Biology

Determining the Age of a Hermit Crab - Vanessa : An in-depth look at problems associated with determining the age of land hermit crabs. Also includes factors which are related to growth and lifespan.

The Life Cycle of a Land Hermit Crab - Vanessa : How does a hermit crab grow?

Species Distribution - Vanessa : Distribution of land hermit crab species

Species Identification - Vanessa : Photos and information about several species of land hermit crabs

Species Overview - Vanessa : Information about the habitat, foods eaten and body mass of several species of land hermit crabs (Coenobita) with comment

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Care

Are You Ready for a Land Hermit Crab? - Vanessa : A primer about land hermit crab care, and responsible pet ownership. Essentials, Checklists, Starting Off, Where to get help.

Hermit Crabs and other Pets - by members of the Land Hermit Crab Owners Society : People often ask how hermit crabs get along with other pets within the home. Members of the Land Hermit Crab Owners Society have added their observations and photos for your enjoyment.

Hermit Crabs as a Perfect Pet for the Disabled - Diana (offsite) : Wonderful article about land hermit crabs as pets for the disabled by Diana Peterson, author of 'The Enabled Gardener'

Hermit Crabs as a Throwaway Pet - Nan Jacobs : Powerful article about 'throw away pet syndrome' and some hints on how to keep your hermit happy.

How I Started Crabbing - Land Hermit Crab Owners Society : Members of the Land Hermit Crab Owners Society talk about how they became owners

My Crabbing Method - Marie : Marie Davis writes about moulting and her crabbing method

My Crabbing Method - Mike : Mike details his crabbing method

Rosie's Hermit Crab Story - by Rosie : Rosie shares with us her story and the start of her 'Henri's Hermit Warmers' idea

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Diet

Adulterants & Additives - What follows is a list of ingredients added to commercial and processed foods that may harm hermit crab health when fed.

Colour Enhancing Foods -Vanessa : In the wild, land hermit crabs eat many foods which enhance their colour but also benefit their health. A short article on colour enhancing foods, and the benefits of beta carotene-rich foods.

Edible Flowers - Did you know that flowers are good for crabs? They contain vitamin C as well as vitamin A and many of the pigmentation substances such as beta carotene. Crabs will enthusiastically eat flowers from this edible flower list, and prefer them as they wilt and die.

Food Choices of Land Hermit Crabs - Dr. Robert W. Thacker : This study demonstrates that land hermit crabs (Coenobita compressus H. Milne Edwards) display negative preference indication when feeding on natural foods, preferring foods that they have not experienced recently.

Foods Containing Carotenoids - This list contains foods that are moderate to high in beta carotene

Foods Containing Zeaxanthin - Zeaxanthin is an important precursor to astaxanthin, the carotenoid crustaceans need most to regulate their body systems. If astaxanthin is hard to come by, then zeaxanthin is the substance that coenobita need most.

Food Database - LHCOS : Database of hermit crab foods by members of the Land Hermit Crab Owners Society.

Hermit Crab Nutrition - Lisa L. : A table which lists nutrition needs, with food types and refrences to research

Leaves and bark - LHCOS : Combination of messages by members of the Land Hermit Crab Owners Society.

Safe Wood - Kerie : Do you know which woods are safe? Kerie offers a list of woods that can be used safely in a hermit crab environment.

Spirulina and Vitamin C - Vanessa : Article looks at the benefits of Spirulina and Vitamin C in land hermit crab care and health.

The Epicurian Hermit: Going Natural Beginner's List: If you’ve decided to get rid of commercial diet completely, and go natural, here is a list of the recommended human-grade beginner foods.

The Epicurian Hermit: Part Two: Tools, Tips, and Techniques - Now that you've decided to provide your hermits with a gourmet diet, you'll need to know how to handle various foods to make them attractive to your crabs. In this installment of the Epicurean Hermit, I will address various techniques for preparing gourmet hermit food, and the tools that you might want to add to your kitchen to assist you in preparing them.

