Pets have made a difference in many people's lives for a long time. The most popular pets have been pets such as cats, dogs, and fish. Within the past few years or so, Land hermit crabs have become a very popular pet in the small pet market. Many people have realized that they make fascinating pets. If a person decides to make the choice of a land hermit crab for a pet, there are several ways to make sure the crab is comfortable, healthy and happy. These ways include making sure the hermit crab has proper food and water, proper environment and proper hygiene and care.
One of the first ways to keep a pet hermit crab healthy is proper hermit crab food. Many people have many different ideas about the healthiest diet for a hermit crab. There are three popular diets for land hermit crabs. One diet choice is simply to feed your land hermit crab basically the same things you eat. Numerous people feel that feeding hermit crabs small bits of cooked meats, raw veggies, and fresh fruit is the best way to nourish your crab. This is, indeed, a healthy way to feed your crab because in the wild, hermit crabs are scavengers. They are definitely not picky creatures. Other popular diet choices include fish flakes and crab food pellets or granules. These are also acceptable ways to nourish your crab. Whatever type of diet you choose for your pet, a treat every now and then is a great way to break up your hermit crab's diet. Small pieces of fruit and veggies and the occasional piece of cooked meat are great ideas for treats.
Water should be clean, fresh, dechlorinated water. Dechlorinators are available, but can become expensive over time. Bottled, filtered water is acceptable. A dish of salt water and a dish of fresh water is required to drink and soak in for your crab.
Another way to be able to keep your hermit crab healthy and happy is to make sure your crab has the proper environment in which to live. To make your hermit crab habitat, needed first is a container. Housing can be as basic as a 10-gallon aquarium or a reptile habitat. Make sure your crab habitat is roomy enough for toys and food and water dishes. Your crabbie also needs room to roam. If you wish to get more than one hermit crab, which is recommended because they are very social creatures, you must keep this in mind when thinking about space in your crab habitat.
Other environment issues exist. Substrate is what goes in the bottom of the habitat. Sand, coconut fiber, or small crab gravel can be used. Humidity and temperature should be approximately 70% and 72?. This is important to keep their gills moist and to give them an environment to which they are adapted. Toys are very important to keep the crab happy. Things to climb on, hide under, and push around are great things to put in your pet's habitat to increase the hermie's enjoyment.
The third basic thing that is needed is proper care. Proper care of your crabbie includes bathing it once a week in purified dechlorinated water, feeding according to the directions of the chosen diet, spritzing your crabbie and its environment to keep constant humidity, and paying attention to your little friend.
These are the basics when it comes to keeping your hermie very healthy, happy, and comfortable. There will be more information needed and research that needs to be done to be a great caregiver, but this information will get started and on your way to being the proud owner of a terrific pet that can provide great entertainment and can be a rewarding experience. Hermit Crabs are great pets.
A hermit crab's habitat is the environment where it will spend most of its life. Aside from the occasional bath and exercise time with its owner, a hermit crab needs a habitat that it can be comfortable in. It needs to be roomy with plenty of places to roam and things to climb. A hermit crab can be a very adventurous creature, and having things for them to climb on can help them entertain themselves. The type of habitat you can choose can range from hermit crab cages sold in the pet stores specifically for hermit crabs to reptile aquariums, or critter crates also sold at pet stores. Whatever type of crabitat you choose to purchase, the area of the container needs to be large enough for the number of hermit crabs you wish to have. Crowding is not pleasant for humans and it isn't pleasant for hermit crabs either. Not only does the habitat have to have room for these little critters themselves, remember that there are also food and water dishes, toys and other decorations for your crab. There should be enough room for the crab to move without having to climb over something.
Substrate is another part of the habitat that you must give attention to. This is the material that is used to line the bottom of whatever type of crab habitat you choose to purchase. There is a wide variety of different types of substrates you can use to line your hermit crab habitat. While it may seem insignificant to someone who is inexperienced in owning hermit crabs, substrate material is a very important part of the crab habitat. You want your crab to be comfortable and the proper substrate can help do this for your hermit crab. Some of the most appropriate choices for substrate for a habitat include sands, fine gravel made for hermit crabs, and coconut fibers. There are many pet stores that offer these different types of substrates for pet habitats. When you have purchased a type of substrate that you have researched and decided upon, before adding it to your aquarium or other habitat, look closely at it. Sift through the material making sure there is nothing out of the ordinary in the substrate such as a musty odor or strong smell. This type of smell can be a sign of moisture contamination. Do not use substrate that has been contaminated as it can be a health hazard to your hermit crab. Remember that if you are using the coconut fiber option as substrate, watch this substance carefully. It has a tendency to attract fungus gnats, which are tiny black bugs that settle into the fiber.
Finally part of the hermit crab's habitat is temperature and humidity regulations. These are simply basic necessities in securing a healthy environment for the crab. Appropriate temperatures and humidity are vital to not only the comfort of your pet, but are necessary to the survival of your pet as well. The proper temperature for a habitat is nothing less than 72 degrees. Constant exposure to lower temperatures than this can keep a crab too cold, possibly leading to death. However, watch the temperature in the other direction because scorching temperatures can be deadly as well.
Another vital part of this duo is humidity. Hermit crabs have modified gills, meaning that they breathe air, but they need humid air. Without at least a humidity level of 70%, the gills can become stiff, leading to extreme discomfort and even death. Keeping a warm environment helps to keep a humid environment as warm air holds more moisture than cool air. Remember, in the wild they live in tropical climates. This is where they will be most comfortable and are most likely to flourish. Humidity can be controlled and monitored by keeping a mist bottle near by as well as a humidity gage.
Kelly Church has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Dating and Romance and Customer Service. Kelly Church is the writer of several websites. She is currently the proud owner of a she calls "Shells", and is very happy with her pet. She plans to acquire more cr. Kelly Church's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.