# Hermit Crabs?



## Brewster320 (Jul 18, 2012)

Be recently read how some people keep hermit crabs with their tortoises as almost a kind of clean up crew and the idea I find really fascinating. So I was wondering who here actually does this? I also have a few questions as I'd like to try this at some point.

What do you do about saltwater as i know they need to soak in it? Do u supplement feed them anything or do they just feed off tortoise food and waste? Does anyone keep them in outdoor enclosures with their torts or is it an indoor only thing? And could this be done with a russian tortoise? Thanks in advanced for answering any of my questions.


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## Madkins007 (Jul 18, 2012)

I did this for several years with my red-footeds- which have a compatible habitat to crabs. Some crab species NEED saltwater soaks, but the most common pet store versions do not need it as much and if you choose to do it, you can usually just set them in a bowl with a little saltwater in it for a while.

I also never feed them separately, but did not remove old food until just before the next day's feeding so the crabs could forage on it. 

Understand, however, that to me they were workers, not pets, so keeping them with the same degree of care that I gave my torts was not a priority. I also do not get the longevity from the crabs that some sources say you should.

(The use of the past tense here reflects the idea that when summer roles around, the torts go outside and the crabs get a little more attentive care so they are not living together at that point.)


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## tortle (Jul 18, 2012)

This is really interesting. Is there a chance of the hermit crabs biting the tortoises?


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## Brewster320 (Jul 18, 2012)

That very interesting. I like the idea of them cleaning up after the tortoises and the fact that add a new element of variety to the enclosure. I may give this a try in the future.


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## dmmj (Jul 18, 2012)

Red foots tend to eat the hermit crabs. not the other way around.


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## Nixxy (Jul 19, 2012)

Yeah, I'd be very skeptical of what dmmj said.

I'd love to do it, don't get me wrong..but I can't help but feel it'd just look like a walking snack.


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## electra (Jul 19, 2012)

I keep them with my 3toed box turtles and my red foot. I do put in a small saucer salt water soak for the crabs. I have never had a problem and they forage all the left overs. I also feed them at night as well a few times a week with the supplements relative to them. They are part of the environment of my tank. I do not treat them with less respect than the turtles as I feel they are living beings deserving of care.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 19, 2012)

electra said:


> I keep them with my 3toed box turtles and my red foot. I do put in a small saucer salt water soak for the crabs. I have never had a problem and they forage all the left overs. I also feed them at night as well a few times a week with the supplements relative to them. They are part of the environment of my tank. I do not treat them with less respect than the turtles as I feel they are living beings deserving of care.



Hi electra:

Won't you take a few moments to start a new thread in the "introductions" section and tell us a bit about yourself?


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## Madkins007 (Jul 19, 2012)

As for biting each other- these are both ancient armored species. I have seen the torts gnaw on the crabs quite often, especially in the early stages before they figure out each other's patterns and find good hides, but I have never seen a crab bite a tort.

I also have not seen any signs of the tort bites causing injury, but I am sure that if a tort got a good hold on a crab itself it would sure give it a good try.


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## Nixxy (Jul 19, 2012)

Yeah, I get attached easy..I'd just be worried if I put a Hermit Crab in with Toby, he'd eat the little thing. 

It'd be really neat to have though.

So you think it'd be okay, for one adult Red Foot to be with a crab or two?


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## Madkins007 (Jul 20, 2012)

Hermit crabs do best in small groups and big habitats (if they are sharing with tortoises). I had 3 in a 40x20 or so habitat and that seemed to work nicely.


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## Blastoise (Jul 20, 2012)

I wouldn't do it with a russian tortoise Brewster. Hermit crabs need very high humidity and russians like it dry.


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## Beeliz (Aug 1, 2012)

ok,I'm very excited now! I just got a hermit crab today,and was hoping it could live happily with my gulf coast box turtle...they need the same requirements ,so it makes sense! will this be ok with my 10 month old gulf coast box turtle?


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## Itort (Aug 2, 2012)

I have done this and it worked well until the crabs out grow the shell and went looking for shell. The redfoots ate well then. Remember redfoots are opportunistic feeders and hermit crabs are natural prey in the wild.


