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A place where you can learn about Tree crabs, otherwise known as Hermit crabs, and learn how to care for them as pets!

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Hermit Crab Care

Re: Re: Age of In-Store hermies.. - Steve Clancy - 8/3/2005

Thanks for replying Sabrina! I had no idea there was sucha large group of crabophiles out there. I thought I was all by my lonesome.

To answer your questions:

First of all, what does BP mean?

I know about the table salt. Kosher salt has no additives. It's just sodium chloride. However, I know that "sea salt" mixes have added trace elements, so that might be a better choice. The store I was at today had only big bags for $18, so I'm looking for smaller (and cheaper) ones.

I have fed Mr. Crab all sorts of foods, but mostly rotate between prepared Hermit crab food, reptile food sticks with calcium, and the occasional crushed terrestrial snail with rose petals. I also supplement with fruit (dried or fresh) certain flowers, and for some reason he loves branches of a succulent called a "rose tree." One is good for a couple of days or ripping and tearing fun. He eventually eats everything but the stem.

In the "crabarium" I keep at least 3-4 inches of sand. every year, or so, he digs down to completely bury himself to molt. That usually takes 2-3 months or so. I keep the sand moist and have a heater pad on the side of the tank. Humidity is usually up around 75-85% and temp hovers between 75-80 degrees F. During the winter it may drop to 70 degrees at night so he tends to stay near the pad. I keep a lid on the tank.

He may not be as big as he could be. Years ago he lost his small claw to an ant invasion. it took one molting to grow it back. Some years he has not molted, but merely buried himself during the winter. This may be my fault for not keeping it warm enough of providing enough of the right kinds of foods. I am always learning. I HAVE learned, thought painful experience with another crab, that it's important not to remove their cast off exoskeleton when they molt. They eat it to gain back the calcium they lost while molting.