People decorate terrariums and aquariums with live plants all the time, so why not decorate your crabitat with them too? Crabs are a bit more hard to please when it comes to live plants. Many are piousness and crabs tend to try a bite of everything that enters their arena. Crabs can destroy an entire plant in one day. And decorating your crabitat with live plants often results in the appearance of a hurricane rather than tropical paradise. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't or can't treat your little creatures to some aux natural decor. Here are a few quick, easy, and affordable ways to spice up your crabitat with the safety and destructiveness of your crabs in mind.
Leaf Lettuce: Loose-leaf lettuce (not the tight rounded head kind) is relatively quick and easy to grow. You can buy variety packs of lettuce seeds online or at most greenhouses and seed shops. Sprinkle four or five seeds into a small pot and let them grow for about a month and a half on your windowsill. Once they're beginning to fill up the planter set them inside your crabitat. Most likely your crabs will gobble them all up and hysterically tear them to shreds. But the price of the seeds are so cheap, and they need such a little amount of care and dirt that they are practically more affordable than a head of lettuce. Grow multiple planters at once and you can exchange them in the terrarium every few days to keep the natural look going.
Spider Plants: Spider plants are a favorite among many in-home gardeners. They don't take a green-thumb to survive. In fact they are probably one of the hardiest plants on earth and can survive with even the most inexperienced growers. Spider plants have 'babies' that grow off of them. You can snip four to five babies off of a spider plant every six to eight months. Set the babies in water and let them take root. Then move them to a small planter for a month. Usually they will grow quite fast. They are very pretty plants that make great additions to terrariums. Your hermit crabs will casually nibble them, but the plants are usually hardy enough to live even with your crabs company.
Pineapple Plants: Don't worry, you don't have to run out to some exotic greenhouse to create your own terrarium pineapple plant. Instead of throwing away the top of the pineapple the next time you bring a whole one home from the super market, plant it in some tropical potting soil and let it take root. In about two to three months you can transplant it into your crabitat. The tough leaves make perfect climbing toys for crabs and they look like natural accessories in a tropical or beachy crabitat.
Hermit crabs must be some of the most versatile little climbers in the world. With such tiny little legs and claws one would never imagine that these creatures would love to climb just about anything. Hermit crabs tend to have the motto "there's no such thing as going around- I simply climb over". And they climb over everything. And they love to climb. The quickest way to keep any crab entertained is to add some height to their crabitat. Here are some fun ways to add a bit of pizazz to that one-level crabitat out of items you have in your own home.
Lace: This natural material may be elegant and gorgeous, but it also tends to discolor and stain- which ultimately turns it useless. Instead of throwing out those grayish curtains, line a side of your terrarium with the fabric. The tiny holes and loose texture are perfect for little claws to crawl up and down.
Burlap Sacks: Although now-a-days these sacks aren't used for much more than children's races and the occasional garden potato- they do make great accessories to hermit crab habitats. If you have an old one lying around shake it out of dust and let it hang outside for a day to ensure that it's 'aired out' of any contaminants. The neutral color can fit into almost any terrarium set up and he texture is perfect for creating climbing areas with.
Towels: Dishtowels and wash clothes eventually wear out, but that doesn't mean they're useless. Textured fabrics like towels with holes, tears, and thinned spots make great climbing material. Boil them in dechlorinated water (do not use soap) and then hang in the side of your hermit crabs habitat. The holes and tears don't matter- they look sort of like a pirate ship accessory and will fit in perfect in your little beachy habitat.
Bark: Old pieces of dried bark make perfect climbing toys. Maple, oak, and birch bark are all safe and perfect for climbing. Lean a slab up against the side of your tank to creating a climbing hill that your crabs can venture up and down and all around.
Reptile Netting: Nets made specifically for reptiles are also safe for hermit crabs. They often come with suction-cup attachments that make them easy to install in any terrarium with glass walls.
Cholla Wood: Cholla wood is an all natural cactus wood that dries with natural holes in it. It's very sturdy and can easily be leaned up against other objects, or the corner of a terrarium, to create a great accessory for cholla wood.
The stereotypical coconut huts are adorable and hermit crabs adore them. But what if you want to change up the crabitat without making a big investment? Here are some fun ideas for quick and easy hermit huts that you can create in your own home.
Flower Pots: Stick a terracotta flower pot halfway into the sand and leave the other half out. This fun little half-circle will create a comfy cozy hiding place for any hermit crab. And the texture of these eco-friendly pots makes them able to be climbed upon.