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## Beeliz (Aug 2, 2012)

I have them together now,,and I watch them closely,my boxie is interested in him for sure,and scraes me that he might try to eat him! But the hermit crab can climb well,and get's up the driftwood nicely..I hope this works out! Is there a chance my little box turtle could harm the hermit ?? I really like this!!! My turtle will never get as big as a tortoise,,,so is there a big danger?


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## Nixxy (Aug 4, 2012)

I'm sure _technically_ he could harm/kill the crab. But will he? I don't really think he would bother with it.


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## paschallraschalls (Aug 7, 2012)

How young of a boxie would you put in with the crabs? We have 3 small hermit crabs and I am planning to bring home 2-3 new (year old) boxie babies next week. Do you think putting them together would be a bad idea?


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## SWDK (Aug 7, 2012)

I think the hermit crab idea is pretty cool. I'd like to try it as well. Do you think you could also add earthworms to help mixup and clean the substrate?


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## Mgridgaway (Aug 9, 2012)

Itort said:


> I have done this and it worked well until the crabs out grow the shell and went looking for shell. The redfoots ate well then. Remember redfoots are opportunistic feeders and hermit crabs are natural prey in the wild.



I imagined my redfoots doing this and laughed so hard. Typical Redfoot.


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## Brewster320 (Aug 10, 2012)

SWDK said:


> I think the hermit crab idea is pretty cool. I'd like to try it as well. Do you think you could also add earthworms to help mixup and clean the substrate?



I've heard of people putting critters such as pillbugs(rolly-pollies) in there living vivariums(a self-sustaining ecosystem with live plants and animals) with dart frogs and geckos. Idk how well that would work with larger animals though. I do have a worm compost with red wigglers( basically earthworms but more tolerant of warmer temps) and I usually put left over food, old hay, and my tort's waste in there and they turn it into compost.


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## Madkins007 (Aug 11, 2012)

Mgridgaway said:


> Itort said:
> 
> 
> > I have done this and it worked well until the crabs out grow the shell and went looking for shell. The redfoots ate well then. Remember redfoots are opportunistic feeders and hermit crabs are natural prey in the wild.
> ...



I have watched my crabs change shells several times without risk. Mine, at least, changed at night when the torts were sleeping. So far, while I have lost crabs to other things, I have not lost one as a snack yet... knock on wood. (But, as I mentioned, it would not bother me a bit if they did!)



Brewster320 said:


> SWDK said:
> 
> 
> > I think the hermit crab idea is pretty cool. I'd like to try it as well. Do you think you could also add earthworms to help mixup and clean the substrate?
> ...



If you can provide a soil/sand mix to support it, you can make a nice 'bioactive' substrate where worms, sow bugs (pillbugs), and micro-organisms work together to digest wastes, eat pests, and change the characteristics of the soil. https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/the-work-shop/substrates-1


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## BowandWalter (Aug 12, 2012)

What stops the hermit crab from climbing out of the enclosures? I had one when I was really little, he was a master escape artist. 
How long do they typically survive with a tortoise? I had Hermann from when I was 6 to fairly recently, but he was fully grown when I got him, so I'd mostly be guessing his age.
Also what kind do you put in tortoise enclosures? Because I was a nerdy 6 year old I did a lot of nerd searching, I know that the type Hermann was (which stays fairly small) needed 6-8 inches of burrowing space, how would you replicate that? Just lots of hides?


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## shelloise (Sep 6, 2012)

I would be concerned that a hermit crab would hurt a tortoise. I have had hermit crabs for years and have gotten pinched hard a few times .. Not fun


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## Masin (Sep 6, 2012)

I found only tree crabs at the stores here, they require less water than a hermit so it was more appealing....yet thus far it's been a waste of money! He has come out of his burrow one time and did not bother eating etc just ran around and went back to tunneling. Lovely.


