Playing with your Land Hermit Crab

by Vanessa Pike-Russell

There are many things you can do when playing with your crab. Why not set up an obstacle course of driftwood, rocks or plastic tubing? Hermit crabs just love to climb and exhibit their acrobatic skills. In the wild some hermit crabs live in trees, so it is a good idea to have something for them to climb on!

Not only can you hold them and watch them climb, but after some quality time with your pet they will actually come when you call them. Each time you handle them give them a little bit of food and talk softly to them, in a soothing manner. If you have young children, ask them to sit down when handling them, ideally on a spare bedsheet spread out on the loungeroom or bedroom floor, and help them to understand that gentleness earns trust.

Exercise is very important to hermit crab health, as they often wander a mile or so in the wild during their nightly escapades. Not only is it fun to watch them clamber about, climb and explore, but you will find that active hermit crabs eat more and are usually much healtheir for it.

Exercise Balls / Exerspheres

Exercise balls are lots of fun and very safe for your hermit crabs to romp around the loungeroom or bedroom floor. "Give your pet the freedom to roam and enjoy some freedom from the boring cage life!  Just put your little friend inside the well ventilated ball and watch him go.  The mini size is ideal for dwarf hamsters, mice, hermit crabs, and other similar tiny animals.  Ideal for use when cleaning the cage and for providing hours of interactive fun during playtime.  Well ventilated, locking lids for worry-free play.  Made of shatter-resistant plastic.  Available in transparent, glow in the dark, or colored models.  Each ball is approximately 4-1/2" in diameter. " (PetDiscounters Review)

Hermie Race

All you need to do is to take a hoola hoop and lower it onto a clean surface (I use a clean bedsheet because I have carpet) and then place your hermies in the center of it.

Sit back and watch them scamper to the hoola hoop finish line. Your have your own hermit crab race!

Hermie Climb

Another good hermie game is to make a little tower out of plastic mesh or gutter guard, driftwood tree or piece of grapevine. Make sure it is not too high up because you don't want your hermies to get hurt if they fall. To make sure they are safe you could have pillows about the base. You could make something like a cat's scratching post, with a vertical piece of wood covered in material such as astroturf or synthetic grass; ZooMed ReptiCarpet; fleece or other material as long as you can unpin or take it off for washing if it needs it.

Put your two hermies on the top and watch them climb down. Or they could start at the base and watch them climb up. They are experts at climbing and so fun to watch them hanging upside down or teetering on the edge.

Note: it is important to wash your hands before and after playing with your land hermit crabs

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