hermit crab care research

7/30/2019 Hermit Crab Care Research

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IntroductionFIRST, DO NOT take everything you read as gospel! Things are learned about hermit crab care each day.

Land hermit crabs make great and perfect pets and have a personality of their own, just like you. They can be very shy or very friendly. As they get to know you they will warm up to you.Usually they are not mean but if they have been mistreated they can act mean. You can train them to be nice if you are nice to them. They will get to know you and trust you. We have seenit happen.

There are many kinds of hermit crabs, both land and aquatic ones. This page is about the land hermit crab (AKA the tree crab, soldier crab, or purple clawed hermit crab). The scientificname is Coenibita clypeatus. This is probably the most common of the pet hermit crabs.

Land hermit crabs are simply land-based (or terrestrial) hermit crabs are of the family Coenibitidae. They are also known as tree crabs as some like to live in trees. Land hermit crabs arecrustaceans known as Coenobita clypeatus. They live in the wild in the western Atlantic. Hermit crabs have a three sections: a head, a body (cephalothorax), and an abdomen which theyprotect with their shells. Hermit crabs have gills on their big claw in order to conserve moisture. In the wild, hermit crabs sometimes go for long periods(many months) of time without food

or water, but usually return to the shore quite regularly to wet themselves, change shells and release larvae from hatching eggs. Hermit Crabs do not breed in captivity. It is almostimpossible to tell the difference between male and female hermit crabs. However, hermit crabs need to keep their gills wet to maintain good health. It is usually best to place them in ornear water once a day. Although hermit crabs might look harmless, they can use their claws to grip things tightly. Trust me; I've had one attached to me for five minutes. If one shouldattach themselves to you, put them under luke warm water. Even the very smallest hermit crabs can draw blood if it becomes frightened. Hermit crabs usually travel in groups of 25(approx.) in the wild. So it is important when you have hermit crabs as pets that you have several of them to keep each other company.

In the wild, they can live for many months out of water

Hermit Crabs do not have their own shell. They use former snail shells instead. The snail shell does not grow but the hermit crab does so when it grows it has to find a new shell .This is aDangerous time for it because it reveals the soft mussel that its enemies eat . Shells of the hermit are strong enough to with stand the tide and attacks from other animals. Sometimes 2hermit crabs will fight over 1 shell . The one that wins claims the shell . A sea anemone will sometimes be on a hermit crab shell That is no mistake. If a hermit crab stops next to a anemoneit will climb right on .

Hermit Crabs (also known as treecrabs and land hermit crabs) are relatively cheap (most of the costs go to their housing and supplies), low maintenance, and entertaining. They arefascinating, interesting, and exotic little pets that won't get in the way and are pretty quiet, unlike birds. They require little of your time and are not dangerous, like most exoticcreatures. Hermit crabs are relatively odorless, clean, and hypoallergenic; unlike many other pets. They also do not carry or transmit any known diseases to mankind; unlike baby turtles,cats, and other pets. They can climb like a squirrel, react like a turtle, and dig like a clam! They're also extremely intelligent, especially for a creature their size. They have distinct,curious personalities and very unique characteristics.

Hermit crabs have 4 antennae, 2 claws, 4 visible ambulatory legs, and 4 small legs kept inside the shell. The longer set of antennae below the eyes are the ones they 'feel' aroundwith...The shorter set are at the outer side of the eyes...and they are the 'sensory organs' that contain nerves sensitive to taste and smell. A healthy crab will move its antennae about

continuously. The hermit crab's larger purple claw is mainly used for defense, and the smaller claw is for climbing and carrying food to the mouth. The four visible legs are used for walkingand climbing. The other four legs are kept inside the shell and are used to hold on to and maneuver the shell and for removing sand and waste from the shell. If any of the hermit crab'slegs have broken off, they will regenerate when the hermit crab molts.

Usually the entire body of Crabs is covered with a hard, calcified armour. The Hermit Crab however lacks this protection on the hindmost part of its body, the abdomen, which is soft andvulnerable. It protects its abdomen, which contains such important organs as the liver and the gonads, by inserting it into a gastropod shell For this purpose the abdomen is bent, so that itfits in the curvature of the snail-house. The outer bend of the abdomen bears some little appendages which enable the crab to hold on to the inside of the shell. The reduced 4th and 5thpairs of legs serve the same purpose.

