Hermit crabs are cold-blooded animals that need an external heat source to regulate their body temperature. In order to help you choose the best heat lamp for hermit crabs, we put together this list of hermit crab heaters that are specifically designed to keep a hermit crab’s habitat at a safe and healthy hermit crab temperature.
Best Heat Lamp for Hermit Crabs
Hermit Crab Temperature
The temperature in a hermit crab tank should be between 66° F to 79° F (18.8 to 26.1 C), with at least a 70% to 80% relative humidity. Maintaining a proper temperature and humidity level in a hermit crab habitat will ensure your hermit crabs remain healthy and active.
Do Hermit Crabs Need a Heat Lamp
Hermit crabs will benefit from a heat lamp if the air temperature in their tan falls below 70° F ° (21 C). A heat lamp will rapidly raise the temperature in a hermit crab tank as well as heat up the surface of the substrate.
Hermit crabs also prefer to sit under a heat lamp when they start to get cold since a heat lamp allows them to quickly increase their body temperature. The infrared radiation emitted from a heat lamp also makes it easier for a hermit crab to digest their food, and it also gives them more energy to crawl around and explore their habitat.
Hermit Crab Heat Mat
Even though heat lamps are a fast and effective way to raise the temperature in a hermit crabs habitat sometimes it can be more efficient to use a hermit crab heat mat. An under tank heater will raise the temperature of the substrate in a hermit crab tank without dramatically increasing the air temperature.
Hermit Crab Substrate Temperature
By keeping the substrate warm in a hermit crab tank it will allow your hermit crab to burrow into the sand when they need to raise their body temperature. This can be an efficient and cost-effective way to heat a hermit crab tank if their air temperature in the tank stays above 70° F (21 C).
However, in most cases, we recommend that you use a heat lamp and a heat mat in a hermit crab habitat if you want to maintain the optimal hermit crab temperature.
Hermit Crab Heater for 10 Gallon Tank
Fluker’s Hermit Crab Habitat Night Time Bulb, 60-watt
Fluker’s Hermit Crab Habitat Night-Time Bulb (Buy Online) is one of the best heat lamps for hermit crabs. These 60-watt bulbs come in a 3-pack and they each have a 3500-hour lifespan
These nighttime bulbs are a great choice for hermit crabs since they primarily emit infrared light. That means you can use them to keep your hermit crabs warm at night without disturbing your hermit crab’s natural nocturnal foraging behaviors.
Fluker’s Hermit Crab Habitat Daytime Bulb, 60-watt
The Fluker’s Hermit Crab Habitat Daytime Bulb (Buy Online) is one of the best heat lamps for a hermit crab tank that you can use during the day for both light and heat.
This 60-watt bulb emits a natural daylight spectrum along with infrared radiation.
Using a daylight bulb is a good way to mimic the sunlight that a hermit crab would be exposed to in their natural habitat on the beach. And the infrared radiation this heat lamp emits will quickly and efficiently warm up your hermit crab tank.
Fluker’s Heat Mat Hermit Crabs
Fluker’s Heat Mat for Hermit Crabs (Buy Online) is the best hermit crab heater for a 10 gallon tank. This small 2-watt heater measures 4” x 5”, and it puts out just the right amount of heat to warm up a small hermit crab habitat
The 2-Watt Fluker’s Hermit Headquarters Heat Mat is also a good hermit crab heater for a plastic tank since it won’t get warm enough to melt thin plastic. It’s also small enough to fit under most small starter tanks like a Kritter Keepers Hermit Crab Carrier.
Zoo Med (2 Pack) Hermit Crab Heaters – 4 Watts
The Zoo Med Hermit Crab Heater (Buy Online) is a 4-watt heater that has a small footprint that measures in at 4-inches by 7-inches. This under tank heater is a better choice for cold areas if you need to heat a 10-gallon tank.
The extra power this heater emits enables it to increase the temperature in a small hermit crab tank by five degrees even in the winter when a 2-watt heater would struggle to warm a 10-gallon tank.
Hermit Crab Heater for 20 Gallon Tank
Fluker’s Domed Lamp for Hermit Crabs, 5.5-Inch
The Fluker’s Domed Lamp for Hermit Crabs (Buy Online) is the best hermit crab heat lamp fixture for a 20 gallon tank. This fixture is rated for up to a 75-Watt heat lamp or a Ceramic Heat Emitter (Buy Online).
Zoo Med ReptiTherm Under Tank Heater, 10 to 20 Gallons, 8″ x 6″
The Zoo Med ReptiTherm Under Tank Heater (Buy Online) is the best hermit crab heater for a 20 gallon tank that’s kept in a relatively warm area. This 8-watt heater measures 8” 6” and it’s suitable for hermit crab tanks that range from 10 to 20 gallons.
Reptile Heating Pad – Hermit Crab Heater Heat Mat for Reptiles Snake Lizard Terrarium
The AIICIOO Reptile Heating Pad (Buy Online) is a good choice for a 20 gallon hermit crab tank that needs some extra heat in the winter. This under tank heater is available in 8-Watt, 16-Watt, and 24-Watt Models. The 8-Watt version measures 8” x 6”, and the 16-Watt UTH is 12” x 8’.
Hermit Crab Thermometer and Humidity Gauge
Zoo Med Hermit Crab Thermometer and Humidity Gauge
The Zoo Med Hermit Crab Thermometer and Humidity Gauge (Buy Online) is one of the best thermometers for a hermit crab tank. This thermometer/hygrometer accurately measures both the temperature and humidity in a hermit crab habitat.
The Zoo Med Hermit Crab Thermometer and Humidity Gauge is also very easy to attach to the inside of a hermit crab habitat since it has a Velcro backing that keeps it securely in place. And the Velcro makes it very easy to remove when you need to clean your hermit crab tank.
Zoo Med Laboratories SZMHC10 Hermit Crab Thermometer
The Zoo Med Laboratories SZMHC10 Hermit Crab Thermometer (Buy Online) makes it easy to track and maintain the proper hermit crab temperature and humidity in your tank. This stick-on thermometer/hygrometer has a high range LCD display that changes color based on the temperature and humidity.
The Zoo Med Laboratories SZMHC10 Hermit Crab Thermometer also doesn’t have any moving parts, which makes it more durable and reliable than a regular temperature/humidity gauge. It’s also very easy to wipe down and clean, and it doesn’t take up any space since it sits flush against the wall of a hermit crab tank.
Zoo Med Hermit Crab Home Dual Thermometer & Humidity Gauge, Glow in The Dark
The Zoo Med Glow in The Dark Hermit Crab Thermometer & Humidity Gauge (Buy Online) is a fun way to keep track of the temperature and humidity in a hermit crab tank. This thermometer/hygrometer is basically the same as the Zoo Med Hermit Crab Thermometer and Humidity Gauge, but it has a plastic frame that glows in the dark.
