Hermit crabs are very active and cute animals. Playing with your hermit crab from time to time is a good way to make your little friend trust you more. In general, it is best to leave it alone, as it is a bit of a lonely animal and is terrified if it is moved from its natural habitat to an open space. But sometimes it's fun to play with it - this article will tell you how to do it!
Steps
Step 1. Choose a play area for your hermit crabs
Be sure to check them out as they play on their playground. They escape easily and then it will be difficult to find them! Whenever you take a baby hermit crab and put it on the ground, it will disappear, as if by magic, as soon as you turn away!
Step 2. You can also make a "pile of rocks" for your friend to explore, but don't use them as a base, as this could break his legs
Instead, make a bed of sand or cocoa fiber. You can add other toys, such as small balls, or bricks, and so on.
Step 3. Take them out of the tub and place them on a clean, flat surface so they can get used to their new play area
Check them carefully to make sure that nothing bad happens to them and that everything is fine. If it seems to you that they have been injured or are not well, put them back in their habitat and try to get them back, placing them in a suitable area.
Step 4. Think of games to play with your hermit crab, such as hiding their favorite food from them and encouraging them to find it; in this way, the hermit crabs will patrol their area more, being also explorers by nature
Step 5. Hermit crabs are active animals
Make them walk. Do not use a hamster ball, as their legs could get stuck in the holes in the ball and break.
Step 6. Try to hold your hermit crab in the palm of your hand and keep it straight
Each time it goes to the end of the hand, bring the other hand closer and then switch it from one hand to the other. It's a great exercise to do with your hermit crab, and it's fun too.
Step 7. Don't force him to do anything, let him take the direction he wants
If you force him to do too many things, he'll want to go back to his tub or, worse yet, get agitated.
Step 8. If your hermit crab pinches you, do not put it under water to detach it, it is absolutely not good for it - due to the chlorine and metals present in the water
Tap water can be fatal to your hermit crab because of these substances. Simply put it on the floor or in its tub and it will let go.
Step 9. Hermit crabs do best if they are at least in pairs
If they are alone, they suffer a little from loneliness.
Step 10. Some hermit crabs die from being thrown around or playing with them too much or too hard
Don't treat them like that! They will hate you and will never want to play with you again.
Step 11. Never try to force a hermit crab out of its shell
They would rather die than come out of their shells, and many times they really do die when that happens.
Step 12. When a hermit crab dies, it pops out of its shell and smells like fish
If a hermit crab comes out of its shell and doesn't smell, it's shedding. What has come out of the shell is just an exoskeleton. Some people recommend taking out hermit crabs that aren't shedding and putting them somewhere while that's happening, but it's not really necessary. Leave the area very humid and do not touch the exoskeleton: the hermit crab will eat it once it has finished moulting. Search online to find more information on hermit crab moulting.
Step 13. When making a play area for your hermit crabs, you can take two square pieces of construction paper and join them with glue and rubber bands
It can become a climbing frame and at the same time a refuge for your hermit crab.
Advice
- Your hermit crab may not be used to its play area, but if you put it there every day for about 10 minutes, it will feel right at home. Don't be upset if your hermit crab doesn't want to play - different hermit crabs have different personalities!
- Hermit crabs like to play at night, so try to play with them in low light rather than during the day. If there is an electric light on in the house, put it on a low level.
- You can use wet woods to make your hermit crabs explore them. They love it.
- Don't disturb your hermit crab while it eats.
- Make a hole in their house and put unsalted popcorn in it, then cover the hole with a pebble. When they're active at night, they'll love going out for popcorn. Wet the popcorn!
- Hermit crabs love to eat apples, strawberries, coconut, white bread and popcorn with or without seawater.
- The best way to befriend your hermit crab is to feed it with your hands. It sounds very difficult, but if you are patient you will succeed. In this way, he will trust you more and more and gradually decrease the stress he is subjected to as he approaches a human being.
- Use only natural, unstained shells to minimize exposure to toxic dyes.
- Change the sand every 2-3 months.
- Change your food every day if they have any leftover.
- Make sure you boil everything you put in the hermit crab habitat. Things that can't be boiled can be put in the microwave for a minute or two to get the same effect. Do not microwave the wood for more than a minute.
- If you are afraid it will pinch yourself, don't buy a hermit crab. Find another animal. It is normal that it can pinch!
Warnings
- Never feed your hermit crab foods that contain iodine-treated table salt! For example, salty crackers or popcorn. For hermit crabs it is also very difficult to digest the grains, so it is better not to give them to them (except those of rice).
- Never move a hermit crab while it is moulting. They are very delicate and susceptible to pain, and are easily hurt.
- Hermit crabs have modified gills and must remain in humid areas. You need to provide them with fresh, salty water, so they can find wet areas among the shells.
- Never force a hermit crab out of its shell. He will rather die than leave his shell.
- Give him bottled water, not tap water. They could die if not! If you MUST get tap water, use at least one filter.
