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A LITTLE ABOUT MY CRABS
As of now, I have 3 hermit crabs, and their names are Cookie, Mambo, and Akasha. Tell me about your crabs at crosscountry_rules@yahoo.com
WHY A HERMIT CRAB?
To begin with, hermits are exotic. Many people desire some sort of exotic pet, after all, what could be more exotic than a ten-legged pet? Even though they are exotic, hermits are not dangerous at all like many exotic creatures.
They make a good pet because they are small and do not require much space. A couple of small hermit crabs can be kept in a goldfish tank; if it's kept clean, they'll live happily for many years.
A pet hermit requires little of your time and is one of the quietest pets you can find. They're also one of the healthiest creatures known. Disease is rare among them and even if an eye or leg is broken off, it will grow back.
They communicate by sound and it is not uncommon to hear them 'talking' to each other. They seldom fight, except occasionally over a shell dispute. They are clean and odorless and may be released in the home and for observation of their comical antics if desired. They are good climbers and will enjoy coral or any type of non-resinous wood placed in their aquarium to exercise on.
A pet can be all of these and still may not be fun. However, treecrabs are entertaining, and that is the best reason for keeping them. They climb like a squirrel, react like a turtle, and dig like a clam! They're also extremely intelligent for a creature their size, so you can look forward to many hours of entertainment watching them.
CHOOSING A CRAB
There are many things to think about and look for when choosing a hermit crab.
One is to think about how long you want to keep your pet. Larger hermits can live for 15-20 years, depending on how well they are cared for. If you don't want that much commitment, choose a medium or small crab, whose life span is usually much shorter.
Don't worry about choosing a male or female. It's impossible to tell which is which, unless they're not in their shell. Also, don't worry about reproduction. That can only take place in the ocean.
If you buy a hermit at a pet store, be sure to check for little bugs in the cage or on the crab.
Watch for noticeable cuts, missing legs, and missing claws. It is better to buy a hermit crab that is healthy at the start.
Try to pick a crab that is active and moving around in the cage. Before you buy a crab, set it on the palm of your hand. If it walks around, it will be friendly. If it doesn't walk around, don't get it because it never will. (Don't worry. It's just not your type.) Also, remember that crabs can be aggressive to unfamiliar hands. They may pinch. This doesn't mean that the crab is mean, it's just scared. If you're pinched by a crab and it refuses to let go, run your hand under warm water.
When choosing more than one crab, (which is a good idea since they like company), it's a good idea to get crabs that are about the same size. Larger crabs tend to bully smaller crabs.
CREATING A SUITABLE HABITAT
Making a good home for your crab is the key to a long life and happiness. When making a home, you should try to re-create their tropical paradise as much as possible.
Choosing the cage is the first step. There are 3 basic kinds of cages to choose from: a fish aquarium, a plastic cage, or a wire mesh cage. The fish aquarium is the best choice. It will retain humidity and also be escape-proof. A ten-gallon fish aquarium will hold 4-6 small to medium sized crabs. A plastic cage is okay, but it doesn't keep humidity as well. It is portable, though, so you could also travel with it. The wire mesh cage is the best for exercise, but not a permanent home because they don't hold sand or rocks in the bottom. They also do not keep humidity, which is absolutely necessary. No matter what cage you buy, be sure it has a glass or plastic lid. Crabs are a master of escaping. A light may help, but be sure it's no more than 25 watts. The crabs will become inactive and may even die if the light is too hot.
Once you have the cage, it is time to start filling it. The bottom should be covered in 2-3 inches of sand or gravel. If you get gravel, be sure it is especially for hermit crabs. Never buy fish tank gravel for your crab, because after a couple of days your house will start to smell because they bury food and also go to the bathroom in the gravel. Sand is also a good choice. That's what I use. You can get it from the ocean, a lake, river, or even a pet store. It has to be cleaned. To do so, boil it in water for 10 minutes then let it dry before putting it into the cage. If it isn't dry, the crab's shells get covered in wet sand and that is no fun because your whole house gets full of sand. NEVER put wood chips in the bottom. It dries out the crabs, resulting in death.
Once you have the bottom covered, it's time to decorate. First, get a food and water dish. A lizard dish is a good idea. It looks like a rock with a hollowed out top. It's about 4-5 inches long. They have to climb up about 1 inch to get into it, so that's good for exercise. The crab's cage should always be kept moist and humid. A sponge in the water dish is a good idea.
Decoration also includes something to climb on for exercise and hiding places where they can rest undisturbed when they want to. These two things will make the crab feel more at home. Some owners also put coral in the cage and the crabs seem to like climbing on it. Be sure not to place anything tall near the edge of the tank.
