Crests and Claws

Crested Geckos Rhacodactylus ciliatus
Caribbean Hermit Crab Coenobita clypeatus

I enjoyed this exotic combination unfortunately I do not have any pictures. Between the colorful hermit crabs with their shells and the equally colorful crested geckos with their prehistoric looks this vivarium was a favorite. The hermit crabs being the scavengers they are, are very good janitors for the vivarium. When it came to the messy crested geckos running in baby food and jumping on the branches , defecating or dead crickets the crabs would go and clean it right up. They also picked at any food that the crested geckos left over in the tank or any leaves that fell off of the plants.

First off before trying this the hermit crabs should be larger than the crested geckos head so they cannot be eaten but small enough that they won’t pose any threat to the geckos(although I never seen any aggression form one species to the other). The tank should be atleast 29 gallons with atleast 4in of substrate so the crabs can dig and hide when they molt. Extra shells must be in the tank at all times for the crabs. Many climbing opportunities should be available for both crested geckos and crabs any rocks placed in the tank should be secure so they don’t fall over if the hermit crabs dig under them. The bowls for food and water should also be reasonably heavy so they cannot be tipped over by digging crabs. The temperature should be no less than 70 and no more than 80 degrees F.

This has proved to be a good combination for me and everyone I know who has tried it. Both species are docile and tend to mind their own business. All in all this combination proved to be a very exotic while being very practical one at the same time.