ARE YOU READY FOR A LAND HERMIT CRAB?
Australian Land Hermit Crab Care Guide
THE BIG PICTURE
As you would have already guessed, caring for a land hermit crab is more than just food and salt. The initial set up for a land hermit crab can include much more than you previously thought. The good news is that there will never be a costly vet bill, no real expenses for medicine, or having to worm and groom.
The main costs are those of the housing; isolation kit, heating; substrate; temperature and humidity gauges; water dish, salt/ocean pond; food and treat bowl; tank decorations; background; insulation; seashells; Sea Sponges; moss; Protein and Calcium Sources; and more. You are trying to offer everything a land hermit crab needs while in captivity, the essentials they cannot live without.
If you cannot meet the needs of a land hermit crab, then it is best to wait until you can. It is much better to have everything set up and ready, than to be in a last minute panic when there are moulting signs or you have had your first moult. Most pets have a similar start up cost, which enables them to live comfortably and have a happy home and environment.
Contrary to popular belief, Land Hermit Crabs are not throwaway pets and deserve the same humane treatment as other animals do. Before you buy a land hermit crab, go through the checklist on the next page.
If at any time you find that you cannot meet the needs of your land hermit crabs, or decide that they are not the pet for you, please try and find them a happy home with friends that may care for them as well as their own. Alternatively, you can put them up for adoption at The Crab Street Journal Adoption Center for more information about how to sign up to adopt hermit crabs, or place your own hermit crabs up for adoption.
http://lhcos.org/adoption-program-beta/
ESSENTIALS
Recommended products for optimum land hermit crab care
Hermit crabs are advertised as cheap and easy to maintain, which is not necessarily true. To keep your hermit crabs happy and healthy, you will need to provide a lot more than food and water. The following is a list of the essential items your pet hermit crabs will need:
Glass tank with lid:
A glass tank is preferred over plastic tanks which will scratch and do not hold the humidity with the ventilated lids. The glass lid of a sealed glass tank helps keep the temperature and humidity within hermit crab’s habitat with a slight gap for airflow. This will help to cut down on mould and bacteria, which can cause illness and even death among hermit crabs, often detected by a musty or ammonia odor. The bigger the better with a 20 Litre tank the minimum recommended. You need to focus on surface area required for each crab as they like to dig down to moult. Once you place your three bowls/dishes, hiders, driftwood, etc there will be very little space left. It is often best to create second levels and climbing toys to reach them to make the most of your crabitat.
(Read more…)
Substrate:
Substrate is what we call the material that lines the bottom of the tank, and creates the ‘beach’ within your crabitat. The most popular substrates being: sanitised beach sand; silica-free play sand; fine river pebbles (such as Australian Pet Supplies or Estes NaturalStone); crushed coral (such as Estes Reef Sand in the US); and other hermit crab-safe substrates. You will need enough of a depth to cover your largest Land Hermit Crab; often three times the height is sufficient for them to bury. Substrates to avoid include:
o Hermit Crab Sand
o Calci-Sand
o Wood shavings
o Corn shavings
o Cedar shavings
o Substrates for desert animals
o Fir shavings
o Krabooz Zuper Zands
(Read more…)
Heat Pad
A heat pad made especially for small animals and reptiles. Popular brands are: F.M.R. (US-only), Four Paws(U.S.); PetZone (Australia); ZooMed(UK/Aus and US versions). An U.T.H. is used to keep the hermit crabs warm by gently warming the back wall of the tank, in turn warming the air. You may need a thermostat to regulate the temperature. ;
(Read more…)
Thermometer:
Thermometer: A thermometer is used to observe the temperature inside the tank. Thermometers come in three main types: the adhesive fish tank style, based on a sticker that changes colour as the temperature at the glass raises; the circular reptile-type thermometers which are based on a coil which contracts or expands; a digital gauge which uses a probe and allows you to measure the temperature at more than one location. Digital is preferred as they are usually more reliable.
(Read more…)
Humidity:
A hygrometer is used to observe the humidity inside the tank. Just as with temperature, humidity is very important. If the humidity drops and the air is dry, your land hermit crab will have difficulty in breathing through their modified gills, which act as lungs when moistened and correctly functioning. You should keep humidity between 50-60% for Actual and around 70-80% relative humidity. Damp sea sponges are a great way to increase the humidity in your crabitat, as is a mangrove root that has been misted or some moss.