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 Health

Fungus Journal Article explained - Jenn : Jenn's reply to a Journal Article Review on Fungus, along with information on how it relates to land hermit crab care.

Shell Disease - Vanessa : After some disturbing reports of 'black spots' which spread over hermit crab exoskeleton and caused problems with moulting, some research was done to find out more about this mysterious disease which was spreading fast among hermit crabs in close contact.

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Housing

Can I Use A Light To Keep Them Warm? - Vanessa : Why using a light is not the ideal method of keeping a land hermit crab warm.

Creating a Humidifier - Mike : If you live in an area which experiences low humidity, or you just want to raise the humidity within your crab's home, Mike will show you how to create a humidifier.

How Many Hermit Crabs per Gallon - Vanessa   : Vanessa revisits the 'how many crabs per gallon' rule of thumb and recommends an increase in surface area and custom made tanks for crabs, not fish.

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 Humidity

Calibrating your humidity gauge: Dial RH gauges are rarely calibrated properly by the time they reach your home. This is NOT the fault of the manufacturer. It is simply the way it is with this type of hygrometer whether it's for your tank or for your house. This probably accounts for the wide variation of humidity levels that have been recommended. You can do something about this though :)

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 Moulting

All About Moulting - Lisa : outlines the moulting process

Dead or Moulting - Marie : outlines common moulting positions and similarity between a dead and moulting crab

Moulting FAQ - Jad : a primer on moulting

Moulting... The Crisis - Vanessa: Information and photos of moult stages

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News Articles

Four articles on Land Hermit Crabs - The Daily Item | September 2004 : Interviews with hermit crab enthusiasts creates four separate articles on land hermit crabs.

Hermit Crabs Should Not Be Disposable Pets, Aficionados Say - NewsHouse | August 2004 : Dru Sefton interviews land hermit crab owners: "They're all hermit crabs, those crustaceans so many folks see as disposable pets, bought as cheap souvenirs on seashore vacations. The Hermit Crab Association disagrees -- strongly."

Crustacean Craze -Sevil Hunter RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL| February 2004 : Coenobita Clypeatus may be the object of McKenna Hoff's affection, but to her 4-year-old brother, Preston, it means only one thing: 'Yuck!"

[ More news ]

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Pet Stores

The Importance Of A Quality Pet Store Vanessa: When first purchasing a land hermit crab, we are relying on the trained staff of pet stores to guide us through care and the selection of suitable equipment. Products that will keep your new pet land hermit crabs alive, happy and healthy. We are entrusting these pet stores to have knowledge of land hermit crab care, and to set a good example with their enclosure.

Re-Educate before Rescue Vanessa : Don't just rescue the crabs if it means more crabs will be ordered in their place.

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 Shells

An Interview with Amy Youngs by Vanessa : Vanessa interviewed Amy Youngs, a young artist who has "colloaborated with another artist, Matt Derksen, to design shells using 3D modelling programs."

Painted Shells by Vanessa : There are SO many types of seashells that are breathtakingly beautiful and unique. Vanessa highlights some of the more popular and naturally pretty shells available with some reasons why painted shells may not be best for your hermit crab.

Painted Shells by CSJ Forum Members : Crabbers speak out about painted shells and why they should be avoided

Seashell Selection by Jose-Luis Osorno, Lourdes Fernandez-Casillas and Cristina Rodrýguez-Juarez : "Terrestrial hermit crabs (Coenobita compressus (H. Milne Edwards)) on Isabel island, Mexico, prefer Nerita (Ritena ) scabricosta (Lanark 1822) over other species of shells."

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 Temperature

Crabitat and Substrate Temperature by Marie : On the importance of testing the temperature at substrate temperature.

On Keeping Them Warm... - Jenn, CLD and LHCOS : Tips on how to keep your hermit crabs warm in winter and cool in summer.

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 Water

The Importance of the Right Kind of Salt - by Jen