Hermit crabs are starting to become more popular as pets in many circles. If you know much about caring for them, then you probably understand that hermit crabs need to be kept warm using heaters during certain times of the year.
When temperatures start to dip down really low, it’s going to be necessary to keep your hermit crab safe by giving it warmth. This is why most people who keep hermit crabs as pets are going to utilize heaters in hermit crab habitats when necessary.
What should you do if you do not have access to a heater, though? Is there a way that you can keep hermit crabs warm without a heater?
Keep reading to get all of the information about hermit crabs and what you can do to keep them warm. This should give you a better idea of what options you have to keep your hermit crabs safe during colder months.
How Warm Do Hermit Crabs Need to Be?
The first thing that you should understand is how warm hermit crabs need to be to thrive and remain safe. If you are going to keep hermit crabs in your home, then you have to know that they require environments that are between 65 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
It probably won’t be a problem to keep a hermit crab’s habitat in the right temperature range during the spring or summer. In many places, it won’t be tough to keep a hermit crab’s habitat warm enough during the autumn months either, but winter is a different story.
Ideally, you should own some type of thermometer (view thermometer/hygrometer combo on amazon) that will let you know what the temperature is in the hermit crab’s habitat area. This gives you the information that you need to make informed decisions about warming the environment up.
The good thing about thermostats is that you can buy thermostats that are very reliable that don’t require any type of power. Simply take the time to get a reliable thermostat so that you will have good data to use.
If you’re looking for something inexpensive, then you can buy various digital thermometers that do a good job at a low price. This should give you what you need, and you won’t have to feel as if you are breaking the bank.
1 – Move Your Crab to a Warm Spot
Moving your crab to a warm spot is going to be the next course of action to take. If you don’t wish to use a heater that is specifically for habitats such as the one that your hermit crab lives in, then you’ll need to find a warm spot in your home.
Humans generally like to keep things around 70 degrees Fahrenheit or a little warmer in their homes. It’s very likely that you have spots in your house that should be at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter months.
It could become necessary to move your hermit crab habitat to your bedroom or your living room. Simply pick a room that is warm enough so that your hermit crab will have enough warmth to be able to stay safe.
You will be able to tell the temperature in the house if you took the earlier advice of buying a thermometer to use. Having a warm spot for your hermit crab should help you to get through the winter just fine so long as you don’t keep your home frigid.
2 – Consider Adding More Substrate to the Tank
Another thing that can help when it comes to warmth is adding more substrate to the tank. The normal guidelines for caring for hermit crabs tell you that your habitat should have four inches of substrate, but a little extra can help hermit crabs to stay warmer when it’s cold.
The substrate is used to help hold in moisture while also giving your hermit crab a place where it can burrow. Your hermit crab will be able to burrow if it starts to feel too cold, and this will help it to stay healthy.
Just keep in mind that burrowing won’t be a proper solution if you’re exposing your hermit crab to truly cold temperatures. If your house has no heating source in the winter months, then that is going to be dangerous for both you and your hermit crabs.
3 – Insulate the Tank with Towels
Some hermit crab owners have chosen to keep their hermit crabs warm by insulating the tank that they stay in with towels. Wrapping the habitat with one or two towels will help your hermit crab to warm up when it’s cold.
You can’t wrap the habitat completely, though, because your hermit crab is going to need fresh air. You’re going to have to leave an opening so that fresh air can come in.
As long as you wrap the habitat properly, it’s possible to significantly raise the temperature inside of the habitat. It should work very well to help keep your hermit crab warm when you don’t have access to a traditional heater.
4 – Make the Habitat More Humid
Adding humidity to the tank is something that can help your hermit crab out as well. If you have learned about caring for hermit crabs, then you probably already know that they need the humidity to be at least around 70% in their habitats.
It’s possible to add humidity to the habitat to help keep things moist and improve the warmth. You can go about doing this in a few ways, and the easiest is to simply use a humidifier.
You might not have a heater to use for your hermit crab, but you might have access to a humidifier. Humidifiers are great to use during the winter months when things get too dry, and using a humidifier in the room where your hermit crab is kept could be a great choice to make.
If you do not have access to a humidifier, then you can still add humidity to the environment by using warm water. Spraying your hermit crab’s habitat with warm water is an excellent way to raise the humidity for your pet.
It’s Really Best to Just Use a Heater
Finally, you should really know that it truly is best to just use a heater. Most hermit crab enthusiasts are going to tell you that using heaters makes a lot of sense during the winter months.
You can try the methods listed above to see if you can get by, but there really is no reason for you not to use a heater. It’s possible to find heaters that go under aquarium habitats and they’re really easy to use.
When you make the decision to start keeping hermit crabs as pets, it’s going to be your responsibility to take care of them. You should do your best to do what you’re supposed to do so that they can thrive under your care.
Overall, buying a heater for your hermit crab’s habitat isn’t hard to do. If you live in an area that gets really cold during the winter, then it’s probably going to be ideal to have a heater for the hermit crab’s habitat.
You might be able to avoid using a heater if you live in a warmer area, but winters will still get pretty cold in most places. Try to make smart decisions so that you can protect your hermit crabs and enjoy keeping them around for a long time.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Film/Video/Media Studies, as well as an associates degree in Communications. I began producing videos and musical recordings nearly 15 years ago. I am a guitarist and bassist in Southwest MI and have been in a few different bands since 2009, and in 2012 I began building custom guitars and basses in my home workshop as well. When I’m home, I love spending time with my three pets (a dog, cat, and snake) and gardening in my backyard. I also like photographing wild birds, especially birds of prey.
Delia
Saturday 29th of January 2022
Thank you for this information! Just bought my first hermit crab yesterday and it slipped my mind to grab a heater. Your article gave me some good ideas to make sure he's warm until I get one. Appreciate it very much.