Hermit Crab Questions

[black_cat]

This probably won't get as many responses as with the betta fish thread, but I am considering getting a hermit crab. The other option is a betta fish. I'd prefer to not spend ridiculous amounts, but since the timeframe is basically about a year-two years from now, my budget is how much I can save up. I'd love to see pictures of crabitats and to know what you feed your crabs.

 

[Fuchsia]

Wow! A hermit crab or a Betta fish!
Sorry I can't help you!
What ever one you get I wish you the best of luck with it!

 

[black_cat]

Wow! A hermit crab or a Betta fish!
Sorry I can't help you!
What ever one you get I wish you the best of luck with it!

Those are the choices because they're both relatively inexpensive to maintain, take up much less space than some pets, and are relatively easy to care for. Parents are open to the idea of me getting one if I"M the one paying for EVERYTHING, including continued maintenance. That's something that we've never done before, and my angle is that it's a good lesson on budgeting and cause and effect

 

[black_cat]

Would anyone here with hermit crabs recommend getting a younger, smaller one or an older, larger one? This would be in a 10 gallon tank.

 

[black_cat]

@MadamPoofyBrow I saw your thread on hermit crabs...how did that turn out?

 

[black_cat]

@Pyxis You were helping out on said thread.

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

@MadamPoofyBrow I saw your thread on hermit crabs...how did that turn out?

It went pretty well. I don’t have them any more, but I believe I had eight in a 55 gallon tank.
I would recommend a younger smaller one.
I fed mine classic hermit crab food, as well as fresh greens. Watered them with a sponge.
Their set up was beach sand and several shells they could change into - they did several times a day.
They’re happiest in numbers, and you should be able to keep 2 small ones in a ten gallon

 

[black_cat]

Some other questions: How many hides should you have for them? What is good for them to climb on? Is there any petstore stuff that's unsafe for them? Thoughts on fake plants?

 

[black_cat]

It went pretty well. I don’t have them any more, but I believe I had eight in a 55 gallon tank.
I would recommend a younger smaller one.
I fed mine classic hermit crab food, as well as fresh greens. Watered them with a sponge.
Their set up was beach sand and several shells they could change into - they did several times a day.
They’re happiest in numbers, and you should be able to keep 2 small ones in a ten gallon

As much as I'd love to have more than one, parents probably wouldn't (even though I'd be paying for and caring for said crabs) and I've seen things where they dismember/eat each other and kick eachother out of shells, so I'd rather not run the risk.

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

I gave mine about 1 hide per crab, but I’m sure they would have liked more. I gave mine drift wood to climb on and they loved it! I didn’t use fake plants, so I’m not sure about that one.
As for unsafe stuff, painted shells. Very bad. Natural’s the way to go with that.