeleton and grow a small amount very quickly, until the new exoskeleton hardens; this is called molting. This kewl way of growing allows the hermit crab to replace lost eyes, or appendages!

There is no way to tell when your hermit crab is about to start molting. You may notice that your crab will become inactive, or may bury himself for up to 2 weeks. Many hermit crab owners may fear that their crabs have died. But if you look carefully you will see a pink undergrowth. In 10 days or so your crab will be fine. It is especially important to keep misting your crabs during the molting period. Small crabs may molt every month or so, but larger crabs only molt 1 time every 18 months.

Taming your crab is pretty easy...hold your hand open and let it crawl; the more they are played with, the better. Hermit Crabs cannot pinch you if you pick them up by the back part of the shell. If you do happen to get pinched by a crab and he doesn't let go, run quickly to a lukewarm tap water faucet and run a small amount of water over him, he will let go.

Answer 3

Supplies------- What you need
Tank w/ lid: The tank should be plastic or glass, such as what is used for fish or reptiles. Kritter Keepers are fine for transportation or isolation, but a minimum 10 gallon tank is best for permanent housing.
Substrate: There are some choices. You may use play sand, forest bedding, like Eco Earth. Some people like to use some Calci-Sand but not good as the main substrate. Can also add moss to the tank.
Humidity and Temperature gauges: Place these inside your tank. Do not place directly over heat or water source. Best if toward the bottom center of the tank.
Sponges: Help to keep humidity up between 70% to 80%.
Water: You will also need water treatment to dechlorinate any water used. Repti-safe or any other dechlorinater in the aquarium section is fine.
Instant Ocean, Tropical Marine Salt. Either of these may be used to mix salt water for the hermit crabs.
Food: Specialized hermit crab, such as FMR, may be purchased at the pet store. There are also many treats, or supplements available such as Cuttlebone, Dried Shrimp, Bloodworms, FMR treats, etc.
Bowls: One for food, two for water (one plain dechlorinated water, one salt water). You may buy bowls in the reptile sections, use large shells, or any NONmetalic bowl/dish.
Heater: You will need an Under Tank heater if your room is not warm enough to sustain a 75-80 degree temperature.
Fun toys: Things to hide in or climb over, like coco-huts or cholla wood.
Shells: Need a minimum of 3 shells per hermie. The more the merrier and a better chance of having a happy hermie.
Thoroughly clean the tank and all items to go in the tank. Use boiling water, or, if item may melt, use hottest water possible. DO NOT use cleaning products as they may poison the crab. Attach heater to bottom of tank, if needed.
Add the substrate. Put at least a couple of inches across the whole bottom of the tank. Part of the tank should be deep enough for your largest crab to bury itself.
Place water dishes, food dishes, hiding places and toys. Place sponge in the FRESH water source. This helps keep the humidity up. If you have very small crabs, place glass stones in the bottom of water dishes so they may climb out if they fall in.
Attach temperature and humidity gauges to the INSIDE of the tank. Avoid placing them directly above a heat or water source.
Temperature should be about 72-80. Humidity should be between 70-80 %. The hermit crabs need high humidity in order to breath.

Cleaning your crabitat

Each day tidy the tank by scooping out any crab droppings or food particles you see and change both waters.

Once per week bathe your crabs by giving them a quick dip in dechlorinated water with a few drops of Stress Coat added in. Put crab in the dish, leave for about 1-2 min, them put in a separate dish to dry off.

Once a month deep clean. Take everything out and clean dishes and toys. Clean or replace the substrate. The inside of tank can be cleaned with vinegar water.

Sabrina
60 hermies since July 2004 and 2 Raccoons May 2006.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/oimsofunny/my_photos
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HermieSwap/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HermiesTalk/

Answer 4

large tank or aquarium
sand-make sure it's deep enough that they can bury their entire self in it.
stuff to climb on- rocks, coral, wood (they love wood)
shells- lots of them so they can trade when they wish. Get some their size and some a little bigger. Get two shells to turn upside down for food and water.
Dechlorinate their water by leaving it in a bowl for 24hrs before you put it in their drinking shell
hermit crab food
Every so often they will molt, which means they will go under the sand to grow for awhile. You might think they are dead, but they're not. Just leave them under the sand with their shell above them.
You should be good to go with all of this stuff and information. Don't forget, they love to trade shells.

Answer 5

You needs lots of sand, you HAVE to have gauges to measure humidity and temperatures (you can get things that have both for like $10). Have extra shells for when the molt (they shed their exoskeleton when they grow) they'll need a bigger shell. You can get these at a dollar sore in bags. The humidity has to remain between 70% and 80%, forget about the temperature. Make sure there's water to drink, and keep the cage/aquarium/whatever it's in humid. You also need stuff to put in the water to take out all the bad stuff so it's pure water. Make sure they have lots of stuff to climb!!!! There's more stuff, go to the local pet store and ask them questions, they should be able to help. Good luck.

Answer 6

A warm fish tank with sand in the bottom (not filled with water)
Very high humidity
small dishes with water
shells to choose from that are various sizes (they like ugly ones and will not live in a pretty one)
some stuff to climb around on.
food (apple cores, wilted lettuce, etc...)
They like the dark

Answer 7

We had one at one time. If I remember right we had a small plastic aquarium type thing for it. Sand in the bottom, a stick for it to climb on, a food container, food, and a small sea sponge that you keep moist for it. The petstore also sold us larger shells for it to move up into but it never got to that point.

Answer 8

get two hermit crabs
a water bottle spray...for moisture
different sizes of bigger shells (to choose from when too big for current shell)
food...
and a container

Answer 9

A tidepool and an ocean.
They seldom survive as pets, its just a slow tortutous death for them.
Most of the time they mold.

Answer 10

a pinch of salt, a dash of butter, four cupps boiling water. combine all ingredients except the butter, then toss in little mr pinchy. boil three to five minutes, drain, top with butter, and enjoy!