River Rocks: Naturally harvested river rocks are by far one of the cheapest and prettiest accessories that can be added to any terrarium. Look for rocks that are jagged or textured. Fine ones with a natural curve or cuts that can be arranged in a way where hermit crabs can crawl underneath and up and down. Boil the rocks in water for 3 minutes to remove any contaminants.
Plastic Bowls: Take a pair of scissors and a little hole in the side of a plastic disposable bowl. Don't use Styrofoam, for it can easily be ingested by hermit crabs and could have fatal effects. Once you cut the hole place the bowl upside down into the sand. Wah-lah a little disposable hut. And once your hermit crabs have used it up you can throw it away guilt-free.
Wicker Baskets: Wicker is made from dehydrated willow. Although willow has not been proved as safe for hermit crabs, wicker has not had any negative effects documented. Small wicker baskets usually sell for around $1.00 each and can easily be found at most Dollar stores around the US. Cut a hole in one side and place the basket upside down into the sand. Your crabs will love the airy open feel of the wicker hut. Wicker can also add moisture into the air if sprayed a little each day. These huts should be changed out about once a month to avoid rot.
Woven Grass Baskets: Woven grass baskets tend to be a bit more costly, but if you can make them yourself it usually only takes about a day to make one that is the perfect size for a crab. The crabs will love climbing all over the textured outside, but also feel comfy and cozy in the inside. Treat the grass basket the same as the wicker basket by cutting a hole in the side and disposing of it after 1 month of use. Grass baskets can also up the humidity if sprayed daily.
Every hermit crab home should have three dishes. One for food, one for saltwater, and one for freshwater. And many times there will be many more dishes than that scattered around the floor of a crabitat. Some people have dishes specifically for fish, dry foods, or fruits. But it isn't necessary to invest in professional reptile or small pet dishes from your local pet store. Many are expensive and not necessarily better than a similar object you could find laying around your house. Here are some ideas for affordable 'hermit crab dishes' you can create within your own home.
Antique Glass Ash Trays. Ash trays are naturally shallow and make great water holes for small and medium hermit crabs. They come in a variety of shapes and colors. Goodwill is full of hundreds of antique trays. Surely you can find one that will match your crabitat interior decor. Boil the tray for five to six minutes, scrub well with some vinegar, and then boil again for another 3 minutes to clean it out.
Small Tupperware Containers. Don't throw that old discolored tupperware container into the trash. Instead wash it thoroughly with boiled water and use it as a hermit crab food or water dish. The sandwich ones work best for saltwater and freshwater areas. Throw some gravel in the bottom for a textured 'pond-like' appearance that your hermit crabs will adore.
Plastic Cups. For stinky foods like fish, meats, and seaweed you can create a disposable dish with a plastic cup. Simply use scissors to cut around the edge and make it a height small enough for your crabs to crawl into. The next morning you can pull the cup out and throw it away without having to worry about scrubbing out all of that ucky fish residue.
Plastic Mixing Spoons. So you broke another handle off of one of those cheap plastic mixing spoons? Instead of throwing it away use the spoon part as a food dish for your crabs. The natural curve will fit nicely into the sand and create a perfect little place for your crabs to go and forage.
Hermit crabs are curious little creatures. They may not be as cuddly as a puppy, but that doesn't mean they're not playful. In fact hermit crabs really enjoy toys! It's just often hard to know what makes a 'toy' for a hermit crab. Here is a list to get you started:
Plastic Balls: Any small toy balls (aside from rubber bouncy balls, which can be eaten by crabs) make great toys. 'Barbi' sized basketballs, soccer balls, and even ping pong balls are the perfect toy for a crab. Let them push them around their crabitat, investigate them, and topple over them. They'll have fun exploring this new 'thing' and you'll have fun watching them.
Maple Tree Branches Playground: This one is a bit harder to make. You'll need all natural maple branches (from a place where assuredly no pesticides have been used) and some natural hemp cord. Take about six branches and use the hemp cord to tie them together in a haphazard way. Let them move in all directions so your crabs can climb up, down, and all around them. It doesn't need to look organized or even like a real play gym. Just make it messy and your hermit crabs are sure to have a blast climbing up and down it- and munching on the branches along the way.
All Natural (Not Dyed) Feathers: Look for all natural dried feathers. Often local taxidermists will be able to tell you where to find some. Pheasant, ptarmigan, chicken, and even domestic birds (like parrots and cockatoos) work wonderful. Simply take a few feathers and drop them in the crabitat. They're light weight enough that your crabs can pick them up and move them around. And because they are all natural, it's 100% safe for your crabs to eat them (although most would rather just play with them).
