Making the Hermit Crab Cage a Home
You might need to put some thoughts regarding the accommodation of a hermit crab. It does not require a detailed house like that of a dwarf hamster or guinea pig. The tank where it is kept is his residence and has to be made appealing to it in the best possible way. The crustacean being a tropical animal must be given some feel of the tropic, so that it finds itself comfortable in the tank.
Now this is a task requiring great attention and time devotion. Try to maintain a healthy environment for the hermit crab. This may seem difficult but with the methods described below it would look very simple, if followed properly.
Hermit crab loves a tropical environment. The tank where it is kept should be kept as it very nearly resembles a tropical environment.
Use a glass or plastic tank for your hermit crab. Remember that a hermit crab is a crustacean which is a Houdini of sorts. It is a master of escapes. So be sure to put a cover over its home and stop its escaping attempts.
The market is full of equipments and small plastic tanks marked as “hermit crab kits”. These can’t provide the level of comfort that your hermit crab requires.
Don’t buy a tank which can’t accommodate less than 10 gallons of water. If it is a bigger one it is better. You have to provide the hermit crab the space and some least accessories like a water and food bowl.
Covering the floor: Substrate
A substrate is like carpeting done for the hermit crab. For this purpose, an obvious choice is the sand. This is the thing a crab would live in the wild and it also gives him chances to burrow itself. This burrowing activity is one of the natural behaviors of the hermit crabs.
The sand you are choosing has to be analyzed properly by all means and if it is bought from a hardware store or a home improvement store, sterilize it by rinsing, drying and baking. It can be re-washed whenever you feel like doing so and in fact this task must be repeated at appropriate interval.
The other options for the substrate include bedding made of coconut fiber. This fiber feels much like soil. You can also consider crushed coral. Gravel and wood shavings should be avoided.
What should be the temperature for the crab tank?
The ideal temperature range to keep the crab happy is 72 to 80 degrees of temperature on the Fahrenheit scale. If the temperature goes below this, the crab can be stressed and can become weak also. This brings in more chances for it becoming sick.
It is fine if you yourself live in a tropical climate. If it is not so, you would probably require a heater to keep the families warm thus bringing them close to the tropic environment. Other possible combination includes heaters and lights together for providing the complete ambience.
Humidity
Just an appropriate temperature zone is not sufficient for the happy living of the hermit crab family. The humidity is also a consideration. The crabs are land animals but they breathe with the help of their gills. The humidity content of the air gives appropriate exchange of the oxygen for the crab. The humidity is also required for the new born hermit crabs. This humidity moistens their gills, thus helping in breathing. Dry air thereby causes suffocation for the crab.
This humidity should be between 70 and 80 percent. For maintaining the levels of humidity in the tank just give the crab its water dish. You can also keep in the dish a natural sea sponge. This helps in holding the water and provides greater surface area for evaporation to occur and hence adds to the humidity levels.
After doing this much of arrangement, you can be assured to keep Harriet the Hermit Crab happy and healthy and can enjoy the time with this creature.
Some other content you might like to look at:
- The Basics of Caring For Your Crustacean
- How to Clean a Hermit Crabs Aquarium
- Pet Land Hermit Crabs
- What do Hermit Crabs eat?
- Hermit Crab Tank Update
