New crab owner

Question
QUESTION: I am preparing to get my first hermit crabs and want to make sure that they have a great place to live.  I have options between a standard 10 gallon tank and a hexagonal 50 gallon tank.  Which would be better for what?  Can I put live plants in the crabitat?  What kind?  Can I get wood from the beach (in Michigan) if I sterilize it somehow?  If so, what should I do to make sure it is safe for the little guys?

ANSWER: I'm going to split up your questions to make it easier.

I have options between a standard 10 gallon tank and a hexagonal 50 gallon tank.

How many do you have and do you have a hard time walking out of a petstore without a new one? I'd go for the 50 gallon if you have room, I have always found it hard to cram all I need into a ten gallon.


 Which would be better for what?
The 10 gallon is a great size for 2 or 3 small crabs or possibly for an ISO tank

Can I put live plants in the crabitat?  What kind?

Air plants are popular and there are several seeds that you can plant right in the tank. Amarinth, sesame, wheat, millet. The crabs will pretty much eat any plant though so the plants you put in the tank are on borrowed time. :)

Can I get wood from the beach (in Michigan) if I sterilize it somehow?  

Yes, non pine is fine, wash it thoroughly (not with soap) then soak in ocean style salt water and bake at 250 until dry.

Hope this helps!


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Should I still use an under tank heating pad that covers half the tank for the larger one?  An 8X8 would cover half the tank, but it is taller and I think it would be fun to have climbing things for them.  
Also, at the pet store I couldn't find a glass cover for a hexagonal tank.  Is the plastic one that we used for fish okay?

Answer
I would certainly use the UTH even though it's smaller, it's always better to create temp zones anyway. Lights also help with temperature.

Climbing things are a must. If you knit or crochet, you can make nets out of hemp and use suction cups to stick them.

Plastic is fine, the goal is just to keep the humidity in.