• Pet hermit crabs require glass enclosures.hermit crab image by alwayspp from Fotolia.com
  
  Available in a variety of shell shapes, colors and painted motifs, hermit crabs capture the attention of children and adults alike. To keep these popular pets safe and happy in your home, attempt to replicate the hermit crab's natural shoreline habitat by offering both sand and water areas, according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. Mix in a few decorations to climb, maintain a high humidity and hermit crab pets will thrive.
  
  

Glass Aquarium

• To maintain an actual humidity level of 50 to 60 percent (or 75 to 90 percent relative humidity) in the hermit crab home, choose a glass aquarium. Doctors Foster and Smith recommend a minimum size of 10 gallons to house two medium hermit crabs. If the hermit crab tank sits in a warm, humid area, cover the top with a wire mesh screen. In cooler homes, choose a glass or plastic lid to retain essential humidity. The chosen lid should also support a light fixture outfitted with a fluorescent UVA/UVB bulb.
  
  

Water

• Daily misting of the hermit crab home keeps humidity levels elevated. Fill a new, clean spray bottle with dechlorinated water and liberally mist the water-absorbing elements of the tank. A hygrometer makes it simple to monitor the aquarium's humidity level. In addition to misting, hermit crabs require two shallow water bowls for drinking and self-soaking. Fill one bowl with saline water and the other with dechlorinated water.
  
  

Heat

• In addition to humidity, hermit crabs need heat to replicate a tropical environment. A ceramic heater, under tank heat pad or reptile warming bulb adds extra heat to the aquarium. The warm-weather pets enjoy a constant temperature of 70 to 80 degrees F.
  
  

Landscaping

• A hermit crab's home should mimic the ocean's shoreline. A sand or coconut fiber substrate, chunks of driftwood or Mopani wood, smooth rocks, plastic foliage, crushed coral and a patch of moss will make the pet feel at home. The sand, coconut and moss help retain moisture while the driftwood and rocks promote climbing and exercise. In the wild hermit crabs often cling to tree limbs, according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. Landscape items of varying size promote the hermit crab's natural instinct to climb.
  
  

Food

• In the wild hermit crabs forage for dead fish, overripe fruits and vegetation. At home replicate this diet with commercially prepared hermit crab pellets. Check the ingredient list for high fish content, kelp and papaya. Extra treats including fresh seaweed, chopped tropical fruits and a cuttlebone keep the pet's health top notch. If ants gravitate to the pet hermit crab's enclosure for a snack, wipe a thin layer of petroleum jelly around the top of the glass tank to repel the pests.