The Complete Hermit Crab Owner's Guide

Your comprehensive veterinary guide to keeping healthy, thriving hermit crabs — they can live 30+ years with proper care. Written by Dr. Rosemary Stolzer-Bolton, DVM, this 37-page guide replaces the pet store care sheet with real science. What's inside: • Introduction — species biology, why pet store care sheets are wrong, lifespan reality • Habitat setup — 80°F/80% humidity, substrate depth (6+ inches), heating, no wire cages • Water pools — saltwater and freshwater, dechlorination, pool depth, marine salt mixing • Shells — the right types, painting myths, shell shops, ensuring adequate supply • Nutrition — omnivore diet, calcium sources, protein, safe and toxic foods • Molting — the underground process, isolation, post-molt vulnerability, timelines • Health & illness — shell disease, mite infestations, limb loss, bacterial infections • Behavior & enrichment — climbing, digging, shell swaps, social dynamics, handling • Common mistakes — painted shells, sponges, gravel substrate, temperature crashes • Records & long-term commitment — a pet that can outlive your mortgage