Hermit crabs "have 5 pairs of Peripods (walking legs) like other members of their Order, Decapoda (Sea-crabs, lobsters and crayfish). The first pair called Chelipeds, bare the large clawswhich are referred to... as "grasper hands" because of the non-aggressive way he uses them. The larger one is usually purple in colour and the smaller one, orange. The purple hand is alwaysvisible even when he is in his shell, because he uses it as a barricade to the entrance of his home. You should NEVER attempt to forcibly remove your crab from his shell, because he will lethimself be torn in half, rather than allow you to pull him from his protective 'hideout'. " (abstract from Merv Cooper's Crazy Crab Handbook)

When walking the animal drags its house along. In water the weight of the shell is diminished by the upward pressure and so the Hermit Crab, in spite of its burden, can zealously runabout. In case of danger the Hermit Crab withdraws into the shell as deep as possible. In the shell there is no room for two big pincers. Therefore the Hermit Crab has but one. Whenhiding in the shell it uses this pincer to guard the entrance. When the crab grows and does not fit in its shell any longer, it looks for a bigger one. The original occupant, if still present, ispicked out. Then, quickly and nervously, the crab moves over into its new home.

Often a colony of little polyps grows upon the surface of a Hermit's shell and forms a rough, brown layer on it. A bald patch indicates the spot that touches the substratum when the shelis being dragged along. The polyps profit by the crumbs of the Hermit's meals and in turn the hermit profits by the protection given by the nettle-cells of the polyps. Sometimes the

Hermit Crab bears Sponges or Sea-anemones on its shell. Besides giving protection these guests give some useful camouflage. When moving into a new shell the crab can remove these fromthe old one and transplant them.

Even though he is called a hermit. That does not mean he does not like company. The word hermit refers to living in his very own shell alone. Actually they live in colonies and do not likeliving alone. We keep thousands in one very large cage for our shop and they survive very well. They are happy as hermits. Of course we have several water dishes they can crawl into, fooddishes and hundreds of extra shells in the cage at all times. They love to try all the shells as if they are playing with toys.

Pious men used to withdraw into the desert in order to service God in strict solitude. They used to live in a cave or in a little house all by themselves. They were called "hermits" ("eremosis Greek for "desert"). Hence this name for the funny crab that lives all alone in its self-chosen hermitage.

Classification is seen below:Phylum Arthropoda: Animals with specialized body segments, hardened exoskeletons, and joined appendages.

Subphylum Diantennata: Arthropods with a pair of mandibles that flank the mouth and at least one set of antennae.

Class Crustacea: Diantennata with two pairs of antennae and double branched (biramous) appendages.

Order Decapoda: Crustacea with five pairs of legs

Infraorder Anomura: Decapoda, with reduced fifth pair of thoracic legs and the folded up bases above the bases of the fourth pairs of legs.

Family Coenobitidae: Land (Terrestrial) hermit crabs.

(Source: Philippe de Vosjoli, 1999)

They can get to be as big as a baseball in captivity and even larger if the shells are provided. They spend their lives just looking for a bigger shell. They have been known to live in the backof an old rusty can, broken light bulb or anything they can find when there is not a shell available.

What is a Hermit Crab?HERMIT TREE CRABS (Coenabita Clypeatus) are their true names and they are one of the most popular and east to care for pets available today. Their clean habits, lengthy life span,

and simple diet, make them an excellent choice for anyone, young or old.

The life cycle of the Tree crab makes it a truly unique animal. Being born in an ocean tide pool, traveling to land to secure a shell for a home, going through a metamorphosis to becomean air breather, and then taking up residence in tropical trees are just a part of their fascinating life span.

The Tree crab lives as a ful ly self contained mobile unit. They get moisture from dew drops on leaves and have the ability to store both food and water for future use. They canregenerate lost or broken claws and legs and must molt (shed their hard outer skeleton) yearly. During molting they shed their exo(outer)-skeleton and need to kept extra moist and in amedium into which they can burrow themselves. It takes about 10 days for their new skin to harden and during this period they are very soft, vulnerable, and inactive.

