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I herd that some people keep hermit crabs with their tort and they help keep the substrate clean. Has anyone tried this? Would the hermit crab hurt the redfoot?
Does anyone keep hermit crabs with their RF?
- Thread starter Kevinmk
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I have 3 hermies in with my Redfoots and they all get along fine. Honestly they hardly interact, bout the time the torts go to bed for the night, the hermies come out, I put out a salt water dish at night with a sponge and they are all thriving and doing well 
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No I just let them eat the torts food and from everything I've read it's a well rounded diet for them, they just need the salt water with the sponge
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How big is your enclosure though? My rf Yota is still fairly young so her terrarium isnt exactly huge.
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My enclosure is 6x2x2 I have lots of hides and vines for the hermies too
heres a pic of my vines and foliage for the hermies they love to climb and I keep their salt water dish up too so the torts don't try an eat their sponge.
heres a pic of my vines and foliage for the hermies they love to climb and I keep their salt water dish up too so the torts don't try an eat their sponge.
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Hi hi! I am a member of the hermit crab association.
Hermit crabs love tort poop and thrive in a high humidity environment. They need about 80% humidity and 80 F. temp (though a bit warmer is good too). They are generally nocturnal, but each hermit has their own personality and it depends also on the species. I keep two species and sometimes they are up all day and night.
Hermit crab need deep substrate because they like to dig and they need to molt. The substrate has be a mixture of cocofiber and playsand mixed with water. I mix it with aquarium salt because that way it cuts down on fungus/mold. The substrate should be sandcastle consistency and as at least twice as deep as your largest crab is tall. At least six inches is recommended but the more the better. Larger crabs can need up to a foot of substrate, if not more. This is important because during molting they emit a smell that can attract other crabs to eat them. They also like to dig in order to distress and sometimes to play. Don't collapse their holes. Depending on the size and preference of the crab they can molt for pretty long periods. (Jumbo crabs have been known to go underground for six months!).
Hermit crabs need both fresh and salt water as mentioned above but some of the above information is also incorrect. The salt water MUST be hermit crab safe. Aquarium salt is needed and the water in both bowls must be de-chlorinated with special drops. The water bowls should not have a sponge. Sponges soak up the water and the hermits have a hard time drinking from them. They are used to raise humidity but if conditions are right shouldn't be needed especially because they can hold a lot of bacteria. Both waterbowls should be deep enough that the largest crab can fully submerge underwater. Steps or some kind of climbing device should be in the bowls because if they can't get out they will drown.
Hermits like to climb and hide. They especially seem to like moss pits. Remember, when spraying the enclosure (which is a must for hermits for their substrate and humidity) the water must be hermit crab safe.
A variety of shells must also be offered. At least three per crab and they must be natural unpainted shells. If the shells are painted, the hermits can eat the chipped paint and that is toxic. They also prefer natural shells. A shell their size, slightly small, and slightly larger must be provided. The more the better to keep them from getting into fights. Some species prefer certain shells over others.
Hermits like having lots of space both vertically and horizontally. I like to keep the "shell shop" in a shower caddy on top of one of their hides with a ladder for them to climb. I have all kinds of climbing things for them. They especially like to walk upside down from the roof of their enclosure (they are escape artists so be careful).
The fruits and veggies in a tort diet are very healthy for them. As I mentioned they also like the poop. However, these guys are scavengers and omnivores. They also like to eat meat, mine love chicken, and yes, even crab, shrimp, etc. Unsalted peanut butter and unsalted and un-buttered popcorn is a favrotie in my enclosure as well. I give mine salmon whenever I eat it and they love it. Whatever food you give them just can't have sauces and all that on it (unless it's olive oil or honey, that kind of thing).
In all, hermits make their own mess. Their poop is small, they can bury food, move things around, have lots of personality, etc. But keeping them properly would require extra work. Marine hermits in salt water tanks are a good cleanup crew but unless you have a tort living in a hermit crab environment I can see the tort knocking all the hermit climbing gear around. They are taking on another pet.
If you have any questions please let me know.
Hermit crabs love tort poop and thrive in a high humidity environment. They need about 80% humidity and 80 F. temp (though a bit warmer is good too). They are generally nocturnal, but each hermit has their own personality and it depends also on the species. I keep two species and sometimes they are up all day and night.
Hermit crab need deep substrate because they like to dig and they need to molt. The substrate has be a mixture of cocofiber and playsand mixed with water. I mix it with aquarium salt because that way it cuts down on fungus/mold. The substrate should be sandcastle consistency and as at least twice as deep as your largest crab is tall. At least six inches is recommended but the more the better. Larger crabs can need up to a foot of substrate, if not more. This is important because during molting they emit a smell that can attract other crabs to eat them. They also like to dig in order to distress and sometimes to play. Don't collapse their holes. Depending on the size and preference of the crab they can molt for pretty long periods. (Jumbo crabs have been known to go underground for six months!).
Hermit crabs need both fresh and salt water as mentioned above but some of the above information is also incorrect. The salt water MUST be hermit crab safe. Aquarium salt is needed and the water in both bowls must be de-chlorinated with special drops. The water bowls should not have a sponge. Sponges soak up the water and the hermits have a hard time drinking from them. They are used to raise humidity but if conditions are right shouldn't be needed especially because they can hold a lot of bacteria. Both waterbowls should be deep enough that the largest crab can fully submerge underwater. Steps or some kind of climbing device should be in the bowls because if they can't get out they will drown.
Hermits like to climb and hide. They especially seem to like moss pits. Remember, when spraying the enclosure (which is a must for hermits for their substrate and humidity) the water must be hermit crab safe.
A variety of shells must also be offered. At least three per crab and they must be natural unpainted shells. If the shells are painted, the hermits can eat the chipped paint and that is toxic. They also prefer natural shells. A shell their size, slightly small, and slightly larger must be provided. The more the better to keep them from getting into fights. Some species prefer certain shells over others.
Hermits like having lots of space both vertically and horizontally. I like to keep the "shell shop" in a shower caddy on top of one of their hides with a ladder for them to climb. I have all kinds of climbing things for them. They especially like to walk upside down from the roof of their enclosure (they are escape artists so be careful).
The fruits and veggies in a tort diet are very healthy for them. As I mentioned they also like the poop. However, these guys are scavengers and omnivores. They also like to eat meat, mine love chicken, and yes, even crab, shrimp, etc. Unsalted peanut butter and unsalted and un-buttered popcorn is a favrotie in my enclosure as well. I give mine salmon whenever I eat it and they love it. Whatever food you give them just can't have sauces and all that on it (unless it's olive oil or honey, that kind of thing).
In all, hermits make their own mess. Their poop is small, they can bury food, move things around, have lots of personality, etc. But keeping them properly would require extra work. Marine hermits in salt water tanks are a good cleanup crew but unless you have a tort living in a hermit crab environment I can see the tort knocking all the hermit climbing gear around. They are taking on another pet.
If you have any questions please let me know.
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