Animals
Bunnies
Bunnies II 
Cat-N-Around Cat Club
Cat-N-Around Cat Club 2007 Annual Show
Hawkeye Cat Club 2004
Hawkeye Cat Club 2005
Chinchillas
Degus
Ferrets
Ferrets by BOB
Gerbils
Ground Squirrels
Guinea Pig
Hamsters I
Hamsters II
Hamsters III
Hamsters IV
Hamsters V
Hedgehogs
Kittens
Kids & Kittens
Mice
Mice Pets II
Parasites
Rats I
Rats II
Rats III
Rats, Hairless
S-T Opossums
Siberian Chipmunks
Sugar Gliders
Sugar Gliders II
Water Bottles

Bugs
Crabby 500
Crab 04 Results
Centipedes
Cray/Lobsters
Crayfish II
Crayfish III
Cray, Yucatan
Fiddler Crabs
Shrimp, Algae
Shrimp, Aqua
Shrimp, Orange Bee
Shrimp, Red
Shrimp, Flower
Shrimp, Ghost
Shrimp, Rudolph
Hermit Crabs
Hermit Crabs II
Madagas Roach
Mantids
Mini-Clams
Mini-Crabs
Patriot Crabs
Giant Millipedes
Red Claw Crabs
Reiman Butterfly
Spider, Black Widow
Snail, Apple
Snail, Colombian
Snail, Land
Snail, Malaysian
Snail, Mystery
Snail, Trapdoor 
Scorpions
Tarantulas
Tarantulas II
Tarantula Night 2006
TarantulaWeen VII
TarantulaWeen 9
Walking Stick
Misc. Bugs
Misc Bugs II  

Birds
Breeding Tips
Button Quail
Canaries
Cockatiels
Dove, Diamond
Dove, Ringneck
Finches
Love Birds
Parakeets
Pelleted Foods
Quaker Parrots
Parrot Pictures
Parrot Pix II
Parrot Pix III
Dave's Parrots

Lizards
Alligators
Anoles
Bearded Dragon
Beardies II
Calotes
Chamel, Jackson
Chamel, Panther
Chamel, Veiled
Crested Geckos
Gecko, Golden
Gecko, House
Gecko, Leopard
Gecko, Tokay
Horned "Toads"
Iguana New
Iguana Dragons
Iguana Q&A I
Iguana Q&A II
Iguana Training
Iguana Update
Cool Iguana Pics
Knight Anoles
Monitors, Nile
Monitors, Savana
Monitors, Water
Salmonella
Skinks
Skinks Blue-Tongue
Tegus
Uromastyx maliensis
Water Dragon
Misc Lizards
Misc Lizards 2
Misc Lizards 3
Misc Lizards 4
Misc Lizards 5
Misc Lizards 6
Misc Lizards 7
Misc Lizards 8
Misc Lizards 9
Misc Lizards 10


Snakes
Anacondas
Boa, Rosy
Boa, Red-Tail
Corn Snake
Garter Snake
Green Snake
Kids/Corn Snakes
Kids/Red-Tail Boas

Kids at Pet Expo 1

Kids at Pet Expo 2

Kids at Pet Expo 3

Kids at Pet Expo 4

Kids at Pet Expo 5
King & Milk
Python, Ball
Python, Burmese

Snakes Alive
Snakesgiving
Snakesgiving II
Misc Snake Pix
Misc Snakes II
Misc Snakes III  

Turtles/Tortoises
Box, Asian
Box, USA
Races
Snapping
Spiny

Sulcata
Water
Western Painted

Live Foods
Blackworms
Blood Worms
Br Shrimp I
Br Shrimp II
Crayfish 1
Crayfish 2
Crayfish 3 
Crickets
Dandelions
Daphnia
Earthworms
Feeder Goldfish
Fruit Flies
Ghost Shrimp

Glass Worms

Grindal Worms
Infusoria
Mealworms
Microworms
Rosy Reds

Super Worms

Wax Worms
White Clouds

Decorating
Bubbles
Driftwood
Gravel
Plastic Plants
Rocks
Slow Growing Plants

Miscellaneous
Bob's Acclimation

How to Start
How to Add New Fish
How to Keep Healthy
Which Fish Get Along?
10 Questions to Ask
What is Ich?
Under Gravel Filters

Sponge Filters
Cloudy Water
Cool Water Tanks
Gravel Vacuums
Preventing Disease
Feeding to the Max
Frozen Foods
Green Water
Nasty Chemicals
Overfeeding
Power Filters
Rift Lake Salts
Quarantine Tank
Mini-Tank
2nd Av Bait

Pet World Visit
Dandelions

Aquatic Plants
Amazon Swords
More Swords
Sword Plants III
Anubias
Anacharis
Aponogetons
A. boivinianus
A. fenestralis
A. ulvaceous
Aquarium/Bog
Banana Plant
Bolbitis
Bunch
Bunch Plants II
Cryptocorynes
Crystalwort
Dwarf Lily
Grassy
Grassy II
Hornwort
Hygrophila
Lace
Java Fern I
Java Fern II
Java Fern III
Java Fern IV
Java Moss
Moss Balls
Onion
Vermiculite
Watersprite
Different Watersprite

Origins:  Most of these little guys (and big guys) come from islands in the Caribbean or from our southern states – areas of high humidity.  They do not like dry air.  Rainy weather charges their motating batteries.

