How to Give Your Hermit Crab a Bath

Co-authored by Brian Blake

Last Updated: December 4, 2024 Approved

Hermit crabs require exposure to salt water to keep them healthy and happy, but you may not want to keep a salt water bowl in their tank in addition to their freshwater drinking bowl. In that case, you should give your hermit crab regular baths to keep it clean and free from mites. Salt water baths also help hermit crabs replenish the water they store in their shells, which they use to keep their bodies moist and hydrated.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Preparing the Bath

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1
Find the right container. You can use just about any bowl or small container to serve as a hermit crab bath if you intend to help the crab bathe itself. If you are going to keep a hermit crab bath inside the tank, you may want to use a small water bowl designed for pets in tanks to ensure the crab can enter and exit the water easily.^{[2]
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- Choose a bowl with a flat bottom so the crab can easily maneuver while in its bath.
- If you will not be present as your crab bathes, ensure it is able to easily get out of the water.
- Hermit crabs can knock over light bowls, so if you leave a bowl in the tank, ensure it is heavy enough that the crab can’t knock it over.
2
Create a salt water mixture. Hermit crabs drink freshwater, but need to be bathed in a salt water solution. There are a number of products available for sale at your local pet store to help you add the right kind of salt to your water.
- Products like Hermit Crab Salt or Oceanic Salt provide the right sort of salt content for your hermit crab bath.
- Use distilled, room temperature water instead of tap water to ensure there are no chemicals that could harm your hermit crab in the water.
- Use one teaspoon of salt per every one hundred milliliters of water for the best mixture.
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3
Fill the container to the correct level. Once you have your container and your salt water mixture, you will need to fill the container to the correct height to serve as a hermit crab bath without putting the crab at any risk.
- Do not fill the container so the hermit crab would be completely submerged in water, instead make it so the top of the water will be just below the top of the hermit crab’s shell.
- If you are keeping the crab bath in the tank, make sure there are pebbles in it and a way to exit the water so the crab does not end up trapped in the container.
4
Be careful not to let your hermit crab drown. Hermit crabs love a good bath, but don’t forget that they are land crabs and require oxygen to breath. Keeping the crab submerged in its bath for too long could kill a hermit crab.^{[3]
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- Do not leave the hermit crab unattended in the bathing container if you are bathing your crab separate from its tank and it is unable to climb out of the container on its own.
- Only keep your hermit crab in the water for a few minutes, then return it to its tank.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Bathing Your Hermit Crab

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1
Remove your crab from its tank and place it in the bath. Be gentle when removing your hermit crab from its tank to avoid stressing the crab out too much. Use slow movements when approaching the crab and don’t make sudden movements while you are holding it.^{[4]
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- Taking your crab out of its tank too often can stress the crab out and cause it to retreat to inside its shell for extended periods of time.
- Try to make the process a pleasant one for the crab by being gentle and slow moving.
2
Move the crab around a bit once it’s in the water. Once you place the crab down into the salt water solution, it may be too afraid of the process to recognize that it is now in a salt water bath it will really enjoy.^{[5]
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- Swish the crab around a bit so the water in the container comes into contact with the crab’s legs and splashes into the shell to make sure it understands that it is in the water.
- Leave the hermit crab alone for a minute after to allow it to come out of its shell.
3
Allow your crab to come out of its shell and move around. After a minute or two the crab will begin to emerge from its shell and crawl around in the container. Allow it to move around freely as it bathes itself and replenishes the water in its shell it uses to stay moist.^{[6]
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- Let the crab explore the container and move about freely as it cleans itself.
- Don’t leave the crab in the water for too long. Allow it to crawl around for a few minutes, then remove it when it either seems like it is trying to find a way out or recedes back into its shell.
4
Return your clean hermit crab to its tank. If you do not leave a bathing bowl in your hermit crab’s tank, you will need to return it to its home now that it’s nice and clean. Be careful not to frighten or stress out your crab in the process.
- You may want to allow your crab to crawl around on a paper towel first to dry off a bit.
- Be gentle as you remove the crab from its bath and return it to its tank.
- Do not bath your crab more frequently than once per day, as otherwise it may become stressed out and refuse to leave its shell.
5
Be sure to bathe your hermit crab as needed. Hermit crabs require frequent baths in salt water in order to maintain their health, but there are some variables that may affect how often your hermit crab needs a bath.^{[7]
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- Hermit crabs require bathing daily if the humidity levels in the habitat of the crab are less than 70%.
- If the crab lives in a habitat that maintains higher than 70% humidity, bathing may be infrequent and sporadic, as the moisture levels in the air will enable to crab to maintain proper moisture levels in its skin.
- Regardless of humidity level, bathe your hermit crab if you notice mites or small insects crawling around on your crab.

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How to recognize a sick hermit crab?

Brian Blake
Aquarium and Fish Expert
Brian Blake is an Aquarium Expert and the Owner of Boodleshire Aquatics based in the Kansas City Metro Area. With over 20 years of experience, Brian is an expert in freshwater planted aquariums, saltwater reef aquariums, and aquarium installation, care, and maintenance. Brian holds a Bachelor's degree in Ichthyology and Aquatic Environmental Science from Emporia State University.

Brian Blake

Aquarium and Fish Expert

Expert Answer

To determine if a hermit crab is sick, observe its behavior closely. Watch for signs such as decreased appetite, lethargy, or reluctance to come out of its shell and move around. While visual cues may be limited for smaller species like blue lake or red lake hermit crabs, monitoring their actions and habits is crucial for identifying their potential health issues.

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How do I help my hermit crab change its shells?

Brian Blake
Aquarium and Fish Expert
Brian Blake is an Aquarium Expert and the Owner of Boodleshire Aquatics based in the Kansas City Metro Area. With over 20 years of experience, Brian is an expert in freshwater planted aquariums, saltwater reef aquariums, and aquarium installation, care, and maintenance. Brian holds a Bachelor's degree in Ichthyology and Aquatic Environmental Science from Emporia State University.

Brian Blake

Aquarium and Fish Expert

Expert Answer

To change hermit crab shells, provide multiple options of varying sizes larger than their current one. Ensure the shells are clean and suitable for occupancy. In the wild, hermit crabs gather for shell swaps, selecting shells that suit them best. Offer two or three shell choices, allowing the crab to decide and move to a preferred shell. If they don't choose immediately, offer different options until they find one suitable for them.

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How are some ways I can get my hermit crabs to trust me? Every time I go to take them out, they hide out in their shells and never come out. I also can't get them to play, and I don't have the salt.

Community Answer

Your hermit crabs might need some time to adjust to their surroundings. They may be stressed out because they are in an unusual habitat. Try to leave them alone for some time until you see that they have adapted to the new environment. Also make sure that you do get the salt for the the crabs from the pet store.

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Know that most crabs will bathe themselves in their water bowls and don't need a regular bathing. It is starting to be called into question if crabs should be bathed at all. However, you should definitely bathe your crab if you notice mites or other bugs crawling on your crabs.

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Salt water is necessary for your hermit crab's survival. Bathing them in it once in a while will make them feel really good.

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Hermit crabs bathe themselves in order to keep their salinity levels as they please. Do not "bathe" your crab unless he/she has mites. The "bathing" process shown will just stress out your beloved pet.

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