Meet Our Hermit Crabs

 SMeet Our Hermit Crabs

During Thanksgiving last year we went to Virginia Beach for the day with my Sister-in-law for a day trip. Unintentionally, the kids and I returned home with a pair of hermit crabs. So, read below to meet Jack and Sally.

Pet Surprise

Hermit crabs were definitely never on the list of animals I planned to own. When we were walking through the touristy shops along the street, we went in one of the larger ones and saw the crates of Hermit Crabs. I knew right away that these were less than ideal conditions for the crabs (as many animals are subject to before they’re purchased by their owners). I saw that the hermit crabs even came free if you purchased their “tank”. They had dry food, decorative and housing shells available as well.

The employee was very careful and helpful with getting Jack and Sally into their containers for the trip home. Lil’ A was extremely excited at first, but once hers started to move around, she became more nervous. Lil’ C was thrilled to take over carrying both of their carriers, and pranced around with them until I took them away at home. My evening was filled with research and planning. The next day I ran to Petsmart and spent $100 on a whole new set up that would be better biologically and visually.

Don’t mind the dog toy for Beau inside. You can read a little about him in Meet Beau

Not long after setting up their tank and placing them inside, they each had a great salt water soak before starting to work on their burrows.

Why Jack and Sally

We picked the names Jack and Sally because we believe they’re a male and female, and because I love The Nightmare Before Christmas. Since hermit crabs cannot breed in captivity, we aren’t going to properly sex them. They’re also very timid, so the added stress isn’t worth it. We used personality traits as gender clues, such as females being more outgoing. Sally was climbing the wire of her little cage all night while Jack was hiding happily in his shell. He also tended to lean to the side when out of his shell, and Sally would sit straight. If you’d like to find out the gender of your own crabs there’s plenty of Youtube videos explaining how to properly do so.

Hermit Crabs as Pets

I would absolutely rate Hermit Crabs as a ten out of ten pet, especially for beginners. If you properly set up their takn, they keep it clean themselves, it’s just changing food and water daily. They eat just about any fresh fruit or vegetables, multiple kinds of nuts and seeds and even unseasoned meats. They’re quiet and don’t smell, which are two huge pet factors for me. They should not be handled which also means they require no training. If you’re looking for chill, they’re about as chill as it gets.

After a Few Months

Now that I’m finally introducing our tiny friends, they’ve become much more comfortable in their home. We’ve added more substrate and have been trying different foods often. Sally ditched her shell quickly to choose a bigger home, and Jack decided to take Sally’s old shell. It’s a lot to keep up with when they’re hardly above ground. They definitely prefer to come explore at night, and I can hear them softly crunching on the leaves while I’m watching TV.

If you’re interested in having your own hermit crabs, I recommend looking in local rehoming groups or Craigslist. If you need to purchase a starter kit, this large, all inclusive one can be found on Amazon https://amzn.to/49NqMDA. They’re social and do require space to burrow, so 10 gallons and at least two crabs is ideal. If you have your own crabs already share their names in the comments!

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 SMeet Our Hermit Crabs During Thanksgiving last year we went to Virginia Beach for the day with my Sister-in-law for a day trip. Unintentionally, the kids and I returned home with a pair of hermit crabs. So, read below to meet Jack and Sally. Pet Surprise Hermit crabs were definitely…

 SMeet Our Hermit Crabs During Thanksgiving last year we went to Virginia Beach for the day with my Sister-in-law for a day trip. Unintentionally, the kids and I returned home with a pair of hermit crabs. So, read below to meet Jack and Sally. Pet Surprise Hermit crabs were definitely…