Hermit Crab owners? I was thinking of buying one and need advice!?

Question

Hermit Crab owners? I was thinking of buying one and need advice!?
Okay I have some quick questions about them...
Well first of all I already have a 2 gallon fish tank I was thinking of using for them, It also has a built in light bulb.

I was wondering what supplies are a MUST have for them and also my MAIN QUESTION IS....Do hermit crabs need heat 24/7 or can they just have it some of the time? and what do you use for your hermit crabs? I don't want to buy a heating pad because they are just so much money but if I left the small light bulb in my tank on all day would that be enough heat? And since they are in my room I don't want it on at night so could I use a heating blanket on one side of the tank to keep it warm?(*NOTE* the heating blanket only stays on for up to 4 hours at a time/ I would turn it on at 11:00pm when I go to bed so it would only last until 3am. And then I could turn the light on when I get up at 6:30am) Is this enough heat? and are they okay for 3 and a half hours each day without the extra heat? btw summer is coming up so it should start to get a bit warmer anyways!

Please answer...Thanks!!

Answer 1

My web site will give you all the info you need to start out and refer to as you need, all info has carefully been researched for accuracy and safety.

Do not buy just one hermits are very social animals, I had to drop down from a 100 gallon tank because they were not interacting with each other, starting out with at least three is best and recommended.

http://cheryldianemillard.webs.com/taxonomyspeciesandgender.htm

Answer 2

If it was a fish tank and the light is in the hood don't use it, it needs more room than that. Buy a ten gallon tank, some sand to fill about four inches deep, your color choice, and buy some shells in the craft section that are big enough for it. There are shallow, ceramic, heavy duty bowls you can buy in the pet section anywhere you can get for about 1.50 each that are perfect. That all adds to about 25-30 dollars including the hermit crab. And if it's warm enough for you it's warm enough for it, they aren't very active in the day.

Answer 3

I had hermit crabs too. But they only lasted for 2 years. They lived longer than they did in my 4th grade class ( i was 10 or 9 but im 12 now ) they lasted for 2 months cuz the kids kept shaking them and not taking care of the cage. Maybe you should check out this website: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=2386

Answer 4

I would not get hermit crabs although they look cool they are not all they do is hide in there shells. I would get a hedgehog, or rats, or if you want a reptile get a bearded dragon. Hope this helps!

Answer 5

First off, you need more than one crab. In the wild, land hermit crabs live in large colonies and they get stressed when they are alone. For 2-3 crabs, you will need minimum a 10 gallon glass tank. If you get 4 or more, you will need a 20g or larger.



As far as heat goes, you need to keep your tank between 75-80 deg F at all times. This means having the heat on 24/7. It's acceptable to turn off the heat lamp during the day as long as your house does not sip below ~71 deg F. These crabs come from near the equator! They are active at night and need a warm environment. To heat my 55 gallon tank, I use a 150 watt bulb and ceramic hood. You probably want to go with a lower wattage for a smaller tank, but both of these items can be found at this online store for pretty cheap! http://www.petdiscounters.com/ Their shipping is also very cheap.



For water bowls, you need something that is deep enough for your largest crab to submerge in and you need to have a way for your smallest to escape. I find that plastic or glass tupperware is the best way to go with rocks propped up in them so they can get out. Also, they need both fresh AND salt water. But you need to dechlorinate your tap water using drops meant for aquariums. You also need special ocean salt used for aquariums. Table salt is toxic to crabs.



The supplies you will need and the best place to buy is as follows:

10g tank or larger: buy locally

Playsand or Eco-Earth bedding (twice the height of your largest crab, and moist enough for them to tunnel): http://www.petdiscounters.com/ for Eco-Earth or walmart for playsand

Extra shells (3 per crab): http://www.hermitcrabpatch.com/

Food: http://www.hermitcrabpatch.com/ and feed fresh foods from this list: http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=64004

Water and food dishes: Buy locally

Dechlorinator and Ocean salt: http://www.petdiscounters.com/ or locally in aquarium section

Decor: http://www.petdiscounters.com/ or locally

Heat lamp/bulbs: http://www.petdiscounters.com/ or locally





Hermit crabs can live for up to 30 years, but sadly, the information that is written on them is horrible. Fortunately, there is a community of hermit crab experts that I think you should get involved with. The website is http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ They are all very helpful and supportive. They helped me so much in the beginning. All my crabs would be dead by now if it wasn't for them. I really reccomend giving the site a visit. Poke around a little, and join if you want to! :) Hermit crabs aren't for everybody because they need a lot of very specific care, but they are neat little creatures.