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Their most fascinating habit is the necessity to find new shells as they outgrow their old home. Besides the necessity to change shells for yearly growth, Tree crabs are extremelycurious and are known to change shells frequently whenever an abundance of empty shells are available to them.

This is just a brief introduction into the funny and fascinating lives of the Tree crab. With just a minimum amount of care, they can bring years and years of pure enjoyment. For just asmall investment, you can watch your crab grow and become " one of the family". A CRAB CONDO, is a great and interesting addition for your desk at work or next to your computer athome, taking a minimum amount of space and care.

DescriptionThe common or land hermit crab, Paguristes frontalis, is a member of a family called "false crabs" because they have only three pairs of walking legs instead of the four found in true

crabs. They are unique among crabs in that they grow a shell over only the front part of their body; their slender, coiled abdomen is soft and vulnerable. For protection, they live inempty snail shells which they carry as mobile houses. Since the shell's size is fixed, hermit crabs are perpetually searching for new homes as they grow, often trying on new shells forsize.

Hermit Crabs as PetsHermit crabs are among the more unusual pets, although they do make interesting, easy care companions. They have distinct personalities, are active and curious, and their unique

characteristics and low maintenance requirements make them good pets.

Hermit crabs are not "true crabs." They have a smaller, soft abdomen which they protect by living in an empty snail shell. They must find larger shells as they grow, and owners ofthese pets must provide progressively larger shells as their pets grow. In the wild they are omnivores, feeding on both plant and animal material in tidal pools.

They are relatively easy to find in pet stores, but care is required in choosing a potential pet. Check to make sure that all the legs are present (3 pairs of walking legs), the shellcovering the head and thorax isn't damaged, there are no parasites/small bugs present, and that the crab is lively. Larger crabs may be more hardy, and if you already have a crab thenit is important to match sizes pretty closely otherwise fighting may occur.

To learn more about the biology of hermit crabs in the wild, try Marine Life Profile: Tide pool Hermit Crabs. This page, by the Waikiki Aquarium, gives a good overview of the biology ofhermit crabs.

There are not a huge number of pages featuring hermit crabs on the Net, but some contain good information and great personal stories/experiences with hermit crabs. I wouldrecommend anyone interested in these creatures visit a variety of the following sites to get a good idea of the care requirements of the hermit crab:

* The Happy Hermit - how to keep your hermit crab happy: good page on basic care of hermit crabs.

* Hermit Crab FAQ - brief but useful FAQ on hermit crabs from the folks at Crabby Crab (also referred to as tree crabs).

* Hermit Crabs - by Aaron Minnick of the Teaching & Learning Center, Franklin College. A brief description of hermit crabs, their environment, disposition, and behavior, as well as

choosing one as a pet.* Hermit Crabs and Their Crab-Like Relatives - lovely photo gallery, common and scientific names, and a page on biology (no pet stuff here) from the Crustacea Laboratory, Museum

of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.

* HermitWorld.com - sections on behavior, care (nice daily care chart), housing, feeding, molting and shells, as well as an FAQ and tips on choosing a crab.

* Jeremy's Hermit Crab Page - a nice page with lots of tips on housing, feeding, and molting, as well as some other sections. The author has 17+ years experience with hermit crabs.

* Scott's Hermit Crab Page - Scott's pages have good sections on behavior and biology.

Crabs and accessories are available on line as well:

* The Crabby Crab - a commercial site with information on care, and FAQ and prices for crabs and accessories (will ship crabs if weather nice enough).

* Sea Shell City - source of hermit crab supplies and a nifty assortment of replacement shells, and a page on hermit crab care tips.

Happy crabbing!

