Did your kids find a hermit crab on the beach while on vacation? Or maybe they brought one home from a boardwalk shop.
Now, the real question is how do you care for your new critter? The answer depends on what type of hermit crab came home with your family.
At the beach, hermit crabs found along the seashore are water hermit crabs. According to Wilson, Families who take one of these crabs home should be prepared to get a saltwater aquarium to care for it, says Andrew Wilson, director of the Glen Echo Park Aquarium in Glen Echo, Maryland.
They differ from the ones you see in shell shops at the beach. “If you’re actually purchasing a hermit crab as a pet, that’s a land hermit crab that lives outside the water,” Wilson says. “Those species will need a proper setup with a bed of sand a couple of inches deep so they can dig down.”
In addition to the glass aquarium, Fetch by WebMD recommends sand, sea sponges, rocks to climb on, and shells they can grow into. They need to stay warm (72 to 80 degrees), so you may want to add a fluorescent light to the tank for half the day. Have a bowl for drinking water and a bowl of water so the crabs can clean themselves.
Their food and water should be put in a ceramic, rather than metal, container because hermit crabs are very sensitive to metal. Water bowls should be changed every day.
Hermit crabs eat crab food. It’s usually a powdered hermit crab food or pellets you have crushed. You can supplement it with items like chopped broccoli or kale, carrots, and hard-boiled eggs. And, don’t be surprised, they eat at night.
“I’ve also heard about crabs eating very small amounts of cereal and raisins, and even dog food,” Wilson says.
Hermit crabs are often marketed as an easy pet, but most end up dead within one to two months, according to Wilson. The short lifespan is mostly because many bring land hermit crabs home into environments that are too dry. They need proper humidity, and misting their enclosure is a great way to keep the crab healthy. Wilson also recommends putting the crab in water once a day to wet its gills as another way to keep moisture levels at the correct levels.
With the right care, land hermit crabs can live three to five years. With expert care, they can live over 20 years.
“At the beach, if you find one in the water, they’re great to play with there, but you probably shouldn’t take it home,” Wilson says. “Some beaches have collection laws, so it’s best to check them beforehand.”
If he had a choice, water hermit crabs would be the type of crab Wilson would keep. They are a bit easier to care for given they’re already submerged in water, and owners can still remove them from their aquariums and watch them walk around.
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