How To Simulate The Correct Hermit Crab Habitat

Although very rare, the hermit crabs are becoming increasingly more and more popular Today you can find a lot of people enjoying having them as pets and taking good care of them. These crabs belong to the family of crustaceans. The soft bottom of hermit crabs is what makes them different from true crabs. This is one reason why hermit crabs need to live in abandoned shells left by sea snails and other creatures.

The shell of a hermit crab is their home and they will bring it with them wherever they grow. Once the hermit crab outgrows its shell it will leave and find a new and bigger one. There is sometimes fierce competition among them for shells. If you have a hermit crab as a pet, it is important to ensure that you provide them with a good hermit crab habitat.

500 hermit crab species are what inhabit this entire planet. First of all there are two types of hermit crabs terrestrial crabs and aquatic crabs. Aquatic hermit crabs have been found around water, while terrestrial hermit crabs are usually not found in water, but on land.

When the popular myth that hermit crabs will not survive for long in captivity was broken, they were popularly sought after by people as pets. With the proper hermit crab habitat they can live up to thirty years or more.

As you purchase your pet hermit crabs and are looking to create an ideal habitat for them, there are a few aspects to be considered.

• Make sure there is enough space in its habitat in order for the hermit crab to move around its cage.

• Supply your hermit crab with a cage such as an aquarium that is at least a ten gallon tank or more.  This should ensure plenty of room for your new pet.

• Because hermit crabs are amazing climbers it is important to place a cover on top of your aquarium so they cannot escape as they have been known to do this.

• Keep the temperature inside of your tank warm, but try to avoid placing it in direct sunlight or anywhere near a window.

Creating a substrate that consists of mainly sand and some coconut fiber is perfect for your pets. Remember to grind the fiber to a fine powder before filling the tank. Hermit crabs will need this substrate in order to dig properly when it starts to molt.

Alternately, you can also use crushed coral. Take care not to use wood chips or gravel as this could hurt the crabs.

The hermit crab habitat must have the right humidity level at all times. Healthy land crabs also require proper amounts of humidity to grow. In order to ensure that they do not suffocate due to extra dry gills, it is essential to provide enough moisture for them to breathe comfortably. The most preferred relative humidity level is between 70 and 80 percent.

The temperature of the cage or tank is also important for the hermit crab as well.  A level of 72-80 degrees Fahrenheit should be optimal. Very high temperatures could damage your crab forever and continuous exposure to low temperatures will slow their metabolism rate making them weak and sluggish.