Nature vs. CaptivityIn the wild hermit crabs come from tropical regions (where the weather is warm and humid), like the Caribbean, South and Central America, and parts of Australia in rocky shores and

inland tidepools. They dwell in nooks and crannies on beach side rocks (sleeping in the shade during the day), or in trees. They will live 30-40 years in nature while as pets they usuallylive 1-2 yrs and rarely over 4 yrs. The main reason for this is stress. Once in awhile someone will have a hermit crab live over 20 years though which is an amazing feat. In the wild theywill live in colonies with anywhere between a dozen and a 100+ hermit crabs, our pets are usually farmed or harvested and kept in colonies of over one-thousand. They need runningseashore to reproduce (their first stages of their lifespan in spent in the ocean) and thus they cannot reproduce in captivity. They are unlikely ever to breed in captivity due to theirspecialized requirements. At the time of writing, there are currently no captive breeding programs, it is just easier to control a natural source. There are laws for harvesting hermitcrabs and companies need to get a permit for so many hermit crabs to control the natural balance and numbers of things. After being harvested, professionals go through great lengthsto help them adapt to captivity. In nature they are omnivorous scavengers, eating and chewing almost anything they can find(leaf litter, bark & decaying wood except Pine and Cedar,fruits and vegetation, dead fish, etc.) and scavenge for food at night(so they can avoid the heat and predators). They will pick broken and less than perfect shells that blend into thebackground, large shells are especially difficult to find in nature so larger ones have been seen using pop can/bottles, broken lightbulbs, bottle caps, and other creative things for shells.They have also been known to dig their abdomen into the ground for protection if they can't find anything, they usually dry out and die or get eaten soon afterwards though. They willoften find new shells in nature by the smell of a dead snail or other crab that usually brings in a whole group of hermit crabs. At these gatherings there is often a mass exchange ofshells, when one crab exchanges shells it's old shell is free which allows others to swap up and down for better fitting shells. As pets we will give them the best shells available, oftenpainted or decorated and feed them commercial hermit crab food, maybe some fresh fruit & veggies as a treat. They have a lot of predators in nature and carry many of their instinctsover to captivity. When they see a shadow over their shell or any quick movements, their first instinct is to pop right back into their shell. It could easily be a bird of prey. They sleepduring the day and are active during the night to stay less visible to predators and avoid overheating. Often, in nature they will have polyps or sea anemones on their shell to provideextra protection and camouflage, the polyps and anemones eat the crumbs left over from the hermit crab's meals. When they switch shells they will sometimes switch the polyps andanemones to their new shell. Never take a hermit crab from their natural habitat.

About the harvesting of hermit crabs from the wild

If you have read much about hermit crab husbandry, you would know that it is a well-known fact that a small hermit crab can carry several thousands of eggs per mating period up tosometimes fifty thousand eggs for a larger /older crab. Mervin Roberts in his book "All About Land Hermit Crabs" gives a very educational and practical explanation of 'natures checksand balances' in the husbandry of the LHC. Those 'people' who 'harvest these crabs from the wild are under strict regulations regarding the areas and harvesting procedures. The sameprovisions are in place for the United States, even though they are seldom enforced for the small one time offenders. The largest natural area for Hermit Crabs in the United States isin the 'lower part' of Florida around the Keys.

The people who actually do the harvesting of crabs for distributors work under STRICT guidelines and procedures set forth by the governments from which they are gathered. Theseguidelines allow/assure the various species a continuous redistribution throughout their natural ranges. Demographics are in place as to where, harvest quotas and species are set as toretain the natural balance of these little guys so that they are not 'wiped out' by overzealous harvesters or 'collectors'. Numerical quotas and size are taken into consideration anddistributors such as FMR, Brelands, etc. have limits as to how many crabs they may get through these 'harvests'. It is a very structured procedure with many guidelines to comply withfrom the time they are taken from the 'wild' until they begin their new lives in 'domestication'.

Most of the crabs we 'see' in the United States come from the Florida Key area and other Caribbean areas. Some are imported from the South American areas such as theEcuadorians that many of us have grown so fond of!

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Choosing Hermit CrabsLook closely at the hermit crab environment and ask questions about the food, bedding, housing and temperature needs for your new pets. If you have never owned hermit crabs before a

book on caring for hermit crabs is a wonderful resource. There is a list of hermit crab guides listed under Books to the left. Make sure that you can purchase extra shells from the shop oralternatively from a seashell shop, craft store or tourist shop ( see shells for more information.)

