Hermit crabs need a glass tank at least 10 gallons.You can use a heat lamp during winter.You should use a heat pad during the summer.I would recommend using your heat pad on the side of the glass tank, because if they are trying to molt, which is a process we will get to later on, if they get overheated when they bury, they could die.And believe me, you do NOT want that to happen!they could also get stressed out if its to hot above ground, and they are trying to get away from the heat.
You need to have bedding at least 3 inches deep.4 would be best.You need deeper bedding when they molt so that they can have more space and are able to dig deeper into the ground, so they feel more secure and less open to the outside world.I mean, it's like you changing clothes in front of a bunch of total strangers!They also bury to sleep and get away.The bury all the time, so don't think they're molting right away, or they got out of their tank.They make a big mess in the tank if they do bury!I recommend using coconut fiber bedding and/or sand bedding.It's best using both mixed together, or divided.Purple Pincher hermit crabs live higher near where the beach ends and where it starts to get a little dirty with dirt, and trees, and leaves.They only go down to the beach to eat, drink, and mate.People use gravel and crushed shells, and that's not good at all.They could get the gravel or crushed shells caught in their shells and can cut themselves, and that could lead to death.Also, if you get any sand at all, use playsand.It's best for the crabs because colored sand (which is pretty much the only sand you can find anywhere else), can kill them if they eat the color dye in the sand.If it doesn't kill them, it will get them very sick.Plus, you can get playsand at the hardware store for 3 bucks for a big bag!For the coconut fiber bedding, I recommend Zoo Med's Eco Earth.It's cheaper in blocks and works very well.You can also buy it in bags, but that's more expensive.Ecuadorian, Strawberry, Blueberry, and Ruggae hermit crabs all live closer to the beach, so you should definitely have more sand for them.
Now let's get to food and water.You should have 3 or more food/water dishes in your tank.You need 3 because you need a food dish that they can walk fully into without being to deep, a salt water dish, and a fresh water dish.You can buy pre-made salt and fresh water at the pet store, but it cheapest and easiest to just buy spring water at the grocery store, and buy special hermit crab salt at the pet store.HBH brand hermit crab salt costs 3-4 dollars, depending on where you live and what pet store you go to.You can NOT use table salt that you use on your food, because it has iodine that can kill the crabs.And don't be a smart alack and buy DE-iodized salt because that can still probably kill the crabs.For food, I recommend giving the crabs fresh fruits and veggies.But you can also use hermit crab food from the pet store.And if a brand isn't name brand and it's cheaper, if you want to save money, then your better off buying that stuff because it's all the same thing.
Now let's get to molting.Molting is a process in which a hermit crab buries, sheds it's skin, and then re-grows it.But, it's not that simple.When a hermit crab molts, it needs much more calcium to re-grow back a healthy, hard shell.For example, a saltwater bath is a great way to provide calcium for a hermit crab.Just get a container, fill it with lukewarm or room temperature SPRING water, add a little CRAB salt, mix it together, then put your crab in.He,ll probably start running around.That's good.That way, he gets the water all inside his shell, cleaning it out!But don't bathe a hermit crab to much, or else it could stress the out.I would recommend doing it once every 2-4 weeks.After all, lack of calcium will kill a hermit crab.My main point here is, hermit crabs need lots of care and treatment when molting, even to the point that you need to put them in an isolated tank with deep substrate (bedding).Cuddlebones are a good source of calcium as well.
Always have extra shells for your crabs to switch into when they grow out of their old one, or just want a change.Always provide a HUGE selection of empty shells so your hermit crabs don't get into shell fights.A shell fight is when hermit crabs fight to switch into a shell.Result could be stress, or even death.My point is here, is that you should always have lots of shells throughout your tank for the crabs to switch into.
This is a great example of a hermit crab tank.
Here's another great example of a hermit crab tank.