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## Vicki78 (Sep 7, 2012)

Would it be safe to put hermit crabs in with my Indian Star?
Would just a small bowl of salt water be suffice for the crab?
Would the salt water harm my tort of he drank some of this?
Would it be best if I took the crab out for a day & soak it separately?
Sorry for all of the questions but aquatic animals are very close to my heart along with torts


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## Yuttt (Sep 8, 2012)

Hermit crabs... Ugh. Bad memories of keeping them, and then they died in a few months, and my room smelled horrible for a week. I don't know what happened. It was a long time ago.


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## bholmes88 (Sep 10, 2012)

As far as cleaning crews go I have isopods and a small species of wood roach living with my tortoises. I very, very rarely have to clean old leftovers out. It is usually completely eaten by the following morning, they also eat any feces. Another good benefit is they help keep the ammount of springtails down. I highly suggest adding a colony of isopods to any humid cage. They have modified gills so if it becomes even dry they will all die.


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## Cowboy_Ken (Sep 10, 2012)

Back when I kept fish,(a long time ago, in a land far, far away) I had oscars. With them I kept silver barbs that were the trash collectors. Happy fish they were, eating all the scales and what not leftover from the oscars feeding! Everyone was happy for a good year, then one night the oscars realized that those other fish were food items. 
In the morning, I found fins and bits floating and one terrified silver barb hiding in the rocks/plants. Not real sure if this is a good analogy, but it seems worth noting. If it is carnivorous or omnivorous and it can fit it in their mouth, I think it will end up as an expensive food item that you'll miss seeing running around. 
Keep us posted with updates, both positive and negative please.


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## crussellii (Sep 13, 2012)

bholmes88 said:


> As far as cleaning crews go I have isopods and a small species of wood roach living with my tortoises. I very, very rarely have to clean old leftovers out. It is usually completely eaten by the following morning, they also eat any feces. Another good benefit is they help keep the ammount of springtails down. I highly suggest adding a colony of isopods to any humid cage. They have modified gills so if it becomes even dry they will all die.



This may be a stupid question, but how do you change your substrate and find all the isopods?


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## arwengraff (Sep 15, 2012)

I have a Red-foot. Been keeping two hermit crabs in my enclosure. It works out about as well as other people on here have said. They come out at night devour Tsuro's waste and any leftover food. Occasionally Tsuro will nibble on the top of th shell but nothing major they have both gone through shell changes too. My Tort & one of the crabs even share a hide sometimes!


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## DrewsLife727 (Sep 15, 2012)

huh interesting.. im considering getting a hermit crab now..


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## LuckysGirl007 (Sep 15, 2012)

Hmmm...my daughter has been doing chores and saving up to get some hermit crabs. She has purchased everything but the crabs! Perhaps her crabs could come and "visit" in the torts home every once in a while. She wouldn't mind saving on food $$$!


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## WinterDB (Sep 24, 2012)

Do you think this would work with a sulcata? Clean up sounds nice to me, I've had hermit crabs before, they lady said to buy more than one so I bought three. They were fine for about a week until I woke up one morning to find a massacre. 
They all killed each other. It was heart breaking..there were crabs pulled out of their shells with legs missing. One was missing its head entirely..
RIP hellboy, Abe, and fester


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## crussellii (Sep 24, 2012)

Can Russian tortoises and Hermit Crabs co habitate


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## taytay3391 (Sep 24, 2012)

crussellii said:


> Can Russian tortoises and Hermit Crabs co habitate



Good question..


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## aznwinx (Oct 6, 2012)

I don't recommend this because one of my friends caught a Hermit Crab and he gave it to me. I had no where else to put it so I put it in my tortoise tank. So I left for about 10mins and i checked up on them.The crab was trying to eat my tortoise. So I don't recommend it. Its just my thoughts though


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## porter (Oct 10, 2012)

I had two hermits in with my redfoots, was all fine until the crabs grew and had to move shells, this resulted in them being eaten


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## Jessamy (Nov 1, 2012)

