Hermit crab housing for a forever home?

I am getting a hermit crab at the beach so I was doing some research on the housing. Is this a good house for 2 small hermit crabs http://www.petdiscounters.com/c13/Critter-Tank-p1311.html or this hermit crab cage http://www.petdiscounters.com/c13/Curved-Small-Pals-Tanks-p1310.html both will include a light and this http://www.petdiscounters.com/c13/Little-Crab-Climber-p6786.html or should i just get this cage http://www.petdiscounters.com/Little-Crab-Shack-p6787.htmlHermit crab housing for a forever home?
None of those tanks would work. Don't waste your money on them.



Minimum tank size is 10 gallons. Hermit crabs need room to play, grow, and their necessities. A 10 gallon tat is only $10 at Petco, you can also check Craigslist for a free one.

You can use an 8 watt under tank heater or heat lights. I use a chicken brooding lamp like this

http://www.chickenhouse.me/ekmps/shops/t鈥?/a>

and 60 watt heat bulb to heat my 20 gallon. A 30 watt should get a 10 gallon tank to the good 75F-80F. If not, you can always go one size above. Check the temperature with a thermometer. A digital thermometer/hygrometer combo at Wal Mart is only seven bucks.

You can use some of these ideas for cheap decorations.

Plastic vines/plants-climbing

coco huts(you can make them yourself or buy them)-hidey

legos(you can make some nice things if you're good with them)-hidey and climbing

A shower caddy makes a good second level

ceramic pots-hidey

moss pit(oodles of fun for the burrowing hermie, but never use it as a substrate)-humidity

log(none collected outside please)-hidey and climbing

a plastic basket-climbing

fish net-climbing

reptile/fish caves(some hamsters hideys like igloos are fine as well

a rock wall-climbing

coco wall-climbing

organic bromeliads(WARNING-they probably won't last long) The hermies will probably destroy them quickly. Anyway it's a nice treat and climbing toy(if it's big enough). :3

plastic containers(if you got a tall one, you could fiddle with it to make a hidey/climbing toy)

Strong suction cups(maybe some sold for fish tanks, weak ones don't hold up well) and aquarium silicone will hold just about anything in your tank.



Hermit crabs should be in groups, so do get your new crab a friend.

You shouldn't take hermit crabs directly from the beach. They will most likely be marine hermies and it isn't very legal in most areas to harvest wild hermies.

http://naturallycrabby.com/home//blog1.p鈥?/a>

I'd be wary of beach vendor crabs too, most take crappy care of their boys.
Just cook up the crab, eat it and get a more entertaining, superior pet.Hermit crab housing for a forever home?
I agree with the second person and lol'd at first person. A ten gallon tank would b best and u really dont need to buy it anything other than its hut, a sponge and thats pretty much it. I have a hermit crab and it started off in a plastic shoe box but then i moved him up to a 10 gallon tank. I just put those fish rocks and a big huge rock (my dad has many layin around) and a branch from outside so that it could climb. The best thing about that is that u can design it the way u like. U can go outside and find rocks, logs, tree limbs ect. All the crab wants is its hut, food (lettuce, cat food in a can, or crab pellets) and an extra shell so that it can move into when it gets too big for its current shell. Their plain animals and dont require lots imo. If its cold inside ur house then it will need a lamp but at my house the weather is always hot (mom dont like ac) so it does fine. Im one of those guys that loves animals and always wants best for mine lol so i took an old computer desk i found and converted it to house my crab and chameleon. Check out the pics.



http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq87/鈥?/a> Thats a shot that shows the upstairs crab area and the bottom where the chameleon roams. I even added a rock and a piece of bark so that the crab can come down stairs to climb the logs, eat what the chameleon doesnt, or just explore. U take them out of their natural habbit u should atleast give them something worth living for imo. This is a pic of where the crab stays http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq87/鈥?/a> He isnt home tho i cant find him more likely he is in the bottom under a rock or something i doubt the chameleon at him cuz it rarely wants to eat his crickets.



But its ur choice in the end like i said their plain animals so imo the last picture of the Little crab shack should do fine if u dont want a 10 gallon tank.



Goodluck on ur hermit crabs u could always buy more at pets mart for like 5 bucks when u want to add more buddies for the 2 ur gettin:)



Enjoy the rest of ur day :D