Land Hermit Crabs Need Water: Why, What and How Much?
Why Do Land Hermit Crabs Need Water?
Water is essential to the survival of all living organisms, and hermit crabs are no exception. Land hermit crabs need water for several reasons:
- Water to Drink: Hermit crabs need to drink water to stay alive.
- Water to Store in Shells for Molting: Hermit crabs need to store water inside their shells, to use during the long molting process. Getting water into their shells is the reason for providing a water bowl that is at least deep enough for half their shell to submerge. Most hermit crabs choose not to submerge fully, even if given a deeper water pool, so usually a water dish that is between 1.5 – 2.5″ deep for medium and large hermit crabs works fine.
- Water to Keep Soft Abdomens Moist: Hermit crabs need plenty of water to stay hydrated, essential to keeping their soft abdomens inside their shells, moist.
- Water to Keep Moisture in Air: Hermit crabs need humidity (moisture in warm air) to keep their gills moist. Even though land hermit crabs have adapted to breathe air on land, their gills need moisture. Levels of humidity required varies between different species of hermit crabs. To some species, very high humidity is essential and to others a lower level of humidity is best. Which hermit crab species do you have? See my blog on different types of hermit crabs here.
What Water Do Hermit Crabs Need?
Hermit crabs need both fresh and saltwater to survive. Freshwater is used for drinking and bathing, while saltwater is necessary for the proper functioning of their gills.
Purple pinchers are the one common species of hermit crab pet that is known to survive in their natural habitat without saltwater for longer periods of time, though they do require saltwater for reproduction. Purple pinchers are often found further inland inside mangroves and heavy vegetative areas and forests in the wild, while most other hermit crab species don’t stray from the edge of the ocean.
Fresh and Distilled Water for Hermit Crabs
Hermit crabs can NOT drink water from a faucet. The chemicals will affect their gills and will slowly kill them. ALWAYS detoxify faucet water first OR purchase fresh distilled or RO (reverse osmosis) water.
Also, be sure to change the water in their bowls regularly to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Water stagnates quickly and will start to grow bacteria, most especially if they drag food or substrate in with them or if you’re using a sponge (sponges attract and secrete lots of extra bacteria and nastiness).
Do Hermit Crabs Need Saltwater?
Yes, hermit crabs need saltwater. Saltwater is essential for the proper functioning of their gills, which they use to breathe. Without saltwater, hermit crabs can suffocate and die.
Saltwater contains a range of minerals and other important substances that are beneficial to hermit crabs. These include:
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- Sodium (Na) – Sodium is an essential electrolyte that helps regulate the balance of fluids in the hermit crab’s body and aids in nerve and muscle function.
- Chloride (Cl) – Chloride is another important electrolyte that helps maintain the body’s fluid balance and is involved in the production of digestive juices.
- Calcium (Ca) – Calcium is a mineral that is crucial for the growth and maintenance of a hermit crab’s exoskeleton.
- Magnesium (Mg) – Magnesium is another mineral that is important for the health of the hermit crab’s exoskeleton and is involved in the functioning of enzymes in the body.
- Potassium (K) – Potassium is an electrolyte that helps regulate the body’s fluid balance and is involved in nerve and muscle function.
- Trace elements – Saltwater also contains a variety of trace elements, such as iodine, iron, and zinc, which are necessary for various bodily processes, including enzyme function and metabolism.
Overall, the minerals and electrolytes present in saltwater help to maintain the hermit crab’s overall health and well-being.
How to Make Saltwater for Hermit Crabs
To make saltwater for hermit crabs, you’ll need marine salt mix, which can be purchased at pet stores. Follow the instructions on the package to mix the salt and water. The ideal salinity level for hermit crabs is around 1.023 to 1.024 specific gravity. Be sure to change the saltwater in their bowls regularly to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. See my blog here on mixing saltwater for hermit crabs, and see product options.
Hermit Crabs Like Moving Water
In the wild, hermit crabs live at the ocean’s edge. The ocean ebbs and flows continuously, it’s never stagnant. This constant water movement brings hermit plays a large role in reproduction carrying hermit crab eggs out to see and eventually bringing them back to shore. And this continuous tide washes a regular supply of food to them. Hermit crabs rely on the movement of water, it’s a crucial part of their life in the wild.
In a hermit crab habitat, they can certainly survive without moving water. However, water stagnates quickly and can become unhealthy. Also, hermit crabs are known to be come bored. They are naturally very inquisitive, active little creatures and they do love water. Adding moving water to their water bowls naturally stimulates them, and they are much more likely to enjoy drinking and submerging in their water.
Here’s my post on adding moving water to your hermit crab water bowls (hint: it’s easy and cheap and makes hermit crabs happy!).
To add air stones in a water bowl, you’ll need an air pump. Air pumps need electricity to run, and will come with a cord to either plug into your wall outlet OR a usb to plug into a usb/electrical converter.
FAQs
Q: How often should I change the water in my hermit crab’s bowl?
A: You should change the water in your hermit crab’s bowl every day to prevent bacterial growth and ensure that they have access to clean water.
Q: Can I use seawater from the ocean for my hermit crabs?
A: It is NOT advisable to use seawater straight from the ocean as it can contain impurities, gasoline residue from boats, and possibly harmful bacteria and parasites, especially when collected close to or from the shore.
Q: What the difference between a Hermit Crab Water Dish, Bowl and Pool?
A: A hermit crab water dish is shallow and small, where a water bowl is larger and deep enough to submerge at least half of their shell height, and a water pool is a larger contained space where hermit crabs can submerge completely and enough space for a (needed) water filter.
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API