New to Hermit Crabs? Here's Where to Start.
Every experienced hermit crab keeper started exactly where you are.
There's a lot of information out there, and it can feel overwhelming at first. The good news is that caring for hermit crabs comes down to a few basics. Learn those first, and everything else becomes much easier.
Set Up the Right Home
Everything starts with the habitat. Your crabs need enough space, deep substrate to burrow, warmth, humidity, fresh and salt water, and places to climb and hide.
Get these basics right first. Everything else builds from there.
Feed a Variety of Foods
In the wild, hermit crabs rarely eat the same thing twice.
That's why we feed using The Buffet Method: offer a small daily buffet, rotate Complete Meals and Single Ingredients, and always keep The Core — Green Sand, Worm Castings, and a calcium source — available.
Learn The Buffet Method →  · Explore The Core →
Understand Molting
Molting is how hermit crabs grow. Most crabs bury themselves for a molt, sometimes for weeks or even months.
It can be stressful for new keepers. But the most important thing is simple: don't dig them up.
Keep a Well-Stocked Shell Shop
Hermit crabs constantly outgrow and change shells. Keep several natural, unpainted shells available in different sizes so your crabs can choose when it's time to move.
Let Them Be Hermit Crabs
Climbing, digging, foraging, hiding, and exploring are all natural behaviors. Give your crabs plenty of opportunities to do the things they would naturally do in the wild.
You Don't Have to Learn It All Today
Start with the basics, keep learning, and your crabs will be better off because of it.
Every good hermit crab keeper started by learning one thing at a time.