One thing many crab owners have yet to master is the humidity of their crabitat. It's just not an easy feat to accomplish. And much of the equipment is so expensive that it just doesn't seem to fit into our budgets. But there are a variety of ways to add water to the air. Some are more affordable than others. Some are more effective.
Photo credit to the Oregon Hermit Crab Rescue.
Click their name to learn more about this great rescue!
Photo credit to the Oregon Hermit Crab Rescue.
Click their name to learn more about this great rescue!
Quick Easy Tips
Keep the sand moist. This makes it easier for hermit crabs to dig, and naturally the water slowly evaporates into the air. This is probably the quickest, easiest, way to promote good humidity- although simply having wet sand will not create enough moisture in the air. You need to combine it with other techniques. Remember not to 'over-wet' your sand. It should be a sand castle consistency. There should never be puddles and the top layer should feel dry to the touch.
Have large water areas. Both your saltwater and freshwater areas can be as big or as little as you like. But the bigger they are, the more water they hold, and the more water they evaporate into the air.
Sponges. Contrary to popular belief, hermit crabs don't need sponges to drink. But sponges do help disperse water into the air. Keep a few sponges in your crabitat. Boil them once a month to prevent any bacterial growth.
Have large water areas. Both your saltwater and freshwater areas can be as big or as little as you like. But the bigger they are, the more water they hold, and the more water they evaporate into the air.
Sponges. Contrary to popular belief, hermit crabs don't need sponges to drink. But sponges do help disperse water into the air. Keep a few sponges in your crabitat. Boil them once a month to prevent any bacterial growth.
Other Ideas / Investments
Waterfalls: Waterfalls make beautiful crabitat accessories, and most likely your hermit crabs will love you for the fresh flowing water. Unfortunately most commercial waterfalls are cheaply made and tend to break before you get your moneys worth. If you're more of a technical fixer-upper then these would work great. Most need modified a few times in order to work correctly, but once they are working they will quickly add a good amount of moisture into the air.
Foggers: We still haven't decided if these are good or bad for a hermit crab. They most certainly don't hurt the crab, but they do tend to create an environment where mold loves to grow. They create a foggy haze throughout the aquarium which makes for a really tropical wet feel, but at the same time doesn't necessarily allow you to have full view of your crabitat at all times.
Foggers: We still haven't decided if these are good or bad for a hermit crab. They most certainly don't hurt the crab, but they do tend to create an environment where mold loves to grow. They create a foggy haze throughout the aquarium which makes for a really tropical wet feel, but at the same time doesn't necessarily allow you to have full view of your crabitat at all times.
Sprinklers: Hermit crabs naturally adore the rain. In their natural environment they are most active during rainfall. So an automatic sprinkler system is investment to make. It's a bit more expensive, yes. But at the same time it creates a natural feel and does an excellent job of putting much needed humidity into the air. Depending on your house temperature and your outdoors conditions, the timing of the 'rainpour' will be different from area to area. So you'll need to monitor the sprinklers for a few days to determine what's right.
Humidifiers: These are a bit more expensive but a decent investment. They're probably one of the most convenient ways to keep the humidity level good. They monitor the humidity level and then can be set to keep the humidity between certain degrees which is exactly what hermit crabs require.
DIY Humidifier: Most hermit crab owners don't invest in expensive equipment. They would much rather make their own. The easiest DIY Humidifier is simply an air pump with a bubbler attached to the tubing. Place this in one of your freshwater dishes and naturally let the water sprinkle around. This typically keeps a steady flow of moisture into the air, as well as keeping the sand wet which also promotes good humidity.
Humidifiers: These are a bit more expensive but a decent investment. They're probably one of the most convenient ways to keep the humidity level good. They monitor the humidity level and then can be set to keep the humidity between certain degrees which is exactly what hermit crabs require.
DIY Humidifier: Most hermit crab owners don't invest in expensive equipment. They would much rather make their own. The easiest DIY Humidifier is simply an air pump with a bubbler attached to the tubing. Place this in one of your freshwater dishes and naturally let the water sprinkle around. This typically keeps a steady flow of moisture into the air, as well as keeping the sand wet which also promotes good humidity.
