There seems to be some controversy and confusion regarding the need for UV-B lighting with hermit crabs. Due to the esoteric nature of our chosen pets, few studies are available to draw from which explicitly study hermit crabs. There is however a considerable volume of research regarding crustaceans, and more specifically decapod biology available to study.Read More →
Why are hermit crabs hairy? Those little ‘hairs’ you see all over the body and chelipeds of your hermit crab are not hairs at all. They are an extension of the exoskeleton and are called setae. A seta is an elongate projection with a more or less circular base and a continuous lumen; the lumen has a semicircular arrangement of sheath cells basally. [1] Revising the definition of the crustacean seta and setal classification systems based on examinations of the mouthpart setae of seven species of decapods A. GARM Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 142, Issue 2, October 2004, Pages 233–252 What inRead More →
The Land Hermit Crab Owners Society recommends that hermit crabs only be removed from their habitat for an occasional visual inspection or photo. This is one of the most contested recommendations in our community. The LHCOS recommendation is based on what research has taught us thus far. We are still learning, research is still being conducted and we are following it closely. Land hermit crabs require humid air to breathe. When the relative humidity drops below 70% the gills begin to dry out. Over time the gills will become irreversibly damaged. How much damage they can sustain before death is not known. Land hermit crabsRead More →
***REMEMBER NO SEASONINGS OR ADDED SUGAR*** Safe to feed: Turkey raw or cooked Save the neck and giblet bag for the crabs Turkey bones Crack them open so they can get at the marrow. Potatoes No eyes or green parts raw or cooked. Veggies raw or cooked *no onions or garlic* Dark Leafy Greens must be cooked first. Nuts ground, whole, chunks. Fruits Sour fruit will not be eaten (for example: they will not eat like lemon) Oils pure and cold pressed are best Herbs No Rosemary evergreen family. If you brine or injected with rosemary or rosemary oils compound butters etc could have absorbedRead More →
We all go on vacation or have to be away from home for an extended period at some point. Your hermit crabs will need someone to check on them at least once during a seven day absence. Ideally someone can check on them every other day but not everyone is able to arrange a regular check in. Be sure to write up an instruction sheet for your pet sitter. Include a link to this website, our emergency form and even our Facebook group so that we can help them if they need us. If your sitter isn’t a crab keeper they may have trouble rememberingRead More →
Written by Anne Grady Food mites, more properly called grain mites are something that can be found in any tank at any time. The first thing to understand is that they did not come from the crabs, having hermit crabs does not cause you to have food mites. Food mites come into your home through the everyday things you buy at the grocery store. Anything that contains grain can have food mites. Oatmeal, grits, breakfast cereal, noodles, flour and rice are a few examples. In general you won’t see them and they are harmless, but that box of corn meal or pancake mix that getsRead More →
A hermit crab’s shell is his home and his protection from predators and desiccation. Hermit crabs take up residence in discarded shells and can not make their own shell. When kept as pets it is important that you choose suitable shells for your hermit crab. Provide 3-5 suitable shells per hermit crab. Shells can be placed directly on the substrate or in a designated bin that we call a Shell Shop. This helps keep the shells clean and reduces the chances of them being buried. In semi-terrestrial hermit crabs a well-fitting shell is essential for maintaining low evaporation rates and carrying ample water. An appropriatelyRead More →
What’s a micro hermit crab? What’s a jumbo hermit crab? Size can be subjective and hard to define but we are trying anyway! Our friends in Indonesia have developed two more realistic size charts based on leg length or leg span. Indonesia is home to many of different species including the large C. brevimanus. With much more data to work with the group created these new sizing charts which are more accurate. Why does size matter? When determining how much space is needed per hermit crab we need to know how large the crabs are. Small crabs can be happy in a smaller habitat whileRead More →
Let’s look at how to set up a proper hermit crab habitat, which we refer to as a crabitat. Basing your tank set up on what you saw at the petstore or mall cart where you may have purchased your hermit crabs is a recipe for disaster. Kritter Keepers and wire cages are death boxes and should never be used. Listed below are the primary components of a proper set up and we will discuss them in detail. If you are not willing to equip the tank properly you should return your hermit crabs or rehome them, they will not thrive without a properly set upRead More →
Hermit crabs typically go about their molting business below ground away from your prying eyes and nosey tank mates but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes you will find yourself with a surface molter on your hands. Surface molts can be very cool for you but additionally stressful for the crab. Let’s look at the best way to handle a surface molter. First do not touch or move the crab! (unless you feel you must to ensure it’s safety) Second find a way to securely isolate the crab. It is extremely important that your tank temperature and humidity are in the proper ranges at thisRead More →