I got several Hermit Crabs to live with my RF hatchling. I think I am going to separate them though, my RF wants to eat them quite badly! He tries but they hide, run or climb so far (only 1 little guy seems not to be afraid, most hide). Larger crabs can pinch hard, but are generally passive and nocturnal(PP's anyway- E's are more active)), so there is some but not a lot of risk- such is life! Also, the crabs also only eat small amounts of food so I am trying pillbugs now. 
I may just section off a section of RF tort table habitat, they say tanks are ok but I'm a bit skeptical of airflow.
Burke really really loves to hunt and eat worms so likely not all torts will bother the crabs, just be prepared they may. Also, all Hermits do need some salt water, at least 2 crabs, high humidity, and sand(look up which kinds)/organic soil/coconut fiber(some not all Spaghum ok) -not- paper, cypress mulch or gravel and they can live as long as a tort (40 yrs. !)if well cared for. All crabs are wild caught so should be considered a pet too(my opinion anyway) not only clean up.


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## Jessamy (Nov 1, 2012)

Madkins007 said:


> Mgridgaway said:
> 
> 
> > Itort said:
> ...





I am using a bioactive and love it(worms, organic soil, plants from seed) substrate but my little tort got blood mites(I did use outdoor leaves etc.) any advice to prevent a recurrence? The soil was too wet because humidity was a struggle and I am adding pillbugs. Will pillbugs bother a burried crab?


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## Master Ogway (Nov 4, 2012)

Man I was just reading about this too. I was gonna ask about adding hermit carbs to my red foots new table but then I found this haha.


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## pdrobber (Nov 6, 2012)

My red foot relentlessly bites the shell of the crab I added to the enclosure. So I have been keeping it in a separate small enclosure.


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## theresal (Nov 6, 2012)

This is all really interesting. I would never have thought of this for the red foots. The only problem is that mine are outdoors most of the year and there is no way I could keep a hermit crab in the pen. And when I keep my torts inside, they run around on the floor of my sun room. I could try this with my hatchlings, but I would be afraid that the crabs would hurt them.


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## jareeed2 (Dec 22, 2012)

Getting hermit crabs tommorow! This is so cool! How many ya think can go in my 6'x3' tort table with 3 5-7 inch RF torts in there?
And how many in my 36"x18" with two 9 month old redfoot babies?
Thanks!


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## animalfreak (Dec 23, 2012)

Well I happen to have a pet hermit crab with his own little enclosure but after reading this I was wondering if it would be okay with my 2 6 month old sulcatas? If not that's fine my buddy's okay in his own little thing anyways just curious.




crussellii said:


> This may be a stupid question, but how do you change your substrate and find all the isopods?



And not being rude but how do you sleep at night knowing there are roaches in your house. I'm sorry but roaches freak me out!!!


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## jareeed2 (Dec 23, 2012)

Clibing all around! 





Hanging with the babies






Nice hiding spot






Bonnie and Littlefoot sniffing the crabs and were verrryyyy curious!


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## Madkins007 (Dec 24, 2012)

animalfreak said:


> Well I happen to have a pet hermit crab with his own little enclosure but after reading this I was wondering if it would be okay with my 2 6 month old sulcatas? If not that's fine my buddy's okay in his own little thing anyways just curious.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





1. hermit crabs and sulcata- no, sorry, the habitat is not similar enough (unless you are raising your sulcata in a rain forest environment).

2. Isopods are not roachs. Isopods are wood lice or rolly-polly bugs.


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## animalfreak (Dec 24, 2012)

Madkins007 said:


> 1. hermit crabs and sulcata- no, sorry, the habitat is not similar enough (unless you are raising your sulcata in a rain forest environment).
> 
> 2. Isopods are not roachs. Isopods are wood lice or rolly-polly bugs.



Okay I should have known that!!! Oh well after Christmas I'm getting buddy some friends anyways lol! Thanks and I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend you I just personally would just stick to cleaning my enclosure myself. Thanks for your help!


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## animalfreak (Dec 26, 2012)

I can't house mine together because I have sulcatas but today I got 2 more hermit crabs! Lol bob buddy and tiny hahaha! Bobs very active!




Bob 




Tiny




Buddy! I have an addiction to pets so when I got $50 I bought hermit crabs the only pets I could afford!!!! Hahahaha don't worry I limit myself!


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