(Read more…)
Three Dishes:
Use non-metallic, non-porous dishes for your fresh water dish, another for your salt-water pond and one for food. You can use scallop or clam shells for treat dishes. Ceramic bowls and dishes are preferred although resin has been used without problem. For water and salt-water ponds you want dishes deep enough that your hermit crabs can submerge themselves.
(Read more…)
Water Ager/Conditioner:
Water Ager or Conditioners are very important if the quality of water is not suitable for use with fish in an aquarium. It is important to removes harmful substances from tap water such as chlorine and heavy metals, which can make hermit crabs ill. A water conditioner that removes ammonia is preferred as some remove chloramine but not ammonia itself. Brands include Amquel, AquaCleanse and Prime.
(Read more…)
Ocean pond:
An ocean or salt water pond should be added to your crabitat. It needs to be deep enough for your hermit crab to submerge themselves if they need to, but they should be able to climb in and out of it easily. Do NOT use hermit crab salt. Instead use a salt such as Instant Ocean or other Ocean or Marine salt.
(Read more…)
Mister Bottle:
A mister bottle produces a fine mist of water, to moisten the hermit crab’s wooden items and moss pits. You may know them as facial misters. Use sensibly and treat the water with water conditioner.
(Read more…)
Food:
Your Land Hermit Crab has been used to a varied diet of foods and needs a mixture of ‘meat and vegetable’ type foods, such as the commercial pellet types (avoid those with Ethoxyquin).
Try to alternate the food types and offer small servings to avoid spoilage. Hermit crabs love fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers, nuts, seeds and insects. They need foods rich in amino acid, calcium, carotenoids (especially astaxanthin, cellulose, chitin, cholesterol, copper, fats (Linolenic omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids), glucose, potassium, protein, salts, vitamin a, vitamin Bs (b1, b2, b3, b5, b6, b9 or folate), vitamin C, vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin H (Biotin) and more.
(Read more…)
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CHECKLIST OF CARE: Daily/Weekly/Monthly
DAILY
Replenish food and water in the crabitat
Remove any foodstuffs from the substrate on a daily basis.
Spend some time looking over the tank and make sure the substrate is clean and dry.
Monitor temperature and humidity levels + adjust accordingly
If you use them, give the current sea sponge a thorough rinsing until it smells clean. Squeeze all the water out and soak in chlorine and chloramine free water and set outside the tank to dry. Replace with your second sea sponge which is clean and dry, alternate daily.
WEEKLY
Pick through the substrate for leftover foodstuffs and give the water dish and food dish a good cleaning.
Give the sides of the tank a good wipe-down with moistened paper towels and check the condition of the substrate.
Rotate the shells within the crabitat.
MONTHLY
Clean out the crabitat. This means, remove everything from the tank. Take the hermies out first, then the driftwood tree, dishes, rocks and shells. Then empty the sand into a large colander (or something similar with small drainage holes), stir and rinse out the substrate until the water runs clear.
Wipe out the crabitat with a clean cloth.
Vinegar is about the only cleaning product I would recommend if you have to use anything. Remember not to use chemicals that may hurt your hermit crabs.
Put the still wet crabitat out in the sun to dry, along with the colander of substrate spread out in a shallow paint tray.
Wash out the bowls, shells and any climbing toys while my hermit crabs are exploring in a safe, inescapable place before returning the crabs to their now sparkling clean home.
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RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP
Why have a pet land hermit crab?
Land Hermit Crabs are an interesting pet that when kept healthy and happy will live for a number of years. If you are willing to pay for the essentials: to provide heat, humidity, hide spots, good hygiene, food and suitable water; then you are part the way to keeping healthy hermit crabs.
Choose Carefully
It is important that you choose the hermit crabs that are suitable for your family and crabitat. If you only have room for a small crabitat in your home, then it may be best that you choose small hermit crabs. Larger hermit crabs need more room to move about within your tank, and will need larger versions of water dishes, food dishes, hideouts and the like. It is also important that if you have small children, that you do not buy jumbo hermit crabs which may be able to break the skin with a nip. Many larger hermit crabs are more wary of being dropped and will latch on if they feel in danger. It may be wise to choose micro, teenie or small hermit crabs for toddlers Even if they do nip, it doesn’t hurt or cause distress.
