There are many hermit crab "kits" sold that look like the ones below. These kits are marketed towards children or towards the idea that keeping cute little hermit crabs are cheap and easy. The problem is, these kits are completely inappropriate enclosures. You cannot meet the needs of your hermit crabs and you WILL kill your hermit crabs.
What's wrong with these enclosures ?
-not enough space!
- not able to hold heat and humidity in!
- substrate is not deep enough!
- wrong substrate!
-not enough space!
- not able to hold heat and humidity in!
- substrate is not deep enough!
- wrong substrate!
HERMIT CRAB TANK GUIDELINES
Start your crabitat with a glass tank that is at least 10 gallons. The size of your crabitat depends on how many crabs you have and how big your hermit crabs are. Here is a visual guide:
Start your crabitat with a glass tank that is at least 10 gallons. The size of your crabitat depends on how many crabs you have and how big your hermit crabs are. Here is a visual guide:
Despite their name, hermit crabs are very social. In the wild you can find hundreds of hermit crabs in the same colony. Make sure you get more than one crab to keep each other company and adjust your tank to fit their size. 2-3 small hermit crabs in a 10 gallon will be fine. (Sm. need at least 2.5 gallons each X 3 hermit crabs = 7.5 gallons). However, bigger crabitat is always better.
COVER YOUR TANK
Make sure you have a good fitting lid for your tank. We started with a screen top but had to cover it with Saran Wrap to keep the heat and humidity in. This works for a lot of crab owners just fine. Our plastic wrap kept coming off and it drove me crazy! Then we had problems with ants in the summer and fungus gnats so we opted for a glass lid. This is perfect for keeping the heat and humidity stable in the tank. Some other options we've tried are: cardboard covered in plastic, taped down and used as a lid, a towel to cover the top and a glass dresser top protector from Ikea.
By the way..hermit crabs are great escape artists. I have one Ecuadorian hermit crab who kept taking himself on adventures every day. We don't have to play hide and seek now that we have the glass lids.
COVER YOUR TANK
Make sure you have a good fitting lid for your tank. We started with a screen top but had to cover it with Saran Wrap to keep the heat and humidity in. This works for a lot of crab owners just fine. Our plastic wrap kept coming off and it drove me crazy! Then we had problems with ants in the summer and fungus gnats so we opted for a glass lid. This is perfect for keeping the heat and humidity stable in the tank. Some other options we've tried are: cardboard covered in plastic, taped down and used as a lid, a towel to cover the top and a glass dresser top protector from Ikea.
By the way..hermit crabs are great escape artists. I have one Ecuadorian hermit crab who kept taking himself on adventures every day. We don't have to play hide and seek now that we have the glass lids.
CLEANING YOUR TANK
When cleaning your tank, NEVER use chemicals. Your hermit crabs, like all animals are sensitive to chemicals and can die from exposure to them. You can use watered down vinegar with a paper towel to wipe down the sides of the glass and then go over it again with dechlorinated water. We just use water most of the time and it works fine.
Now, lets talk about...
When cleaning your tank, NEVER use chemicals. Your hermit crabs, like all animals are sensitive to chemicals and can die from exposure to them. You can use watered down vinegar with a paper towel to wipe down the sides of the glass and then go over it again with dechlorinated water. We just use water most of the time and it works fine.
Now, lets talk about...
SUBSTRATE
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