A Hermit Crab Primer: The Importance Of Caring For Your Crustacean

Okay! I know! I know! I was there once. You got cajoled into purchasing a hermit crab as your son or daughter begged you for one. Now, you're at home with this crustacean and you're not very sure what to do with him.

Trust me! You're not alone. All of us who now gets pleasure in keeping hermit crabs (and it's true what they say - they're more fun by the dozen!) has been in your shoes. So for those of you who are neophyte to the hobby and the animal - and those of you who are experienced person, but just wish a refresher course - here are some hermit crabs information on hermit crab care.

Temperature

First, you must realize that your Harriet the hermit crab needs certain temperature necessities in order to remain healthy. She should never be exposed to temperatures lower than 72F. If a hermit crab is exposed to consistently less temperatures, it could kill him.

On the other hand, you surely don't need him to "bake" as the sun streams through the window into his cage. You can tell if your crab is overheated. You'll found a musty odor. He'll also be discharging brown liquid.

Humidity

Many neophyte owners of these guys don't realize that they want to lay down a substrate in the cage too. Heck, if you were like me when I adopted my family's first crabs, I didn't even understand what a substrate was (honest!). It's just a name given to the material you place at the bottom of the cage. Your crab wants it because he burrows. He likes to burrow. Thus think about this.

What's next?

Fine, now that you've got your pet all set in his new home, you truly need to give little thought to what to feed him. If your crab were living in the "wild" he would search out a diet that included not only fallen fruit and plants and grasses, but even decaying wood and leaf litter (this may be a bit hard to believe!)

Sad to say, but not sufficient research has truly been done on the habits of the hermit crab shells to say what the best diet is for a captive crab. But we do know a few things. Nutrients like calcium, carotene and a range of antioxidants are essential to his health.

Did you know, for example, that a crab whose diet is carotene-deficient fades in color after he's gone through the molting procedure? He'll go from a wonderful reddish in color to a washed out tan or gray. So how do you keep his color bright and lively, feed him brightly colored vegetables, like corn and carrots!

Let's just put it this way, the good and healthiest diet you can feed your hermit crab is all the good healthy food that you consume. Before you run to the cabinet, let me elucidate| a thing or two. Boxed macaroni and cheese is not healthy food. Nor are potato chips. And for that matter, neither is Ben and Jerry's ice cream. But fruits, vegetables also meat and fish - these will all aid maintain your crab's health. You might have asked what do hermit crabs eat, now you know.

You may have already bought your commercial crab food, but many experts now think that's not also vital. Feeding your crab healthy food - fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and fish!

Well, look at Harriet the Hermit Crab in her tank. She can't wait to munch that carrot in your hand. Did I simply hear her say, "What's up doc?"

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