LA
Just try getting past that pincer.  If a large hermit crab grabs you, you won't forget it.

LA
Give a hermit crab a quick dip in the water and he comes out to check the weather.

Security:  One great big heavy claw with a powerful pincer guards the door of the hermit crab’s hard shell temporary home.  He uses the other legs for scuttling about, climbing, and looking for food.

LA
Dip a bunch of hermit crabs and they all start scuttling about.

Name:  Hermit crabs are not really hermits.  They like to hang together in groups.  The more the merrier. 

In the Wild:  Hermit crabs roam around and eat whatever they find – fruit, vegetation, wood, bark, seeds, grasses, and whatever else might wash up on the beach.

LA
This is Tetra's hermit crab meal.  They like it -- a lot.

LA
In five minutes they came piling into their food bowl.  Hermit crabs love this stuff.

LA
And you can choose from a variety of hermit crab foods.

Foods in Captivity:  Smaller foods work better.  Some of the little guys can’t grab large pellets.  Several commercial foods work fine – even iguana or bird pellets.  Crush the pellets first.  And studies have shown that the little guys prefer to eat different types of foods every day. Vary their menu.  Supposedly, they eat at night.  Hungry hermit crabs eat very well during the day.  The more you have, the better they eat.  They must smell the food, because they come running.

LA
Plastic shell dishes look good.  Real shells usually cost less.  Or use a jar lid.

LA
Any shallow bowl will work -- even an ugly old Miracle Whip lid.

Water:  Your hermit crab needs non-chlorinated water to drink.  Age it two days or add NovAqua to remove the chlorine.  Clean his water bowl.  Make sure his water bowl is shallow enough to climb out of.  Ditto on the food bowl.  If in doubt, give him a ladder.  OSHA recommends fiberglass ladders.  We recommend a rough piece of wood. 

LA
When you give them a bath, the large hermit crabs climb atop each other and bail.

LA
Little hermit crabs just run around willy-nilly.

Weekly Bath.  Fill up their wash tub every Saturday night and give them a nice warm bath.  Be sure to scrub their backs and dry them behind their ears.  They really love warm baths.

LA
Rough resin ornaments also provide climbable surfaces for hermit crabs.

LA
And you can find lots of these rough ornaments for hermit crabs to climb upon.

LA
Build it and they will come.

Likes to Climb:  Many hermit crabs live in trees.  In their cage they need coral or rough wood to climb upon.  Cholla (pronounced choy-a, it’s like Español, dude) wood works great.  

  LA
Hermit crabs get bigger and bigger.

 
LA
So, you may need an extra hermit crab shell or three.

Size:  Since hermit crabs live almost forever, they can grow quite large.  Baseball-size crabs are not uncommon.  We’ve seen some as big as softballs.  They make great garbage recyclers in Florida.

LA
Hermit crabs love climbing on cholla wood.

LA
Hermit crabs love cholla wood.

Space Requirements:  Most crab farms recommend a gallon of space for each pair of hermit crabs.  If you give them lots of climbing areas, you can add many, many more.

LA
You can find very economical hermit crab habitats.

LA
And you can find hermit crab swamps with islands and mini-mangrove trees.

Cage:  Glass aquariums work best.  Their tight covers help retain the high humidity hermit crabs need.  Plastic critter keepers have too much ventilation thru their lids.

Bad Substrates:  Don’t use any substance that reduces humidity or causes hermit crabs to dry out.  No wood chips, walnut shells, or corn cobs.  No dirt either.  Too messy.

LA
Hermit crabs like substrates with calcium in them.

Good Substrates:  Sand and gravel make a satisfactory flooring for their cage.  Better -- Repti-sand, Calci-sand, and dolomite all contain the lime your hermit crabs need.

Substrate Depth:  Give your hermit crabs two to three inches of sand.  They enjoy digging in it.  They absolutely need the diggable sand when molting time rolls around.  Some bigger crabs may take several weeks to recover from their molt.  When they shed, they eat their old exoskeleton for the nutrients it contains.

LA
Yes, you can find heaters for hermit crabs.  Or you can heat them with an overhead bulb.

Temperature:  If you keep your hermit crabs in a cool room, you’ll need a tank heater.  Do not put one under a plastic cage or cages with a wood floor.  Use them under glass aquariums.

LA
You can also find hermit crab size spritzers.

LA
And hermit crab décor packs.

