How to raise hermit crabs

Hermit crab, also known as shrimp monster "white house" and "dry house", is famous because it often eats molluscs such as shellfish and takes other people's shells for itself. Hermit crabs are found along the coasts of the Yellow Sea and the southern sea. They are usually found in sandy beaches and seaside rocks, and sometimes in bamboo knots, coconut shells, corals, sponges and other places. As it grows up, he will change different shells for sojourn.

Preparation work before feeding

For the first time, soak them in warm salt water for 1-2 minutes, remove parasites or lice, place basins, shelter and cover with bottom sand, and add 1-2 teaspoons of calcium salt to the sand (they take the necessary salt directly from the sand). New crabs usually drill into the sand for a few days to weeks to adapt to the new environment. At this time, they may not be very active or do not eat. When they are familiar with the sand in your home, do not put them on your hands, reduce interference with it, and keep them in dark and quiet places. Maintain daily food change and appropriate temperature and humidity.

Sunlight, ventilation and hidden objects

You can find a place closer to the window, or where the sun can tilt. But not to the point where the sun shines directly. Put the cylinder in a lower place, and the highest edge of the cylinder is just at the lowest edge of the window. Decorate a little more concealment, especially the cabin, to match their habits. Hermit crabs are very timid, and the cabin can make them feel safe, and they also like to rest in the house during the day.

Selection of feeding tank

The feeding tank can provide a comfortable environment for hermit crabs to live in, using plastic or glass boxes. The plastic box has a lid and a certain height to prevent escape. there are holes in the lid and proper ventilation. In addition, the lid can be tightly closed to keep warm and moisturize.

Construction of feeding tank environment

The bottom sand should be laid in the feeding tank so that they can have a suitable place to hide and shell. the depth of the bottom sand in the tank is at least 1 to 2 times the height of the individual in the tank (at least 5-7cm), and the thickness of the sand is about 2-3mm. The sand that is too young will be absorbed into the shell, and if it is too thick, it will not be able to return to the sand surface after molting. There should be room for shelter and water basins, and enough for them to move around. If you want to have more space in the feeding tank, you can put some climbing objects or driftwood in the feeding tank for them to climb.

Individuals of different sizes are raised separately.

Individuals of different sizes in the same feeding tank, if raising large and small individuals at the same time, should pay careful attention to whether large individuals will attack small individuals. If this happens, please raise them separately.

Preparation of backup cylinder

If you raise too many land hermit crabs (there are more than 6 crabs in a tank per foot), you should prepare 1-2 backup feeding tanks as a refuge for land crabs in molting. For example, when an individual is found to show signs of molting, so that they can be put in another feeding tank. In addition, the backup cylinder can also be used as a treatment room for individuals who are sick or cut themselves under pressure.

Cleaning matters needing attention

The detergent is very toxic to the land hermit crab, so never use detergent, lye and other detergents when cleaning the feeding tank. Bacteria are easy to grow in summer and can be washed more frequently, but not so frequently in winter. On average, it is cleaned every 2-3 months. If you find any smell or insects, you should clean the feeding tank as soon as possible. Before cleaning, we should pay attention to whether there are individual land hermit crabs missing in the feeding tank. If an individual is missing, it means that an individual is hiding in the sand and may soon be molting, so it is necessary to stop cleaning the feeding tank. Prepare a plastic tank for hermit crabs to bathe in warm water with calcium salt at the same depth as snail shells. When we take a bath, we put the spiral shells face up, put them into the water, and let them walk in the water for 1-2 minutes and then pick them up.

Temperature and humidity

As hermit crabs live in the subtropics, the temperature should be maintained at 20-30 degrees Celsius. when it is at 15 degrees Celsius, the movement will begin to slow down and die below 10 degrees Celsius. The feeding tank can be maintained at 26 degrees 30 degrees with a hot blanket or ultraviolet light. Since hermit crabs breathe through their gills, they cannot breathe when the humidity is low. Please maintain a humidity of 60-80%. You need to use water with calcium salt (do not give tap water containing chlorine) for manual spray 2-3 times every morning and evening.

Feeding time

Food land hermit crabs are nocturnal animals and are best fed after 10:00 in the evening. Change food every day, land hermit crabs usually use front claws to find organic matter in the sand, and can be fed with rice, bread crumbs, eggs, fruits and vegetables, fish feed and so on. In addition, it is also fond of corn and popcorn. For example, after molting, you can give them more calcium and protein foods such as meat, fish, eggshells, cooked shrimp (even shells) and so on. Don't give them onions, mustard foods, spicy foods, processed foods with preservatives or additives, sugars, oily foods, food with insecticidal effects, vegetables and plants with insecticidal effects.

Choice of potable water

Edible water can be mineral water, distilled water or cold boiled water, do not give tap water containing chlorine, land hermit crabs use the gills to breathe, and water containing chlorine can harm their health. Need to use 2 basins to put fresh water (for drinking) and sea water (for bathing), the amount of sea water is 100ml: 3G (about 500ml authentic green tea empty bottle: 2 teaspoons).

Shell replacement characteristic

Shell hermit crabs are born to change shells. If you put new shells of different sizes in a feeding tank for about three to half a year, lovely hermit crabs will switch to new shells. When the body of land hermit crabs continues to grow, the shells become inappropriate, narrow or broken, they need to change shells. When buying a new shell for the first time, wash it with warm water and calcium salt for about ten minutes. If it does not replace the shell, it may indicate that the current shell is still suitable.

Detach from the shell

If they suddenly break away from the shell, please prepare several shells immediately and soak them in warm water. In addition, spray the land hermit crab in the nude, or give it a sea bath for about 1 minute (warm water should be used, cold water should not be used, and the water level should not be too high), then put it into the shoe box together with the previous spiral shell (if not, find an ordinary box or box), and the inside will turn dark after you close the lid. Then, keep it that way. Open the lid after 1 / 2 hours. If you continue to be naked, wait another 1 / 2 hours.

Molting

If the land hermit crab wants to grow, it will molt from time to time. "molting" and "changing the shell (replacing the spiral shell)" are not the same state. "molting" means that the land hermit crab takes off its old carapace, while the muscle tissue grows and gradually hardens to form a new carapace. "changing the shell (replacing the spiral shell)" means that the land hermit crab climbs out of the back of the shell, and then moves to and into another empty shell. When it is found that its activity is reduced, and often hide in the water basin or nearby bottom sand to get water, and constantly dig the bottom sand to hide, this is a sign before molting. The molting process is usually in the sand and usually takes several weeks to a month, depending on individual circumstances. Do not take away the old shell from the land hermit crab, because it is an important source of calcium to replenish the needed calcium. Land hermit crabs will become very vulnerable during molting, such as molting failure will often lead to death, do not play with them or observe them for the time being, so as not to interfere with their search for a suitable position to prepare for molting. At the same time, isolate it so as not to be disturbed by peers and cause molting failure. Note that the isolation tank must have at least water basins and caves to hide, and sand of sufficient depth.

Another change after molting is the change in body color. Some individuals become lighter after molting, while others become darker. The change in body color is mainly related to the food they eat before molting. Generally speaking, individuals who eat food with more carotene will gradually become bright. But body color changes may also be related to temperature, humidity and

Other environmental factors are related, so the body color of land hermit crabs will change slightly after each shelling. Even the same species of land hermit crabs have different body colors due to different habitats. Land hermit crabs are very timid and neurotic creatures, highly alert to the surrounding environment, paste background paper or magic mirror paper, which can be a good observation of their activities in the feeding tank.