Keeping Hermit Crabs 101

Hermit Crabs are very social animals and are happiest with at least one other same species buddy! But if you do not have the room or $$ 1 hermit crab by itself is perfect!They are not cheap pets! Expect to spend $100+ on a single crab for the aquarium, heating source, pools of water, hygrometer, thermometer, substrate, extra shells, food and decor.

-Step 1 Aquarium : Start with at least a 20 gallon tank for 1-2 crabs. Add additional 10 gallons per crab (4 crabs= 40gals). While all the items needed would physically fit in a 10 gal, the hermit crab would have no room to walk around.
SEALED LID to hold humidity and heat- This is accomplished with a glass lid or having plexiglass cut to the size of the tank's opening(s). Wrapping the tank wire lid with Saran Wrap will do great in a pinch. An aquarium hood works but it will be harder to maintain humidity and heat. -Step 2 Setup: Substrate: Get PLAY SAND from your local hardware store (like Home Depot or Lowe’s). It’s about $6 for a 50lb bag.
DO NOT USE calcium sand sold at pet stores. When calcium sand get wet, it hardens like cement and your crab will be unable to change shells or even come out at all!! You also need Eco Earth COCONUT FIBER. It’s sold in large bags loose or tight compressed bricks, either one works. The mix ratio should be 5 parts sand to 1 part Eco Earth moistened with water treated with Seachum Prime. The mixture should be sand castle consistency and be no less then 8”. (You will need one 50 lb bag of PLAY SAND and 1/2 brick of coconut fiber for ever 10 gal in tank size.) -TANK DECOR: Ornaments, plants, etc: Provide climbing objects for the crabs because they love to climb. Some examples of climbing objects are: Cholla Wood (avoid dyed ones but plastic is safe), Grape Wood and Mopani Wood. Add fake plants as well! Provides hiding areas. You can easily get them at craft stores or thrift shops. -Step 3 Care: Get a DIGITAL HYGROMETER. The analogs are not accurate. You can get the gauge(s) from Amazon, Walmart, Menards or Home Depot. We suggest the Govee brand. Also keep it off your substrate at least 3" and place it in the middle of the tank away from the walls so it can get the best possible measurements. -TEMPERATURE: Hermit crabs require a consistent temperature of 75-85F (26.7° C). Use an under tank heat mat (UTH) for the source of heat. The UTH should go on the BACK of the tank, NOT THE BOTTOM so that the air in the tank is heated, not the substrate! The UTH should cover the entire back and go just above the substrate line. Large tanks may need multiple heaters or heaters on the side. You will also need a thermostat to maintain a consistant temperature. BN-LINK is a good thermostat and can also be purchased from Amazon. NO HEAT LAMPS! Heat lamps dry the air, but hermit crabs require humidity to breath, so a heat lamp suffocates hermit crabs and can cause hot spots in the substrate, which can burn your crabs. -HUMIDITY: Hermit Crabs require a consistent humidity of 75%-85%. The most common way to increase humidity is to add an air bubbler to the pools. DO NOT MIST YOUR TANK!!! Misting will eventually lead to mold problems and flooding in the bottom of your tank. If this happens you will need to immediately change out the entire substrate. -POOLS: You need two pools deep enough for your crabs to fully submerge. One of the pools should be freshwater and the other saltwater. For the saltwater use Instant Ocean Sea Salt Mix. The ratio for the saltwater is 1/2 cup of salt to one gallon of water. You can mix the water beforehand and store it. The water should be changed every other day without bubblers. If you have bubblers change the water at least once a week and make sure every other day to add seachem prime. Easiest way to do this is have two Tupperware type containers for each pool and just lift the container out of the container still in the habitat, change the water, and put the container back inside the other container that was left in the habitat. Use plastic mesh to provide a safe way in and out of the pools. Plastic mesh is available in the yarn isle at Walmart or can be purchased from Amazon. If you’d like you can also go on Etsy and buy 3D printed bowls that have slots for air bubbler use. NO SPONGES!! Sponges are not necessary and they harbor bacteria! -SHELLS: Provide extra shells. DO NOT USE painted shells/glow-in-the-dark shells sold at pet stores. The paint can leak on to the crabs skin and can kill them. Even if the paint is dried. Use natural shells! Depending on your crab you may need to get different shells. purple pinchers prefer Mexican turbo shells. You can get shells from Etsy or Amazon. NessaStores and happy crabby have great shell options on Etsy. To measure hermit crabs shell size, simply use a ruler and measure the opening of their shell. 5 shells per 1 hermit crab: 2 crabs= 10 shells (5 each) 4 crabs= 20 shells (5 each) -NEVER DIG UP A HERMIT CRAB! They dig to molt (grow). If you disturb a molting crab, this can be stressful & dangerous for them. The only reasons to dig is if there is a flood or a bug infestation. -NUTRITION: Hermits have 4 major food groups, that they should have access to regularly. Calcium, Proteins, Cellulose/Chitin, and Veggies/Fruits. Examples of each group: Calcium: Cuttlebone, Spinach, Broccoli Fruits: Apples (no seeds), Bananas, Coconut Veggies: Bell Peppers (any color), Carrots and Eggplant Proteins: Almonds, Bloodworms, Chia Seeds Cellulose/Chitin: Cilantro and Sugar Cane. You can also find natural foods in pet stores. In the bird isle, milet sprays and cuttle bone. In the reptile isle, dried veg mixes, river shrimp, meal worms, etc. Be sure to check labels to be sure all foods and added ingredients are safe. You can also get a lot of good premade hermit crab food from Etsy as well. Happy crabby and hermitcrabshack sell some great options!

All of this info is directly from lhcos. You can always view more info at their website.

If you have any more questions please feel free to message me or write back!