SFM22431 Hermit Crab Deluxe Wire Cage Kit, Medium

Really tiny, fell apart within days, do not waste your money....waaaaa waaaaa waaaaa

Was a nice cage, crabs liked it, however, the bottom and the top separated and only after 3 weeks. But I'm sure someone else could have just super-glued it back. However, this happened during travel and a Petco just so happened to be up the street so we just bought a new cage. I think the glue became weak after I rinsed out the cage. We did however put the old cage inside of the new one as one more play thing.

When I received this kit I received the items in the picture, however nothing looked the same as it did in the picture. I felt mislead and I was a bit disappointed so I contacted the company. To make it right by me they sent me an additional kit. I felt that they more than bent over backwards to make me happy. My son loves the kit and we are now the proud owners of a hermit crab.

Do not buy this cage (you can get a better cage for less money as I'll explain). You need at least a 10 gallon aquirium and a group of 3-4 crabs. In nature they live in colonies and if you dont have at least 3 in a 10 gallon they can kill each other or die of stress. For small crabs you need about 3-4 inch of substrate such as coconut fiber or sand. They need to shed their exoskeleton under the substrate. Everyone recommends putting the crab shedding their exoskeleton in a medical tank but you shouldn't move them once they start and I don't know how to predict the future yet lol. I leave them together but I have about 5 inches of substrate for my small crabs to hide in and so far everyone has survived shedding. Don't be alarmed when they go missing for about a week or more they are shedding their exoskeleton. If you smell something fishy and stinky then someone died. You need a heater that attaches to the bottom of the glass crabitat to maintain the correct temperature. You need saltwater (not table salt) fresh water and food and only give them spring water never tap water because the chlorine will kill them. You can buy stuff to take ths chlorine and chloramines out of tap but i find it easier to buy a gallon or spring water for $1.00. You want the water dishes to be shallow enough they can get out bur deep enough they can submurge their shells, they save a combo of salt and fresh water in their shells. The crabitat needs high humidity or the crabs will die because they basically need water in the air to continue to breath (little bit of condensation on the insides of crabitat is a good indication it's humid enough. If you buy this product you will be lucky if your new pet lives for more then a couple weeks. At walmart you can buy a 10 gallon tank for 29.00, substrate cost about 7.00, saltwater mixture 3.00, food 3.00, gallon of spring water 1.00. You can make your own climbing toys but they are actually cheap. I have a plastic log, a natural wood bridge and a corner cave. I spent less then 20. You need one hiding place on the side with the heater and one hiding place on the cold side. Hermit crabs are a great way to teach children about responsibility but always supervise young children. Keep a small bottle of spring water next to crabitat so if they pinch and won't let go just dump a bit of water on them. My daughter and I have not been pinched yet because we always pick up by the back of shell but I stay prepared just in case. It might hurt a little but don't yank crab because more likely to break skin plus it could hurt the crab. When we first brought Clawless, Clawdene, Clawdia, and Baby home Clawless lost his big pincher. Sometimes new crabs dye or lose limbs because of stress. We were amazed when Clawless tunneled under the substrate she'd his exoskeleton and grew a new pincher. They are nocturnal so you will see the most action at night (I use a blue light at night for viewing). Now finally let's talk about shells. Kids love to see them switch shells but man can the crabs be picky. You need at least 3 shells a tiny bit larger then the shells they currently are wearing. I read they will kill each other for a shell so I have 20 shells in the tank for our crabs. I went to a craft store and bought large sets because it's cheaper. I then boil them in salt water and rinse with spring water just to be cautious. The shells that don't fit I use for decoration and let my little girl play with them. DO NOT buy painted shells. The crabs breath through the shells and tiny pieces can fall off and poison crabs. They are scavengers and will eat just about anything but no junk food, salty food, lemons, onions or sweets (there is a few other no nos so look it up before feeding). Most fruits, veggies, non seasoned meats they love. I buy unsweetened coconut in the baking aisle for them. It's way cheaper then the pet store. Avoid all pesticides around them or their food because they are related to bugs and it will kill them. When they she'd their exoskeleton they need more calcium so I crush up a cuttle bone and put a few chunks in the food dish. It's only like a 1.00 in the bird food area at the local store.

No....no listen to these comments, it is crucial to keeping your crabs alive. These wire cages are not for Hermit crabs. Pet stores and some ocean side stores lead customers to believe that all these crabs need are wire cages and hardly any substrate. People are so misinformed about taking care of these little crabs. It is really a big responsibility in making sure that these crabs have plenty of saltwater and non-chlorinated fresh water, a heat pad either under tank or on the side..... a fogger and heat lamps also. I feel so bad for crabs that people purchase and then they take them home and no nothing about taking care of these little creatures. Please listen to us on here that know what to do and how to take care of them....good luck!

Please do more research online, unless you want your hermit crab to die a slow painful death. I am just a person who did the research. Hermit crabs need to have more than one hermit crab at least two others so they don't die of depression etc. They are social animals that live in groups. They also need space the more crabs you have the more space you need go to: hermit-crabs.com, or hermitcrabassociation.com to read more about the care of hermit crabs.Crabs cannot survive long term in this. They need heat. Humidity. 6" minimum of a sand mixture for molting. This will just provide them with a slow death. They can live 30+ years if taken care of right.Most food sold in stores and online is poison to them. I did a ton of reading and research. The only organic food, good for them I could find was online at hermitcrabpatch.com. Please do more research. You can buy a $10 , 10 gallon tank at Petsmart.

This is not an appropriate cage for any about of Hermit Crabs. Hermits need at least 70% humidity at all times, which is nearly impossible with this cage. The book is outdated, you'd be better off checking for help on a reputable website (yay free!).Please spare your Hermit a long painful death, and skip on this set up.

Not okay for hermit crabs.Ever.