Your Family Lifestyle
Land Hermit Crabs need fresh food and water every day. If you are not able to be there to provide these essential needs, it is important that you find someone to look after your hermit crabs if you are gone for more than two days. A ZooMed Repti-Reservoir may be helpful in providing water during the day if you work, as the reservoir holds a few days worth of water, and operates as the refillable dog bowls do, just a smaller version.
Your Home Environment
You will need to find a suitable spot within your home for the placement of your land hermit crab’s crabitat. Somewhere out of drafts, and away from any chemicals, insecticides or fumes. Typical locations are in the lounge room or in bedrooms, however the noise of nocturnal hermit crabs partying the night away has kept more than one hermit crabber awake. If possible, the crabitat should be placed in an area which does not receive a heavy traffic, allowing for some privacy and quiet. Remember that perfumes, incense and insect spray can make your hermit crabs ill. Please avoid using them near the tank area wherever possible
Your Time
You will need to spend at least five minutes at morning and night time refilling water and food dishes; picking through the substrate for any food that has fallen or been dragged out of the food bowl and to check for signs of any problems or illness. View the checklist for more information on what is needed each day, week and month.
The Cost
The initial set-up is something that you need to see as essential. There should be no cutting corners when it comes to the crabitat (glass with lids are best); heating (under tank heater, even through summer); gauges (tools to enable you to keep the humidity and temperature at suitable levels); substrate (to line the tank with and enable your crabs to dig), etc. They are all necessary expenses and you will need to set up the crabitat before buying your new pets, or they will not survive very long. A typical cost is over $200 so not cheap.
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STARTING OFF ON THE RIGHT PERIPOD (FOOT)
Where Do I Purchase?
It is important that the hermit crabs are in good health when you buy them, as it is often very difficult to undo past damage, especially poor hygiene which leads to bacteria, fungus.
Try to purchase hermit crabs from a pet store which has a range of hermit crab accessories, or at least from a pet shop that will get items in for you on request. If the store keeps their hermit crabs in wood shavings or another unsuitable substrate, then I would either try and recommend a more suitable one (sand, coral sand, play sand, etc) or find another pet store which will provide you with healthy hermit crabs that start off on the right foot. Let the pet store know that you are going elsewhere and they might clean up their act.
Studies have shown that poor conditions and bad hygiene have led to bacteria contamination, which can cause limbs to drop off, mould and fungus, leaving them stressed and in many cases, they will not make it through a moult.
To learn about good pet stores within your area, or if you know of a pet store that is doing a wonderful job with their hermit crab display and well-stocked range, why not visit Pet Store Report at The Crab Street Journal http://crabstreetjournal.org/bb/topic/praise-a-pet-store/
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IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
Does each have a place where it can de-stress?
Each crab should be able to retreat within the security of a hiding hut,c ave or space where it can feel comfortable and secure within its surroundings. A stressed out crab may leave its shell or have its limbs fall off.
Will each hermit crab have enough space to dig down and moult?
Moulting is responsible for most of the deaths of land hermit crabs in captivity They need to have adequate moulting conditions or they will not survive The substrate should be deep enough so that it is at least three times the height of the largest hermit crab at least one section of the tank. You should also make allowances for an isolation unit for each hermit crab, and have it prepared beforehand if possible.
Do I have at least three seashells for each size of hermit crab?
Each hermit crab should have access to at least three seashells of its size and shape, and they should include some of the more popular seashells for land hermit crabs for that size. If it cannot find a seashell to fit, your hermit crab may become very crabby. If you cannot take responsibility to find quality seashells for each hermit crab, then you should stick to hermit crabs of the same size. At least then, they will have a range of shells to choose from.
Aggression
Larger hermit crabs are often more aggressive than small hermit crabs. It is not a good idea to pick a hermit crab that is overly aggressive, as it may continue its aggressive streak in your tank.
Signs of Illness
If you see a hermit crab with signs of illness in a pet store, it is often not a wise idea to take it home, especially if the signs are of mold, bacteria, mites, fungus or other illness that may spread to your current hermit crabs. Pet Stores are not allowed to sell ill animals. If a hermit crab dies within twenty-four hours, take it back to the pet store and ask them for a replacement.
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HOW TO HELP
Please download and print out caresheets and drop them into your local pet stores.
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WEBSITES WE LOVE
The Crab Street Journal Magazine
http://www.crabstreetjournal.org
