What more do i need for my hermit crabs?

Question

THE TEXT IN ALL CAPS IS MY QUESTIONS AND THE STUFF in lowercase is the details

What more do i need for my hermit crab?

ok so i want to get two hermit crabs

I HAVE A 5 GAL AND A 20 GAL TANK WHICH SHOULD I USE?

i have water bowls i have bedding i have a log i am going to buy more shells what else do i need i have a paper on them i would like to do this with budget in mind well i am going to buy food too and i already have a thermometer and humidity thing

CAN I MAKE THE SALT WATER AND IF SO HOW OR DO I NEED TO BUY IT? and if so how

i plan on buying two "small' hermit crabs at the pet store near my house to other crabs were called large medium and fancy if that make a difference

DO I NEED ANY HEAT STUFF OR AM I GOOD?

i am not going to use a sponge

SO DO I EVEN NEED SALT WATER?

i live in riverton utah

Answer 1

use whichever tank you prefer. If they are only tiny you can start in a 5 gallon. Hermit crabs are excellent climbers so make sure you have a tight fitting lid (a mesh lid not solid)

For the base use river sand/sandbox sand which you can pick up really cheaply at hardware stores or garden supplies. Keep it moist (not wet) and put dry non toxic branches in there for them (no exotic plants try fruit tree branches, or driftwood from the aquarium) you can also add a couple of plastic bird toys like the ladders for them to climb. Do not put real or silk plants in, Hermits are very destructive and strong they shred everything. Also with the humidity I would not be putting anything made of paper/cardboard or it will rot. Half a dry coconut shell with a door cut into the side is a good house, but crabs love to burrow in the sand too.

They need one freshwater and one saltwater bowl. Get the marine salt (not iodised salt we put in our food) from the pet store it should only be about a dollar or two for a little packet. Make sure your water has no chlorine in it so buy a little container of chlorine neutraliser. Have 2 old plastic lemonade bottles, one with salt and one with fresh made up so you dont need to make it up every time you need it. Make sure the bowls are not too deep as crabs can drown if they cannot get out.

Hermit crabs need heat they are tropical animals. Go to the hardware store they should have red coloured globes, something like a 60watt globe should be enough for a 5 gallon tank. Get a desk lamp and place it over the top of half the tank, this way the crabs have an opportunity to move from cool - warm. They need feeding every day, they will eat fruit and veges as well but leave them in large pieces as crabs can bury their food. Fish flakes are OK for them too.

small, medium and large are just different ages, your small ones will slowly grow over the years to larger crabs. Hermit crabs can live over 10 years so be prepared! Fancy crabs are just hermits in painted or fancy shells. Hermits need spare shells (and leave quite a few in there) to change into as they grow. They have a very soft body that needs protecting hence living in old shells. You will see they pick a shell they like, drag it over to the water and will wash the inside with their claw, then try it on. Never try and pull a hermit crab out of its shell you will kill it!

Answer 2

Use the 20 gallon, nothing less than a 10 gallon is appropriate

You can buy play sand - it is cheap anywhere..  mix it with water (think sandcastle consistency: where you can build without it collapsing) and make sure that it is at least 3" deep so they can burrow.

Yes you can make salt water - but you have to buy salt FOR hermit crabs - the store should have one of two varieties..   They DO need salt and fresh water for sure...

You will need an under the tank heater or a heat lamp during the winter if it gets cold by you..  during the summer they are usually ok without heat as long as it stays 70-80 degrees in their tank - putting plexi glass over the top helps.  Make sure you have a cover - these guys are GREAT climbers/escape artists!!!

Keep a cuttlebone and honey on hand for when they molt - it is great for calcium and hardening their shell or if they are stressed..

So everything else sounds good. Have fun with your new pets!

I've included some extra helpful links/info.

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/php

http://www.hermit-crabs.com/

http://www.thecrabbagepatch.com/