Introduction

Hermit crabs are one of the most popular pets on the market. They’re adorable, they’re easy to care for, and they don’t require a lot of work. So why do so many people get them? The answer is simple: Everybody loves hermit crabs! But what if I told you that there’s more to know about these little guys than meets the eye? Well, there is—and I’m here to tell you all about it.

Hermit crabs can’t survive very long in a glass tank.

Hermit crabs need to be able to breathe and drink, so they can’t be kept in a glass tank. A glass tank doesn’t have any holes where the crabs can get air.

They also need water to drink, but most hermit crab owners don’t give them enough water to drink. They should have at least an inch of standing water that they can access easily. The only way they will be able to do this is if you put rocks by the side of their tank so that they can climb out and come back down again when it’s time for a dip!

Finally, hermit crabs need food too! Hermit crabs eat plants (which are hard to find in stores), fruits and vegetables (vegetables are much easier since supermarkets sell them) and shrimp pellets made for invertebrates like amphibians or reptiles like geckos etcetera… If you do not give your hermits enough food then they will die very soon!

Hermit crabs breathe through gills and need salt water to survive.

Hermit crabs breathe through gills, and they need salt water to survive. They can’t live in fresh water, and they can’t live in a glass tank. If you want your hermit crab to live a long, happy life (and who doesn’t?), you’ll want to invest in a custom-made habitat that’s designed specifically for hermit crabs.

The sand they need is often illegal.

For a while, I was able to get black sand at my local pet store. This sand is safe for hermit crabs and it’s not very expensive, but it doesn’t last long. Hermit crabs are voracious eaters who can easily consume their own weight in food each day, so the amount of food you need to buy will grow exponentially as your crab grows. The only way to keep up with a growing hermit crab’s appetite is by adding more and more top-quality foods every week—and that means buying more and more substrate as well.

When I moved from Texas to New York City in 2012, I had no idea where on Earth I could get black sand for cheap! Fortunately for us both (me and my poor little friend), there are plenty of other options available online nowadays:

They don’t eat bananas or chicken off the bone (or much of anything else that is sold in pet stores).

Hermit crabs are omnivorous, which means that they eat both plants and animals. While a crab will eat fruit and vegetables, it’s not enough to sustain them. They need a balanced diet of protein, fruit and vegetables. Hermit crabs have the same nutritional requirements as humans do; therefore it is important to feed your crab a varied diet.

The best way to provide your hermit crabs with their daily nutrients is by purchasing commercial hermit crab food at your local pet store or online retailer such as Amazon or Petco.

They are social animals and should be kept in groups.

Hermit crabs are social animals and should be kept in groups. They are very territorial, so they will fight with each other if they are kept alone. If you have one hermit crab, it will not be an issue because your crab will have the whole tank to himself, but if you have more than one hermit crab and they’re put into the same tank together (e.g., two new aquariums or cages), then your animals may fight. Hermit crabs of different species can also fight if their owners keep them in the same cage without providing enough space for each species to claim territory as its own.

They can live as long as 30 years in captivity.

Hermit crabs have a very long lifespan and can live up to 30 years in captivity. In the wild, they are known to live for 10-20 years but their life expectancy is thought to be much shorter due to predation and other factors like habitat destruction. Hermit crabs are therefore very long lived animals that you should keep under your care for as long as possible!

They have a soft abdomen and need a shell to protect it.

Hermit crabs are vulnerable to predators while they’re in the process of finding a shell. Hermit crabs need to find an empty shell to live in, and if they can’t find one, they can be eaten by other animals.

Hermit crab shells come in many shapes and sizes. Some are round, some are oval-shaped, and some are even pointy at the tip! Most hermit crabs will have a preference for a certain type of shell—it’s helpful for you to know what kind of shells your pet prefers before you buy any for them so that you can make sure their new home is exactly what they want it to be!

Painted shells are toxic to them.

The shells that hermit crabs are sold in are almost always painted, usually white or some variation of blue. The paint itself is not harmful to the crab, but it does contain lead and arsenic—two chemicals that can cause serious health problems and even death if ingested. Unpainted shells are safer for several reasons: they’re natural and therefore more likely to be accepted by your pet; they have no dangerous metals or chemicals; they’re easier to clean (because you don’t have to worry about paint flaking off); and they might even last longer than painted ones! If you buy an unpainted shell, make sure you wash it thoroughly before giving it to your hermit crab.

A hermit crab is not the ideal beginner’s pet.

A hermit crab is not the ideal beginner’s pet. They’re not even that much fun to have around if you’ve got kids, because they tend to be skittish and don’t like to be handled. If you do decide to get a hermit crab, here’s some advice:

• Hermit crabs need special food in order to thrive. The most common way people feed their pets is with pellets from the pet store, but this can lead to malnutrition or even death if the wrong kind of pellet is purchased. There are two types of hermit crabs: ones that live on land (the land crabs) and ones that live in water (the seashore crabs). Land-dwelling ones need a more balanced diet than what’s offered by most pet stores; saltwater-dwelling seashore species will eat nothing but algae. Your best bet would be either buying frozen food specifically made for these kinds of animals or making your own mix of unprocessed ingredients at home!
• A saltwater tank should also be considered when choosing where this animal will live while under your care; they’re used primarily as a source of water for them as well as providing filtration since they can’t go outside during any season other than summertime due  to temperature regulation issues caused by sunlight exposure which means no one ever sees them unless it’s springtime because how many people keep indoor aquariums?

Conclusion

This is not to say that hermit crabs are not adorable little critters. They are! But if you want a pet that can live a long life in captivity and be happy, consider getting something else instead.