Hermit crabs?

[Tara.]

Any of you guys know about hermit crabs?
I wanna get one or two for my 3 year old preschool kiddos.
How much maintance are they?
How much do they cost?

THANKS!

[Nenya]

I haven't had any myself but I've looked into getting them. They can seem like they'd be easy pets but they do require quite a bit of work sometimes, especially when they're malting.

This is quite a good care sheet - http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/618.html

[TheBabyEater]

Hermit crabs are incredibly easy to take care of, and they're probably the absolute cleanest pets I ever had. Even easier than fish. Then again, I'm a really experienced pet owner myself, so perhaps I'm a bit biased. They might pinch your little ones, but I personally didn't think it hurt too much. (Though again, I've also been bit by multiple dogs, cats, and hedgehogs) Besides, they're much better to look at than play with anyway. They're also really cheap and easy to find. I literally found my first hermit crabs in a stand at the mall. Not even a store, a stand in the hallway of the mall.

If you want them to live long healthy lives, then get a fairly big enclosure. I was told a little cage would be fine, but it's not true. If I remember correctly, a 10 gallon tank works wonders for 3 or 4 crabs.

You can also buy a bunch of cool shells for them, or if you have a big enough crab, put in a shot glass. Once crab my mom had at school used a shot glass as a shell, it was so cool! Or, you can paint the shells with your little ones, a fun and easy activity!

Good luck! I might be getting some hermit crabs for my dorm room.

[Love.Peace.Happiness]

I've had three hermit crabs in the past...
They are very easy to take care of, I would not suggest getting them for 3 year olds.
They can claw on to you/them & it hurts!
At Petsmart the ones with regular shells ( no design colored paint etc.) are about $3.00
if you want one with a painted shell ( which are pretty neat, & I think they would be best for 3 yr. olds! ) are about $5.00 - $6.00.
You then have to buy the "house" ( the small is too small, so you would have to buy a medium size) that will run you about $6.00 - $10.00...
Then you have to buy the hermit crab food, that is about $3.00, then get a coke bottle cap & put water in it...
I hope it works out for you!

[Tara.]

I saw one at the state fair last night and couldn't resist. I paid $28, and I got the hermit crab with a painted shell, a small cage and bag of food. The kids named him Crabs (not too creative this morning ).



I'm new to hermit crabs so doing alot of research right now. How do I know when he's molting?

[Fairy Poppins]

Hey Tara.

I found this information online:

Originally Posted by www.pethermitcrab.com

Some signs of your hermit crab molting include:

1. The crab eating and drinking a lot - they store up food and water just before molting so you will notice that he is eating a lot more than usual. This will probably be at night so keep a keen eye.

2. The crab is digging a lot. Crabs like to molt under the sand so if you notice your crab digging a lot, it could be a sign he is getting ready to molt.

3. The crab is regenerating limbs. Molting time is a time to regenerate limbs so if you see some little gel stubs sticking out where new limbs would go, this could also be a sign.

If you think your crab is molting, make sure you have the special tank set up with enough sand (about 6 inches) so he can dig in and get to business. The sand should be moist but not wet. Moist enough to dip your finger in and create a little hole that won’t cave in. Do just that, make the hole the size of your crab and see if he digs down in. If he does he’s probably in the mood to molt.

When your crab is molting do not disturb him. They are very fragile at this time and you could really hurt him. It takes a couple of days for his outer skin to harden so just leave him about his business. Don’t worry about the shed exoskeleton, the crab will eat most of this to replenish lost nutrients.

Hermit crab molting can be an interesting experience and usually happens about every 1 ½ years. Be on the lookout for molting behaviors so you can give your crab just what he needs to get into his new skin.

Hope this helps!

J. x

[Tara.]

Thanks Jasmine,

Does anyone know, when he is molting to I have to have a new shell for him?

[Fairy Poppins]

I just found some more information of molting signs here.

As for shell size, as you will read in that article it says that before crabs molt, they often move into a smaller shell to stop it getting bogged down with sand when they bury themselves.

From what I've read online, once the crab has molted they may go back to their original shell if they feel it is big enough, or they may need to find a new one. So yes, you should have a new shell for him.

If I were you, I would put a selection of shells into his tank (similar in shape to the one he already has, as apparently they like that), but of varying sizes. That way, he can choose his own shell sizes for his molting period and afterward.

[TheBabyEater]

I suggest getting another crab, it can be any size. You could even get one for $5 at a pet store really. I say this because Hermit Crabs, contrary to their name, are VERY social animals and do better living in pairs or a group. I have 4 and they all love each other, even though they're different sizes.

[Fairy Poppins]

Originally Posted by Mr. Gir

I have 4 and they all love each other, even though they're different sizes.

This is the cutest thing I've read all day!

[Tara.]

Thanks Marissa, I'll try to get another one as soon as I can. Plus I need a bigger cage the one I got from the fair is so tiny and definetly wouldn't fit 2 crabs. The kids love them. The love getting him his water and just watching him. During circle time we did take him out so the kids could watch him crawl.