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Can Hermit Crabs Climb? (Plus 5 Climbing Toys to Give Them)

Can Hermit Crabs Climb? (Plus 5 Climbing Toys to Give Them)

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This post is written to the author's best knowledge and is not intended to be used in place of veterinary advice. In addition, this post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Hermit crabs are starting to become fairly common pets. They’re still not as common as cats and dogs, but they’re steadily gaining in popularity.

If you’d like to get a pet hermit crab for your home, you’re likely trying to learn as much as you can about them. You want to know how to care for them properly so they can thrive.

You’re going to be keeping hermit crabs in habitats. Do hermit crabs climb and is this something you need to worry about?

Continue reading to learn more about hermit crabs and their ability to climb. This will help you to understand what to expect.

Hermit Crabs Can Climb

Yes, hermit crabs can climb, and they actually really love climbing. It’s a good idea to give hermit crabs spots in the tank that they can climb on.

In the wild, you’ll find many types of hermit crabs spending time in trees. They often climb trees for various survival purposes.

It’s normal for these creatures to climb when the barometric pressure begins to drop in the area. They climb trees to get out of the rain.

Also, you’ll find that hermit crabs climb trees for mating purposes. In captivity, this isn’t something that you need to worry about.

Regardless, you now know that hermit crabs do like to climb. You should put many different things in the tank so your crabs can climb and have a good time.

What Do Hermit Crabs Like to Climb On?

Hermit crabs like to climb anything and everything that you put in the tank. These creatures love climbing and it’s normal for them to scale various objects.

Typically, people put driftwood in the tank for hermit crabs to climb on. Textured driftwood will be a perfect climbing object to put in the habitat.

Just make sure that any wood you put in the tank is free of dirt, chemicals, and bugs. You want it to be safe for the hermit crab to interact with.

Cholla wood is one of the most common pieces of wood that is used as a hermit crab climbing toy. The hermit crabs might even eat portions of the wood.

If possible, position pieces of wood at an angle in the tank. This allows the hermit crabs to climb it and get a new view.

It’s common for people to position pieces of wood by leaning them against plants or little decorative objects that you place in the habitat.

You could even position a piece of wood vertically to entice the crabs. Stick it up in the sand and let the hermit crabs play with it.

1 – Climbing Nets

How about using climbing nets? Will that work out as well as putting wood in the tank for the hermit crabs?

Some pet stores might sell climbing nets for hermit crabs. These toys are often made out of fishnet material.

You can make your own climbing net for your pet hermit crabs, too. To do this, simply cut a piece of fishnet and put hooks on the four corners.

Next, attach suction cups to the hooks using strings. You can then attach the suction cups somewhere in the hermit crab tank.

The hermit crabs will be able to climb the net and have fun. You can also make a custom hermit crab climbing net using cheesecloth.

2 – Ropes

Have you considered putting ropes in the tank for the hermit crabs? This might seem like an unusual idea at first, but hermit crabs truly do love ropes.

You can attach ropes to suction cups that will cling to the side of the tank. So long as you use a safe type of rope, this is going to be a positive experience.

You can use ropes that are made out of hemp, and they’ll be perfectly safe for the crabs. Ropes made out of rough materials have the potential to harm the underbellies of the crabs.

Picking out a rope is easy, but you need to consider the size of the crab. Larger crabs will require thicker ropes while smaller ones will do better with thin ropes.

3 – Piles of Rocks

Simple piles of rocks can be good climbing toys for crabs, too. It’s best to use smooth rocks when you want to go this route.

You need to clean whatever rocks you decide to use as well. Scrub the rocks thoroughly and allow them to soak in a bucket of bleach water for a full day.

After a day has passed, rinse the rocks thoroughly. Put them in a bucket of just water for two days now.

You want to change the water in the bucket every twelve hours. This is meant to eliminate the presence of bleach.

Once you’ve done this, you can be sure that the rocks are clean and safe for your hermit crabs. Arrange the rocks in a fashion that allows the crabs to climb without getting hurt.

You don’t want the rocks to fall over and harm your crabs. Don’t put your hermit crab in a bad situation.

Some people choose to glue the rocks together in a specific formation. This prevents the danger of the rocks falling over.

4 – Plastic Building Blocks

Even plastic building blocks can be utilized as climbing toys for hermit crabs. You can buy plastic blocks and connect them together in interesting formations.

These popular toy blocks are great when you want to create structures for hermit crabs to climb. You can build many types of structures that will be appealing to the hermit crabs.

Put them in the habitat, and you’ll see your crabs climbing all over them. This is a fun way to make your hermit crab habitat look neat while also giving the crabs fun toys to play with.

You can let your imagination run wild if you decide to use plastic building blocks to their full potential. Just make sure that the blocks are clean before putting them in the tank.

5 – Place a Clay Pot Upside Down

Perhaps you’d like a simpler structure for the hermit crabs to climb. In this case, you might want to utilize a simple clay pot.

Place a clay pot upside down and ensure that it gets stuck in the sand. Hermit crabs will then be able to climb all over the pot.

Another option involves burying half of the pot horizontally in the sand. This will create a hiding spot for the hermit crab.

The hermit crab can crawl inside the pot when it wants to. It’ll also be able to climb on top of it when it feels like climbing.

It’s a simple way to give your hermit crab tank a fun climbing object. If you have old clay pots that you can utilize, simply be sure to clean them properly before adding them to the tank.

Can Hermit Crabs Climb Out of a Tank?

Hermit crabs might be able to climb out of a tank if the conditions are right. Generally, a hermit crab won’t be able to climb out of a tank if the tank has tall and smooth glass walls.

When the glass is clean, it’ll be impossible for the hermit crab to climb out of the tank. However, the presence of algae might make it possible for the hermit crabs to gain traction and climb up.

Also, if the walls aren’t that tall, hermit crabs will have an easier time escaping the tank. Even happy hermit crabs might try to climb out of a tank.

Hermit crabs are curious creatures and they love climbing. This is why you shouldn’t make it possible for hermit crabs to climb out.

Put a Top on the Tank

You should have a top on the tank that will prevent the hermit crab from being able to climb out. Typically, people put glass tops on the tank to hold humidity in the tank.

Ensure that the tank has a secure lid that won’t come off when it’s bumped. You need to have a lid on the tank to protect the crab.

Not only do you want to keep the crab from getting out of its tank, but you also want to keep other things out of the tank. You don’t want pests or animals being able to get in the tank with your pet hermit crabs.

Thankfully, most tanks that you’ll buy for hermit crabs come with secure lids that will work perfectly. Because of this, it shouldn’t be too common for people to have problems with hermit crabs escaping the tank.

Final Thoughts

Now you know that hermit crabs love to climb. These little pets will appreciate having various climbing toys in the tank.

Something as simple as a piece of wood will give hermit crabs the ability to climb. Position pieces of wood at an angle to give the hermit crabs a fun climbing spot.

You could decide to build a climbing net for the hermit crabs. Another option involves attaching hemp ropes to suction cups for the crabs.

Hermit crabs will love climbing on top of overturned clay pots. They’ll also enjoy climbing on piles or rocks or structures that you build yourself using plastic building blocks.

Enjoy your hermit crabs and be sure to keep them in a tank with a secure lid. This keeps them from being able to climb out.

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