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Frequently Asked Questions About Land Hermit Crabs
1. Why did My Hermit Crab Come Out Of his Shell?
2. Why Is My Hermit Crab So Inactive?
3. What happens when a crab molts?
4. What size habitat should I provide for my hermit crab?
5. What is the best way to handle my hermit crab so it doesn't pinch me?
6. Will my hermit crab reproduce if it has a companion?
7. Why do hermit crabs lose their claws or legs?
8. What is the difference between Caribbean and Ecuadorian hermit crabs?
9. How long will my Hermit Crab live?
10.Should hermit crabs be handled or just watched?
11.How can I get rid of mites inside of a hermit crab cage?
Why Did My Hermit Crab Come Out Of his Shell?
There are many different reasons why this may occur. 1) The Shell may have
become very dirty, causing the crab to feel itchy and irritated. In this
instance the crab will permanently abandon the shell. 2) There may be a crack or
some loose debris inside of his shell, causing him to feel uncomfortable and
leave the shell. 3) Your crab may be unable to hold the shell onto his
abdomen due to dry body. To remedy these problems you must first wash the
naked crab with clean water in order to remove any debris from the crab's body.
Then you should prepare a new clean shell or boil the abandoned shell for approximately two minutes in order to clean
and sanitize the shell. You can also wash shells with hot water. Then simply place the
crab in a small container with his cleaned shell or new shell.
The Hermit crab will instinctively move into the shell. This has to be done within 6 hours after a crab comes out of the shell.
Why Is My Hermit Crab So Inactive?
Hermit crabs are nocturnal creatures and are more active at night than
during the daytime.Each crab has its own unique personality.
It is very hard to determine which one is more active until you have had them for a while
and got them acclimated to your environment. Though most crabs tend to be nocturnal,
There are some crabs who only move when a light is on.
The best thing is providing the crabs more things to play with such as, choya wood,
coral, and sea sponges. They become more active By adjusting the temperature in their
cage between 75 and 85 degrees, or misting them regularly in order to create a more humid
in their shell, Misting the crab is likely to increase their activity
during the daytime. Get your crab a few friends. Hermit Crabs are not solitary animals.
They will move more when crabs are not alone.
What happens when a crab molts?
Hermit crabs must periodically shed their exoskeleton, enabling themselves
to grow. If a hermit crab loses any part of its body including eyes or
claws, it will re-grow them through a process known as molting. During this
process they will remain in their shell and they will likely bury
themselves in the sand and may not move for days or even weeks
because they are left vulnerable while their new skin is in the process of
hardening. Often hermit crab owners mistakenly believe that their crab is dying or dead.
If there is no odor present, your hermit crab is probably molting. When they shed their skin
they lose up to 90% of their calcium and it must be replenished by eating
the old exoskeleton. You may also add egg shells or cuttlebones to aid them
in their molting. You can isolate your crab in a separate cage while he is molting
in order to prevent other crabs from disrupting the process.
What size habitat should I provide for my hermit crab?
A five gallon cage is sufficient for up to two crabs depends on size of the crabs you have.
Remember these are living creatures and would like space to roam around in.
You should also provide plenty of obstacles for them to play on, such as, corals, gravels,
and choya wood.
What is the best way to handle my hermit crab so it doesn't pinch me?
Hermit crabs will usually only pinch you if they are afraid and looking for
something to hold on to. If this happens, they will immediately release
upon contact with warm running water(Make sure it's not hot). But if you have a crab pinch the skin, there is no
need to worry about infection, because hermit crabs do not carry any
known diseases. Hermit Crabs are very passive animals and can easily be held in
the outstretched palm of your hand.
Larger crabs however might pinch you on your palm because they need enough room to move around.
For this reason, you should place larger crabs on the floor to play as opposed to
in the palm of your hand.
Will my hermit crab reproduce if it has a companion?
They won't reproduce in your cage because they mate and lay eggs only at the ocean.
One of our partners has tried lab haching crabs a few times and got pretty good idea. But still it's very hard.
Why do hermit crabs lose their claws or legs?
There are various explanations for this. Hermit Crabs could lose
their claws if their habitat becomes arid or dry, or if they become
dirty. Adding water-filled sponges in there water dish and misting crabs,
along with weekly baths and daily drinking water will help an arid
invironment. While you should fell sympathy for the crab, do not worry,
because the leg or claw will be regenerated during the next molting phase.
However never intentionally remove a claw from your crab.
What is the difference between Caribbean and Ecuadorian hermit crabs?
Mainly there are two types of land hermit crabs sold as pets in the United States.
One is the Caribbean Hermit Crab (purple pincher/ Coenobita clypeatus)
which are more commonly found in the Caribbean and is nicknamed for its purple
colored pincher. They primarily drink fresh water, although they can drink
salt water as well, and they live inland away from the shore. The other type of
Hermit Crab is the Ecuadorian Crab( Eccie/ Coenobita compressus). They are
usually green or bluish gray in color , but as they grow their body will
begin to show orange and tan . They live primarily on the shoreline, so
they need salt water, but can also drink fresh water for a short period of time.
The best way to determine which variety you have is by the claws. The
Caribbean crab will have purple claws while the Ecuadorian will not.
How long will my Hermit Crab live?
The average life span of a hermit crab is five to fifteen years, but
Some crabs have been known to live for more than 40 years in captivity.
Should hermit crabs be handled or just watched?
Both. While it is fascinating to watch their antics, it is equally exciting
to gently handle hermit crabs and eventually have them respond to you. Crabs vary in their reactions to being handled.
But never try to take them out of its shell. Hermit crabs won't give up on their shell until they are torn apart.
Shy crabs have been trained with frequent misting.
Each day they come out looking for their showers.
How can I get rid of mites inside of a hermit crab cage?
Sometimes mites may appear due to the humid environment or food you have
in the cage. When this happens you should sterilize the entire cage.
First you need change to a new substrate and then wash the cage with
water mixed with white vinegar and rinse with warm dechlorinated water. Everything in the cage needs to be boil for
a few minutes. Second wash your hermit crabs with lukewarm dechlorinated salt(non-iodized sea-salt) water to remove
mites from their body and shell. You might want to do this a few times a week
until the mites are gone completely.