subject: Hermit Crab Shells- What's Best For Your Pet [print this page] So you have purchased your new hermit crab or little hermie from your local pet store and you have everything that you need; the aquarium, a heater to keep it at the right temperature, some paraphernalia for it to climb over, and some sand for it to burrow. However, you may have forgotten one of the most important things, and that is hermit crab shells! You see in the wild a natural hermie will naturally forage for its own shells, but in captivity you will have to supply these for your new found friend. So how do you know which shells are best suited for your little companion?
When seeking out proper hermie shells it is important to provide a multitude of shells for them to choose from. The land hermies are picky little critters and they will only change shells when they have found the perfect match. This is the same as us humans looking for a new house. We wouldn't move into a house just because it becomes available. We want it to be perfect for us and our family, right! Well it's exactly the same for the little guy. If there aren't enough shells available this can prove stressful on the hermie. Once you get to know your hermie or hermies, you will understand what type of shells they prefer, and you can source accordingly.
As well as variety, it is important to provide differing sizes of proper hermie shells. Your hermie needs to be able to tuck itself right into the shell so it needs to be big enough for this purpose. On the other hand if the provided shells are too large then it will not be able to cling on and move around properly.
Good hermie shells come in all different shapes and sizes as do the openings, so make sure you provide a variety of differing apertures. Again, your hermie will probably stick to one specific type, so try to monitor them. As they trial and test various shells they will know which ones are best suited.
We mentioned earlier that the land hermies are very picky and this goes for the quality of the shells. They do not like shells that are dirty or cracked. So it is very important to inspect the subsequent hermie shells you got closely before you give them to your little buddy.
As far as cleanliness goes, you might need to prepare your shells before giving them to your crab. To do this you will need to boil them for around 5 minutes in plain water to get rid of any bacteria that might be hiding within the hermie's new shells. Put aside and let them cool right down before giving them to your hermie buddy.
A word of warning! One of the latest trends is for pet stores to supply decorated hermie shells. Now although these are great to look at, they are not good for the hermie, This is because the paint can flake off, and can also give off fumes that the hermie might breathe in. Also the painted shell might alter the humidity levels inside the shell thus causing the hermie stress. It is always best to stick with shells that are totally natural.
Hopefully this gives you all the information that you need in order to source quality hermit crab shells. One of the best ways to remember is that a crabs shell is its home! So if you were looking for a new house, you would want one that ticked all the boxes. You wouldn't settle for second best!
Hermit Crab Shells- What's Best For Your Pet
By: Tod Schaffer
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