Do you own a Hermit Crab and a Bearded Dragon, and you’re thinking of putting them together in a tank?
This blog post will tell you if you should put them together and if they are compatible in staying together in the same environment.
Can You Keep a Hermit Crab together with a Bearded Dragon?
The answer is NO. The Hermit Crab is a marine species that won’t survive in a humid environment suitable for a Bearded Dragon.
On the flip side, a Bearded Dragon is a desert species that won’t thrive in a marine environment.
So it’s going to be difficult, almost impossible, for them to share and thrive in the same environment.
Furthermore, the Hermit Crab is a territorial animal that can harm the Bearded Dragon if they get too close.
The Hermit Crab also requires a saltwater dish that isn’t suitable for a Bearded Dragon.
RELATED: Paludarium Animals (Examples with Pictures)
Animals to pair with a Hermit Crab.
While your Hermit Crab and the Bearded Dragon cannot live in the same tank, other pets can co-exist with the Hermit Crab.
You can put your Hermit Crab together with a Clownfish, Damselfish, Gobies saltwater fish, Cardinalfish, and Wrasses.
You can also put two or more Hermit Crabs together.
It is best to do that, as they are social animals who become more active when you have more than one in a cage.
If you want to keep more than one Hermit Crab in a cage, ensure the substrate is deep.
It must be deep enough to enable the Hermit Crab to be immersed in the substrate during molting.
Caring for the Hermit Crab
The Hermit crab can live up to 15 years if given adequate care.
Here are the ways to care for them.
As social animals, they can be fun to have as pets.
Habitat
As social animals, more than one Hermit Crab should live in the same habitat.
If you have 2 to 4 Hermit Crab, the ideal tank size should be 10 to 20-gallon.
Hermit crabs breathe through their gills and require a lot of humidity for breathing.
The required humidity should be around 75%.
Humidity lower than that can suffocate your Hermit Crab slowly over a while.
To increase the humidity, add natural moss to the tank.
You can also mount an under-tank heater on the back of the tank to maintain the humidity.
A thermometer should help you keep track of that.
Habitat Design
You can add a host of things to your Hermit Crab tank to make it more hospitable for them.
You can add plants like Bamboo and Spider plants for decorations.
Hermit also needs hiding places, so you should provide them with hiding spots where they feel safe.
You can place broken pots or coconut shells in the tank and ensure they are big enough, so your Hermit Crabs won’t get stuck.
Substrate
You can also add silica play sand to the bottom of the tank. The Hermit Crab loves to burrow into it.
Use the type of substrate the crab won’t find difficult to dig into.
If possible, make the substrate five times the height of your crab, so it can burrow, molt, and hide.
Hermit Crab Sand
- A calcium carbonate sand substrate in four fun colors
- No paint or dye is used in the processing
- Precisely what your Hermit Crab needs
(Amazon Affiliate link)
The sugar-sized sand is ideal because it doesn’t cut the crab.
Substrates such as aquarium gravel and calcium sand are not advisable, as they are harder to burrow or dig in.
Moreover, the substrate must be kept clean at all times.
While you should change it at least once every six months, always check for mold every month.
A dirty substrate causes mold, which is harmful to your Hermit Crab.
Other things to look out for when checking your substrate are mites or ant infestations.
You should change the substrate immediately if you notice any of them. However, do not change or clean the substrate when your crab is molting.
Feeding
Hermit crabs, as scavengers, are easy to care for and feed, as they will eat most things you give them.
You have to ensure the food doesn’t contain preservatives and copper sulfate.
Hermit crab likes to feed on seafood like Bloodworms and fresh shrimps.
They also love vegetables and fruit. You can feed them chopped vegetables like broccoli, kale and fruits like bananas and apples.
If you also have a piece of steak or raw meat, the Hermit Crab will be too happy to eat them.
You can put the food in the tank in the evening and remove leftovers in the morning.
Dual Water Requirement for Hermit Crab
Hermit crabs need easy access to both freshwater and marine-grade saltwater.
So, you will need two water dishes, one for the saltwater and the other for the fresh water.
They will need to soak in the saltwater to balance the salinity of their shells.
Ensure the dishes are deep enough for your Hermit crab to submerge its body, and the sides are wide and shallow enough to allow them to climb out easily.
You can also put rocks in the bowl, so they can have something to grip.
Animals to pair with a Bearded Dragon.
While your Hermit Crab and your Bearded Dragon cannot live together, the Bearded Dragon can still share the terrarium with other Bearded Dragons, as long as there is enough room for others.
Tank Design for Bearded Dragon
The minimum space for a Bearded Dragon tank is 50 gallons, while the ideal is 75 gallons.
The ideal tank mate for a Bearded Dragon should be one that doesn’t see the Bearded Dragon as a threat and vice-versa.
Moreover, Bearded Dragons don’t need companions and are happy being alone.
They can also be territorial and are known to fight others for dominance.
Should you decide to add another reptile, you must increase the space.
A 120-gallon terrarium is the recommended tank size. If you want to add another Bearded Dragon, you can keep two females or a male and a female.
Do not keep two male Bearded Dragons in the same terrarium, as the bigger and stronger one will stop the weaker one from feeding, which will shorten its lifespan eventually.
Conclusion: Why You shouldn’t Put Hermit Crab and Bearded Dragon Together.
The Hermit Crab and the Bearded Dragons are two species from different environments and climates, and forcing them to stay together can pose many problems.
There are more compatible tank mates for both animals, and you are better off looking into that.
Hermit Crabs are social animals that become more active with others, while the Bearded Dragon is more comfortable alone.
