Johnny with his hermit crabs Iris, Babs, and Rocky
By Sara Caruso
Photography by Michal Moffa Wilson
It’s important for your hermit crabs to get extra enrichment outside of their enclosure. This will make them more tame and calm around you and give you a chance to clean their crabitat. Hermits are curious animals that love to explore and play. Setting up a playpen for them is a great way to keep your hermits’ minds and bodies active.
Place toys and climbable objects in the playpen. You can also build houses for them out of LEGOs. Just make sure whatever they climb on is stable and low to the ground so there’s no risk of falling. Hermit crabs even enjoy things you bring home from the beach. Before allowing your crabs to interact with a beach find, make sure to sanitize it. Boiling the beach find in water and let it dry and cool thoroughly. Do not use soap or chemicals. Hermit crab love to chew on driftwood, but avoid pine and cedar because those are toxic to crabs. As always, all should be done under close supervision.
Despite appearances, hermit crabs are inquisitive and intelligent, and will love their new activity center for years to come!
