Caring For Your Hermit Crab Pet
Owning a hermit crab as a pet is becoming more and more popular. This is due to the fact that these little creatures are easy to care for, fun to watch crawling about their cage in their colorful and sometimes painted shells, and kids absolutely love them. Hermit crabs are striking creatures found in the wild throughout the world’s oceans. The good news is when properly cared, hermit crabs can thrive in captivity, or in your home as well!
With great and proactive care for your hermit crab pet, these guys will live a long time as well! The following five tips will assist you as a new (or experienced) hermit crab “parent” maintain proper health and happiness for your hermit crab pet.
Bathing Your Hermit Crab – You’re thinking to yourself, do hermit crabs really take baths? The answer is yes…when you want to give him a bath, it’s best to use de-chlorinated fresh water in a bowl, which allows them to wash themselves. You’ll want to give them a bath approximately twice per month and more if you feel your hermit crab needs it.
Your hermit crab can air dry once you have submerged them in water as long as the temperature of your home is safe and idea for them (approx 70 – 80 degrees). Bathing your hermit crab is a great step towards hermit crab care.
Feeding your Hermit Crab – You have a few options in feeding your hermit crab, including pellet food from the pet store or to offer a variety of “human” foods which many times are less expensive and healthier for your hermit crab.
Foods such as small bits of banana, carrot, apples, shredded lettuce, raisins, or even certain kinds of meat such as chicken, ham, or fish is an ideal balanced diet for your hermit crabs. When caring for your hermit crabs, they are not picky eaters. Ensure you keep fresh sources of fresh water and salt water in different dishes inside your crab cage or terrarium.
Environmental Conditions – Temperature & Humidity – Unless you reside in a tropical paradise already where it is 70 degrees or warmer, you will need to create an environment for your hermit crab pet which is tailored to their temperature and humidity needs in their cage or terrarium.
These are cold-blooded creatures which require temperatures of approx 75 degrees, but not warmer than 80 degrees. Another part of hermit crab care is humidity, where your hermit crab will need humidity levels of 70 percent.
Understanding Molting – Part of caring for your hermit crab pet is to understand the physical aspects of your hermit crabs, including the process of molting. Remember hermit crabs don’t have internal skeletons, and they grow by shedding their existing skeletons and produce a larger one.
During this fascinating process, hermit crabs will leave behind their gills but their antennae, eyes, and legs are kept intact.
Hermit Crab Shells – To properly care for your hermit crabs, it’s important to have as many various sized shells as possible in your cage or terrarium. You can get the shells from your local pet store or even get a larger variety from the Internet. You’ll want to be mindful of the quality and condition of the shell as well as the size. You’ll want to select bright and colorful shells that capture attention.
Caring for your hermit crab pet is easy and fun when you have the right information at your fingertips. By following the above care tips, you can give your hermit crab pet a long and happy life.
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