Building a Habitat to House Multiple Hermit Crabs
Posted: Sunday, February 21, 2010
by Peter Dranitsin
Petes Original Art Inc.
One of the most vital conditions for the wellness of the hermit crab is their habitat. Many pet stores offer the small starter tanks which should literally be banned from the market, since hermit crabs definitely need a good sized tank. For a single crab you should have an aquarium of 10 gallons, and for a multiple crabs habitat you should have an aquarium of 30 to 40 gallons, which will provide plenty of room for the hermit crabs to crawl, hide, play, rest and eat.
Multiple habitat checklist:
Fresh air screen cover
Dome light which has a ceramic heater or an incandescent bulb
Hygrometer
Thermometers
Eco earth, sand or crushed coral
Fluorescent strip light with a full spectrum bulb on a timer
A heater for under the tank
Food dishes
Accessories such as plants, driftwoods, rocks, and coral
Airstone, air pump, and air tubing
The multiple hermit crab habitat needs to not only have the proper climate, it needs to be secure. Therefore you should have the tank secured with a glass or Plexiglas lid. Location is also important; you must not put the tank in direct sunlight or you will run the risk of baking your crab.
These crabs will need moistened water; therefore you must add humidity to its environment. This is very important or else their gills will dry out and they will actually suffocate. Their climate should be a moist tropical feel of no less than 70%. The bubble bow which is made from airstones will allow you to maintain the humidity level. Just attach the tubing to the airstone and connect the pump to the tubing.
Temperature of the multiple crab habitats will also need to be fixed accordingly. These crabs are affected by temperature; too much heat will cause irreversible damage to the hermit crab, while a cold climate will affect its metabolism. A heater under the tank will be necessary as well as fluorescent bulbs, incandescent bulbs or a nighttime heating lamp.
Lighting is also an important factor and creates healthy day light for the exotic crabs. Choose the correct wattage. For a 30 to 40 gallon tank, you may choose to have more than one light bulb; however the light bulbs should not equal over 50 watts.
The flooring of these crabs should be lined with three to four inches of sand. You will need sturdy, shallow water dishes, one for fresh water and one for salt water and one for foods and plenty of toys for your pet crabs to entertain themselves with and enjoy.
Cedric James is a hermit crab enthusiast. For more information on how to setup a thriving hermit crab habitat, visit http://hermitcrabguides.com.
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