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Land Hermit Crab Healthcare
Little is known about the health of land hermit crabs. Because they are such inexpensive pets, little veterinary attention has been given to these crustaceans, and any major diseases that affect them, as well as causes of natural death, remain unknown.
Even though land hermit crabs are inexpensive to purchase and maintain, they aren’t throwaway pets that you simply replace in the event that something happens to them. Although you won’t be able to take your hermit crab to a veterinarian for checkups—or even be likely to notice signs of illness in your pet apart from lost limbs or the presence of mites—your land hermit deserves the best care you can provide it.
Healthy land hermits live long lives—some keepers report owning crabs that lived for more than 20 years—but pet land hermits often pass away after only a year or two. This is usually due to a poor environment with improper temperature or humidity levels, inappropriate substrates, or overcrowded terrarium conditions. Fortunately, with proper nutrition and environmental conditions, your crab shouldn’t experience any serious health issues and is likely to be a long-lived pet.
Regeneration
The biggest health problem you’ll ever be likely to encounter in your land hermit is the occasional accident that results in the loss of a leg or a claw. If fed well and kept at the right temperature and humidity, the crab should regenerate a replacement with its next molt. The new claw or leg will appear smaller than the original and lack some coloration, but over the next several molts, the lost limb should be fully repaired.
If a crab undergoes a great deal of stress—if it lives in poor conditions or has just entered into a new environment—it may drop legs or claws on its own. Keep your crab’s habitat clean and at the proper temperature and
humidity levels, offer plenty of clean water, and feed it properly to minimize stress.
Shell Replacement
Although you should always keep a number of shells in your crab’s terrarium to give your pet potential replacements as it grows, keep an eye on your crab’s growth rate and the status of its existing shell, and exchange undersized extra shells with larger ones to accommodate growth. If you
notice that your crab’s current shell has been damaged, promptly provide a replacement to protect your crab’s softer parts from both parasites and dehydration.
Parasites
Your crab’s enclosure may attract mites because of its warm temperature and high humidity levels. Uneaten food left in the terrarium for too long can also attract parasites, which can infest your crab and the terrarium.
How to Remove Mites
If you notice mites in your enclosure or on your crab, take the following steps to remove them:
- Remove your crab from the terrarium to a safe, enclosed location.
- Dispose of the substrate, and remove any items from the terrarium, including climbing objects and food or water bowls.
- Disinfect your bowls and climbing items. Wash bowls in a solution of 10% bleach and water, rinse them thoroughly until no scent of bleach remains, and air-dry them. To disinfect natural climbing items (made of wood or stone), wrap them in aluminum foil and bake them in the oven at 250°F (121°C) for 45–60 minutes, then cool them for 4–6 hours before returning them to the cage. Baking the items at this temperature (which isn’t hot enough to actually burn any wooden items) destroys the parasites without harming the objects.
- Use a vacuum cleaner to remove any substrate or dirt from the corners of the enclosure.
- Thoroughly clean and disinfect the terrarium with your bleach solution. Rinse very thoroughly until no scent of bleach remains, and allow the cage to air-dry before putting your crab back inside. Never use ammonia-based cleaners in or near your terrarium—the risk of poisoning your crab is too great.
- Bathe your crab multiple times to remove any mites on its body, allowing your pet to air-dry between each bath. You can immerse your crab fully in the water for a brief period of time, but be careful not to leave it underwater for too long because it will drown. Also, the mites you wash off your crab may remain on the surface of the water, so remove your crab from the bath carefully, ensuring that no mites reattach to it on the way out.
| Text & Photos Copyright © 2007 TFH Publications, Inc. | Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
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