Coenobita compressus enjoying fish, peanut butter and veggies - Photo by Amber Miner

In: Caresheets, FAQ
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First and foremost use the SEARCH BOX and SEARCH, SEARCH, SEARCH! Our site has a ton of information and nearly every question that a new crabber is trying to answer, has been asked here before. We work hard to maintain a current and extensive library of articles to help you. Have you found yourself an unprepared parent of a hermit crab or two? Are you prepared to give them the proper habitat in which they can survive long term? If so, here’s a very basic list of supplies to get you started.   A glass tank  go as big as you can afford  it doesn’tRead More →

In: FAQ
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All water that comes in contact with your hermit crab must be dechlorinated. Most cities add chlorine to their water supply. Some add chlorine and chloramines to the water. Unless you have contacted your water department and determined if they use both, you should use a treatment to remove both. In the past, it was enough to let water sit out for 24 hours so the chlorine could evaporate out. That no longer is sufficient because chloramines will never evaporate out nor ammonia. A bottle of water treatment will last for years. Stresscoat should NOT be added to your crabs water. Chlorine and chloramines causeRead More →

C. compressus surface molt. Top most leg is a newly regenerated limb.

In: Biology, Caresheets, FAQ
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The molting cycle in crustacean is controlled by hormones. Below is a snippet from a study on crustacean molting that explains the role of hormones in the molting cycle. Land hermit crabs continue to molt their entire life unlike some other crustaceans. ERNEST S . CHANGM, ARILYN J. BRUCEA, ND SHERRY L. TAMONE Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California, P.O. Box 247, Bodega Bay, California 94923 SYNOPSIS In order to increase in size, arthropods must first molt (shed) their confining exoskeleton. This molting process is under the immediate control of the steroid molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE). Read the full article More articles on molting: WhatRead More →

In: FAQ, Food and Nutrition, General
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written by Jennifer Nielsen The existence of an ocean water dish is a source of great controversy in the world of hermit crab owners. Why the importance of this type of water is rarely debated, it seems that the products used in the creation of Ocean Water are the source of much debate. Just as all hermit crab owners know not to use table salt for their crabs, there are two types of salt available for aquarium use. Fresh Saltwater as well as Ocean Water Salt, which although made of the same components have vastly different role within the world of fish keeping. A saltwaterRead More →

In: FAQ, Food and Nutrition
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Hermit crab enthusiast Jennifer Nielsen compares several brands of sea salt mix in this article. Written by Jennifer Nielsen (aka redjln) While many hermit crab owners realize the importance of providing Ocean Water to their pets, there is a question over which type and which specific product is the best. To answer this, I got Instant Ocean and Reef Crystals enriched blend by Aquarium Systems, Doc Wellfish’s Aquarium Salt, and Aquarium Salt by Jungle. I have gotten a container of Distilled Water to test the products in. Now, I will disclaim right now that I do not have access to a laboratory of equipment. AllRead More →

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Special credit thanks to Wendy at Hermit Crabs R Us for compiling and sharing this list!! After mixing all ocean/sea mixes leave sit for at least 12-24 hours prior to offering to ensure that all the crystals have dissolved. Crystal Sea Marine mix Bioassy Formula The site from which I purchased this mix indicates 1/4 lb or 1/3 cup will yield 1 gallon. I found it to only be 1.016 SG when mixed this way. I tested it using 2 different hydrometers-one that was also purchased at the same site as the salt mix. I mixed it using 1/2 cup and got 1.021. (I addRead More →

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Written by Travis Wease Tips for saving money and having a safe crabitat: First off there are certain things that you can’t really skimp on when it comes to setting up a safe and fun crabitat. Things like a heat source whether it be lights or a UTH, substrate has a cost, although some are cheaper, humidity gauges, temperature gauges, and the tank itself has a cost, but here are some tips to save money and use items that you may already have laying around the house. 1.Look on Craigslist or Freecycle for tanks. Sometimes you can find them at Goodwill or other re-use storesRead More →

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Written by Marie Davis On occasions one may find that when they do an antenna count they seem to be missing a hermit crab? Where possibly could it be? All empty shells have been looked into, including doing the precaution of turning the shells upside down and placing water within them. There have been occasions when a hermit crab has changed shells and fits so far down within it they are impossible to see. By placing water within the shells and turning them hole side up, if the shell moves hole side down a crabber knows there is a resident within it. Could he beRead More →

In: FAQ, Food and Nutrition
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Hermit Crabs are beach scavengers and they can and will eat a wide range of things. General rules: Avoid chemicals, pesticides, table salt, moldy foods, plants that are toxic to animals. For hermit crab nutritional needs and the foods that provide them, download the nutritional food chart as a PDF by clicking in the gray box below. Written by Kerie Campbell Fruits – Fresh or Wrinkly? I’ve read a lot about fresh fruits being in their diets, which I use a lot of BTW. But I’ve read a lot about people putting in fruits that are old and wrinkling up. Is one better than theRead More →