A crab tank should never be placed in the window. An afternoon summer sun might turn the cage into a crab-bake. Also, don't place the tank under air conditioning because they'll become inactive. Crabs are most active during temperatures ranging from 65 to 95 degrees. A light is a good idea in cold rooms.
KEEPING YOUR CRAB HEALTHY
Like people, crabs need to be cleaned and groomed to be happy. They take 'baths' by being dunked in luke-warm water. You can put some salt in the water because they need salt in their diet. Only dunk them for a few seconds, otherwise they may drown.
Mist your crab outside the cage every day. Use a squirt bottle or a turkey baster for this. (they work the best) Uneaten food should always be removed from the cage daily. Change the water in the water dishes every day.
Every week, wipe the cage inside and out with a damp paper towel. Cleaners and chemicals are harmful to your crab. Inspect sand for cleanliness and buried uneaten food. Even out sand and make sure that no rocks have under-mined by digging.
Replace the sand (or gravel) every 1-2 months. If you need to reuse what you already have, boil it for 10 minutes, and let it dry. Sponges, shells, and other objects should be cleaned. Also, inspect rocks and wood for fly larva and other bugs. Sterilize if necessary.
HANDLING AND TAMING
To tame a crab, it must be handled, and the best way to begin is to hold the crab so it cannot pinch you. This is done by grasping the shell, so the crab cannot reach your fingers.
Begin taming your crabs by holding them 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 the fingers, and they do not let go easily. When a crab does pinch you, it is probably because he has a fear of falling.
Once you have tamed your crab, you need not fear being pinched and you can look forward to a lasting friendship.
FEEDING TIME
Feeding a hermit crab is easy as long as we understand that they are a lot like humans when they eat. They'll eat almost anything that you put in front of them. You should feed your crab a commercial diet daily, along with other foods. It's also a good idea to soak any dried food in water to soften it before feeding it to hermit crabs.
Offer hermit crabs at least one food from each category at least once a week for a balanced diet.
Bread Group: crackers, bread bits, cooked rice, cooked pasta (plain), and oatmeal.
Fruit Group: peeled grapes, pears, apples, coconut, oranges, bananas, ect...
Vegetable Group: lettuce, cooked beans, broccoli, squash, cooked carrots, green peas, potato, and spinach.
Meat Group: ocean fish, ocean shrimp, beef liver, beef heart, lean beef, lean bacon, ect...
Other: peanut butter, dry dog food, dry cat food, canned cat food, crab food, ect...
The important thing to remember about feeding them is they eat at night, so put the food in before you go to bed. Take it out in the morning or else it will begin to rot and smell bad. Fresh food should be provided almost every day. Sometimes it's good just to feed them the commercial crab food.
Some of my crabs' personal favorites for food are bananas, crackers, lettuce, and spaghetti noodles.
Another important part of your crab's diet is a consistent supply of fresh water. This is not only essential for drinking, but the crabs also carry a small amount of water within their shells to keep their soft tail moist. The water dish should be cleaned and refilled daily.
A metal jar lid is a big no-no. Crabs are sensitive to dissolved metals. Calm shells have many advantages. They give off minerals that benefit to the crabs health.
SHELLS
Hermit crabs will leave their shells only voluntarily, and only to switch to another shell. Never try to pull a crab out of its shell. He will more likely allow you to pull him apart before he will give up the shell.
Several shells should be kept in the cage in case he decides to switch shells. Shell switching is done very quickly since the crab is vulnerable during the swapping process. The main thing to look for is size. The opening of the new shell should be about 1/4 inch larger than the previous one. Have many shells available, because crabs are known for changing into many shells to find the perfect fit. Also, if you have 2 or more crabs that are the same size, they may fight over a shell if it provides the perfect fit for both.
If your crab has not switched shells in a while, it may be because they cannot find one that fits the way they like. If they do not find a perfect fitting shell within a week, they will die. Try to replace the old shells with new ones every few months.
MOLTING
Hermit crabs go through phases of growth. When going to a new phase, the crab goes through molting. Molting is a growth period, as well as a regenerating period. The hermit crab may bury itself for up to a month before it molts. Do not disturb your crab if at all possible. When molting, the crab splits its exoskeleton and then eats it. (Disgusting, but it's true!) When they molt, the claws and legs that were broken off will be replaced.
Small crabs may molt as often as every other month, while larger crabs may not molt for eighteen months or longer. Many owners mistake their crab for dead when they are molting and throw it away before investigating. A molting crab should be separated from the other crabs. Be sure there are larger shells available after molting.
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