Care

Hermit crabs don't require a lot of care, but what care they need, it needs to be done right. Hermit crabs need a humid environment. It is important to keep their humidity between about 70-85. Their exoskeleton covers all of the parts that come out of their shells. The exoskeleton keeps some moisture inside of them too keep their soft abdomens moist. The crabs may also store water in their shells to keep moist.

 Molting is when hermit crabs shed their old skin and grow new exoskeleton. When the crabs are ready to molt, they will bury themselves in the moist substrate, on bottom of their cage. Their abdomens are very soft, so they are vulnerable because their exoskeleton keeps them protected. After they molt, the crabs will probably eat their old exoskeleton because they are full of minerals and calcium. Most molts take about a month to complete.

When you get hermit crabs, it is usually a good idea to get hermie that are about the same size. Larger ones may be aggressive to smaller crabs, and they could kill them. That would not be so good!