Breeding:  When hermit crabs breed, the female releases her eggs into the ocean where they become part of the nutritious foods floating therein.  Not too many places you can do this in Iowa.

Tank Mates:  Mix hermit crabs with other hermit crabs.  All sizes get along well together.

Fights:  Occasionally hermit crabs will fight over shells.  Do not panic when this happens.  The only ones that need your help are the guys in the process of molting their exoskeleton.

LA
Use very sturdy plants or your hermit crabs will crush them.

Plants:  Since hermit crabs eat all kinds of vegetation, stick with sturdy plastic plants.  Unreachable hanging vines work quite well.

LA
Who loves ya, baby?  Cute, eh?

LA
Gabe gets along well with his little buddy, Mr. Crab, whom he usually calls "Crabby."

Last Word:  If you hear strange clicking sounds coming from your aquarium at night, relax.  Most of your hermit crabs prefer to clock in about 8:00 pm.  LA.

© 2004, © 2005  LA Productions

Jaguar Spawning II
Jewel Fish
Keo's Flowerhorns
Keo's Flowerhorns II
Kribensis
Oscars 1
Oscars 2
Oscars 3
Oscars 4
Oscars 5
More Oscar
More Oscar II
More Oscars III
More Oscars 2007
Peacock Bass
Red Devils
More Red Devil  
Red Parrots
Red Parrots Spawn
Pikes
Pink Tilapia
Rams
Red Bay Snooks
Roger Stephen's Cichlids
Severums
More Severums
Severums III
Tanganyikans
Texas Cichlid
Texas Spawning
Texas Spawn II
Uarus
Misc Cichlids I
Misc Cichlids II
Misc Cichlids III
Misc Cichlids IV
Misc Cichlids V
Misc Cichlids VI
Misc Cichlids VII
Misc Cichlids VIII

Livebearer  
Guppies
Half-Beak
Mollies
Moons/Platys
Swordtails

Minnows/Tetra 
Barbs
Barbs, Black
Barbs, Gold
Barbs, Rosy
Barbs, Tiger
Barbs, Tinfoil
Danios
Distochodus
Fathead Minnows
Headstanders
Killies, Econ.
Killies, Golden
Killies, Peat
Killies, Plant
Misc Mini-Fish
Pacús 
Piranha, Black
Piranha, Red
Rainbowfish

Rainbowfish, Dwarf Neon
Rainbowfish, Irian
Silver Dollar
Tetras, Larger
Tetras, Smaller
Tetras, Spawn
Tetra, Vampire
White Clouds

Pond Fish
Carp
Channel Cat
Gold. Comets
Gold. Fantails
More Fantails
Gold. Oriental  
Gold Oriental II 
Gold. Spawn
Kloubec Koi Farm
Koi
Koi II

Koi III
Plecostomus
Shubunkins

Oddballs  
Af. Butterfly
Af. Lungfish
Af. Mudskippr
American Eel
Archer Fish
Arowana
Bichirs
Borneo Suckers
Brackish I
Brackish II
Brackish III
Brackish IV
Brackish V
Michael Troung's Pix
Butterfly/Wasp
Chameleon Fish
Chromides
Chin Alg Eater
Crazy Fish
Crocodile Fish
Datnioides
Dojo
Electric Cat
Electric Eels
Elephant Nose
Exodon paradoxus
Flounder
Gars  
Glassfish
Goby Bumble
Goby Butterfly
Goby Dragon
Goby Misc.
Half-Beak
Knife African
Knife Clown
Knife Ghost
Loach Botias
Loach Clown
Loach Kuhli
Loach Weather
Moray Eel  
Peacock Gudgeons
Polypterids
Puffers
Ropefish
Scats
Siam Algae Eater 
Spiny Eels 
Snakehead
Stingray
Stonefish
Wasp Fish
Wolffish
Wrest Half-Beak
Misc Mini-Fishes
Misc Odd
Misc Odd II
Misc Odd III
Misc Odd  IV

Misc Odd V

Sharks  
Bala
Black
Bull
Chinese Hi-Fin Banded
Iridescent
Red-Tail
Siam Algae Eater

Pond Info 
Blank Park Zoo
Bob Humphrey's Ponds
Cattails
Maffett Reservoir
DMACC's Pond
D.M. Botanical Center
D.M. Water Works
Dr. Ervanian's Garden
Duckweed
Dwarf Lily
Ewing Park "Pond"
Jan & Chris's Water Garden
John McDonald's Pond
Hall's Four Acres
Klines' Water Garden
Landscaper Effects
Mini-Pond Pics
Pioneer Corn's Pond
Pond Fish Predators
Pond on 38th Street 
Pond Pics
Pond Plants
More Pond Plants
Pond Plants III
Reiman Ponds
River Scenes
Riverview Island
Selin's Water Gardens
Selin's Japanese Garden
Tom's Used Cars Pond
Urbandale Duck Pond
Water Hyacinth
Water Lettuce
Wild Ponds