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The Important Parts of a Hermit Crab Habitat

By: Kelly Church

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.

Article Source: http://www.articlebankonline.com

Learn how to provide proper hermit crab care and build a hermit crab habitat for your pets to keep them healthy and safe at the author’s website. A well cared for hermit crab will live for years and provide hours of entertainment.

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