Best Crabitat Size
Best crabitat size should be determined by how many hermit crab pets you plan to have, plus the amount of space in your home for the enclosure, also considering how much money you want to spend.
Building crabitats can be fun (and addicting), and will often lead to upgrades and larger projects. As your hermit crabs grow, and as you learn more about hermit crab behaviors, chances are you’ll want to provide them with more stimulating natural elements: taller climbing branches, bigger water pools, hanging coco-hideaways!
Most new hermit crab pets parents start off with a small crabitat, usually a 10 gallon tank. However, it’s VERY common to see people upgrade their crabitats to larger and larger enclosures.
Generally speaking, the more space in your crabitat, the healthier your hermit crabs will be and the longer they’ll live.
Minimum Size for a Healthy Crabitat
The minimum size for a crabitat with 1-3 small hermit crabs is a ten gallon tank. However, hermit crabs will outgrow this size enclosure within a year or two. This size tank doesn’t have enough surface space for water, food and molting space plus stimulating elements in order to keep it healthy and happy for a longer period of time.
Remember: –> Hermit Crab Pets Live Longer Than Dogs
Minimum Width for a Crabitat?
There are certain requirements that you’ll need to fit into your crabitat. It’s smart to plan out and measure for the elements you want to include, so you know the size of enclosure you need.
Example: hermit crab pets need water. They need to be able to crawl into the the water and bathe. This means the water bowl needs to be large enough to submerge. Then multiply x 2… so you can provide them with both freshwater and saltwater. *IF space is limited, it’s okay for the saltwater bowl to be smaller than the freshwater bowl.
You’ll need to place these elements on the surface (top) of the substrate (sand/coco-fiber) you put inside. This means making sure there’s enough space for everything in the enclosure you plan to use for your crabitat. You need:
- fresh water pool large enough for hermies to bathe
- saltwater bowl, dish or pool
- food dish
- shelter (coconut hut, hideaway, dark corner etc)
- climbing branch, driftwood, ladder or similar
- surface space for hermies to dig down and burrow
10 Gallon Tank for Hermit Crabs?
A 10 gallon glass tank is the minimum recommended size for a starter crabitat. It can provide enough space for 1-3 very small hermit crabs. BUT as they grow, they WILL need a larger crabitat!
Most common dimensions:
20″ x 10″ x 12″
(20″ long by 10″ deep by 12″ tall)
A 10 gallon glass tank is the minimum recommended size for a starter crabitat. It can provide enough space for 1-3 very small hermit crabs. BUT as they grow, they WILL need a larger crabitat!
Also, hermit crabs love to climb and these tanks (wider than taller) won’t provide the space growing hermit crabs need to climb, for very long. They will outgrow a 10 gallon aquarium within a year or two.
Aquarium and Stand Combos
If you have the budget, larger aquariums that have matching stands can make great crabitats. This 36 gallon is a good size for 1-4 small to medium sized hermit crabs. It’s dimensions are wide plus a little taller than a normal tank, allowing for some extra climbing elements.
The storage space underneath makes it convenient to store food, saltwater mix, extra shells and extra stimulating elements to swap out periodically.
Glass Terrariums, Vivariums found in the Reptile Section!
ReptiZoo Glass Terrarium
24" x 18" x 36"
My favorite crabitats are taller vs. wider, allowing for taller climbing branches and other stimulating elements. Hermit crabs LOVE climbing and they are GREAT at it, even when they are teeny tiny.
These front-opening enclosures are found in the reptile section of pet stores vs. the fish/aquarium section. There are different sizes, and different manufacturers that make these terrariums and vivariums.
The challenge when choosing a taller vs wider enclosure is having enough surface space to provide large water pools and space for molting. While they do make 12″ wide front-opening terrariums with mesh tops, these are the bare minimum width your hermit crabs need. They WILL outgrow the enclosure.
This ReptiZoo Glass Terrarium is a good size for crabitats, and there are optional mesh sides. Hermit crabs love this because they can climb on them! The tops are mesh (hermit crabs will find a way up there and hang from the top, they love that too) and have spaces to run water lines if you want to use an air bubbler or fountain.
The mesh top is flat and works well if you want to provide a heat lamp. However, the mesh side option means your home can’t be cold, and you need to provide extra humidity. Generally speaking, glass sides are best for crabitats because they maintain warmth and humidity much better. IF you live in a warm climate and plan to keep your crabitat on a covered patio, a glass and mesh crabitat may be a perfect choice!
Other Great Crabitat Enclosure Options
The Exo Terra terrariums ( found in the reptile section of pet stores) have two large front doors that open out, and a large bottom for plenty of substrate for molting and burrowing. The smallest size is a 12x12x12, but hermit crabs will QUICKLY outgrow this sized crabitat!
Exo Terra makes a 18x18x24 terrarium that makes a GREAT crabitat! It’s got a full 7 inches of solid glass on the bottom, perfect to fill in with substrate. Then it has a full-front opening, making it easy to feed, clean, rearrange the crabitat. The top is escape-proof for hermit crabs and flat, so you can place a lamp or heat lamp on top as needed. There’s plenty of space for taller climbing branches, a cool natural looking background or tree bark. And the 18″ with gives space for larger water pools while still providing plenty of space for burrowing.
We also love this Zilla Tropical Reptile Vertical glass enclosure, 16″ x 16″ x 24″ tall. It’s got a solid, deep bottom space for plenty of needed substrate. A front opening for easy access. A mesh top for ventilation and works well for adding lighting and/or a heat lamp. Priced around $100.
We find that the 16″ width is a bare minimum for multiple hermit crabs any bigger than 2″. Why? The surface area becomes too much of a challenge when providing larger sized water pools PLUS the other elements they need. In our opinion, this size crabitat is the perfect size for 1-3 hermit crabs to grow and thrive for the first 5-7 years of their lives. If you have more hermit crabs, or larger… look for a bigger enclosure with more surface width than 16″.
Overall, we are BIG fans of enclosures made for reptiles (and chameleons, etc) vs. using aquariums… for a crabitat. Why? They are made to provide warmth and humidity, have built-in elements that allow for easily adding lighting and water lines. And when they are front-opening, they make it much easier to clean and maintain.
Are you the Creative Type? Want a BIG CRABITAT?
Think "Furniture Hack"!!! Find a glass display cabinet and CONVERT IT!
Are you creative? These are FUN!
Like a good challenge? Are you creative?
If you understand the SIX Steps to a Healthy, Happy Crabitat… you can create a one-of-a-kind habitat that will wow you, your friends and family AND your hermit crab pets!!!
Did you know? Some of the coolest crabitats on the planet were created by repurposing FURNITURE!
Old hutches and glass display cabinets can make beautiful, functional and healthy crabitats! Before you throw out that old piece of furniture, could you add glass and levels to make your hermies happy?
Here’s our Ikea Detolf Crabitat Hack we created for under $100! It’s got 6 levels, lighting, plenty of hiding spots, fun and stimulation for our hermit crabs. Can you spot Fred? He’s very nocturnal, but he came out for us to take this photo.
