Tod Schaffer

Now you may not know this but wentletrap and hermit crab association comes about due to the fact that hermie babies are born without shells and as soon as they are big enough they set about seeking a discarded shell to move into and call home. Wentletrap snail shells are perfect for the job since they are small, no larger than 2 inches at best, and can easily accommodate a tiny hermie baby.

Hermit crabs are amazing little creatures and the more you get to know them the cuter they become. Whilst many potential pet owners have an ultimate goal to breed their pets, in the case of pet hermies, this is really best avoided. You see, hermit crab babies stand a better chance of being successfully bred and reared in the wild. In order to even attempt to breed from a pair of hermies, you need to have a great deal of time and patience and be prepared to fail, time after time.

Years ago hermit crabs were considered cheap disposable pets but increased research into these endearing little creatures has meant that their wants and needs are more widely known, and it is not uncommon for a caring pet owner to achieve a hermit crab life expectancy of six to eight years, sometimes longer.

Hermit crab behavior can vary signifcantly from one individual to another. If you own several, I am sure you will have recognised that fact that each individual has its own personality and traits to go with it. A good indication of whether you are buying a suitable hermie for a pet is to observe the hermie's personality and habits when it is inside its shell.

You little hermie crabs come in a variety of beautiful and vibrant colors, particularly the marine species, which vary in color from bright yellow, blue to scarlet and are chosen for reef tanks largely for their appearance as well as for their foraging habits. However, it is only natural that hermit crab shells turning white would set off alarm bells in most owners' heads, although fortunately much of the time this is not too serious and can be dealt with quite easily.

Hermit crab molting is a natural process which is necessary if your crab is to grow. Basically this molt means shedding his exoskeleto, a bit like a snake, in order to regenerate damaged or lost limbs and to grow overall.

The majority of people who keep hermie crabs as pets do not really care whether their loveable critter is a "Harriet" or a "Harry."You see, unlike other more unusual pets, they can live happily together side by side without fear of fights and aggressive behaviour. However, if you are trying to breed the hermies (and this can prove very difficult at the best of times) or even if you are just plain curious, then there are ways of distinguishing between male and female hermit crabs. So stay with me

If you are thinking of setting up a reef tank, then you are probably scouring the internet looking for information on the best type of marine life to fill it. Well one of the first things you should consider are long legged salt water hermit crabs. Why? Well, not only do they provide color and variety to your tank, they are also reasonably inexpensive to buy and easy to feed. There are however more to these little critters than meets the eye.

When taking care of hermit crabs it is probably good to know that as far as pet care goes, it is relatively inexpensive and doesn't take up too much of your time. This has got to be good news right! After all, what better way to own a pet than to have one that virtually looks after itself! Well, just before you dive headlong into the world of "crabbing," here are some common mistakes that you should avoid to enable your hermie companion to live a long and happy life.

Digging is an important part of life for hermit crabs in the wild. They do this when they are getting ready to molt or when they feel threatened or vulnerable. So in order for your pet hermie to live a long and happy live in captivity, it is very important to provide an environment whereby they feel comfortable and safe. This also means providing materials so that your hermie can dig. These materials are known as substrate.