Hermit Crab

About Hermit Crabs

Hermit Crabs as Pets Hermit crabs are another such pet that are good for kids. They can be handled with care and their cage should never be shaken. If they are well fed, given extra shells, a sponge with water in it and the cage is kept clean they have been known to live for longer periods of times. They commonly eat fish food, and fish pellets, but you can find specialized crab food. The one major advantage with Hermit crabs is they are also among the cheaper of pets that you can get.

Hermit Crab Cage or Tank

Hermit crabs are also social animals, if you consider to get more than one be sure to get a larger cage. Hermit crabs are among the few where bigger in this sense actually is better. The ideal cage you will need will be a 20 to 30 gallon tank if you are going to get multiple crabs. Typically it is better to just get one and put it in a 10 gallon tank, although you can go as small as a 5 gallon tank. The hermit crab may not like it, but it is possible to make a cage out of one that can accommodate the crab.

A popular hobby is to paint the shells they are to live in and make their homes that much more appealing to the eyes.

Hermit crabs can be lively, but are more common to just rest and move around on occasion. Makes sense since they are moving their home with them. Make sure to have a small collection of shells for the crab to grow into. As the crab grows older a variety of shells would be ideal for the crab to move into. It is ideal to keep their cage clean since hermit crabs can be particular about this. They are also not the most active of animals in their cage. It is also highly recommended not to move their cage excessively; this can eventually kill them due to the stress they may feel. Not to mention the way they may be thrown around by the moving the cage as well.

Photo Credit: Steve & Tanja Butcher