When I am selecting a crab I will ask permission to pick up and handle the hermit crabs. Slowly and gently pick up any available crabs from the tank and fluidly lower them onto your palm,stretched flat. It is important that you keep your hand flat as most hermit crabs see you as a giant and are afraid you will drop them! Considering the ease with which they fall I think thatthey are justified in this fear. You need to be ready at all times to catch them in case they tumble off your hand.

Watch each crab as it meanders across your palm. Sometimes it takes a while for a crab to loose its initial fear of you and peek out from the safety of its shell. Try to keep your hand stiland talk soothingly to your crab, always remembering to place your empty hand alongside the other at the edge the crab is crawling towards.

Choosing the right crab can be a hard thing to do, but if you do it right, it can help you in the long run. Doing this can help you get a crab that will live longer, and a much happier, healthier,more fun crabitat. Be sure to have everything they will need before bringing them home.

Choosing the Right Place to Buy FromRecently, while on vacation, I visited some pet stores and gift shops that sold hermit crabs. In one store, the hermit crabs were kept in a cage that would have been better suited for

a rabbit. They had food and water, but no extra shells. The store was very cold, because of the air conditioner, this also removed any humidity from the air. I went intentionally lookingfor this store, because I had received numerous e-mails about hermit crabs purchased from here not surviving for more than a week or two. From what was described to me, they had aldied from stress. If you follow the check list below and buy only from pet stores that treat their animals well, these other pet stores will get the point.

You should be able to purchase hermit crabs at most quality pet stores and they are also often found in gift shops at most popular beaches.

Choosing the right place will help ensure your hermit crabs are happy and healthy, as well as keep that place in business and show you agree with their care practices. You can orderthem online but if you want the luxury of being able to pick them out yourselves (instead of having them send you just any old crabs) you will want to find a good pet store. In order toensure good health and happiness of your Hermit Crabs you will want to find a pet store that supplies FMR crabs, they are a good source that generally do well as pets. Some sources petstores get them from are really bad. If you contact FMR and give them your zip code, they will be able to send you the names of stores in your area (or the closest store near you) thatsells their crabs and or supplies. The only problem is some stores buy crabs from several sources, so be sure to ask at the store. Next, you want to buy from a knowledgeable pet storethat does a good job of taking care of their crabs. Some of the larger chain pet stores do a horrifying job of taking care of their pets, especially hermit crabs (info on them is hard tofind). Some have been known to have hot UV incandescent light over them, no water or food, wood chips or Astroturf for bedding substrate, dirty or small crowded or smelly cages,many of them sick, mite infested, or with 2 or 3+ lost limbs, etc. The staff should be informative and helpful. Make sure the pet store is clean and the animals have fresh food andwater. One person once had a hermit crab lose a leg so they asked a pet store employee and they told them to superglue it back on! Be careful of some pet stores in the tropical areasthat have (sometimes illegally) harvested their own hermit crabs instead of buying them from professionals. DON'T take hermit crabs straight from the wild, this happens quite oftenand they suffer and die pretty quickly. In most places around the world it illegal to take hermit crabs from the shore as they are protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act andother laws which are there for the protection of all hermit crabs. If a pet store doesn't look good, move on and find another pet store. But more importantly, before you go to any petstore, check out your local animal shelter, classified section of the newspaper and trywww.petfinder.org. This is an organization that helps pet shelters find homes for homeless animalsIf there are any hermit crab listed they will be found under REPTILES and SMALL & FUZZY. They don't have a hermit crab category. Its always a good idea to give a homeless hermitcrab a home.

Make Sure They Will Get AlongThe next thing to consider when choosing Hermit Crabs is that they are social and need the company of other Hermit Crabs, so if you don't already have Hermit Crabs you will need to

buy more than one (which shouldn't be a problem since they are pretty cheap) to make sure they'll be happy . Don't worry about whether they are male or female, they can't reproducein captivity anyway. Then you need to choose hermit crabs that will get along and won't fight. There no absolutes to whether they will fight or not but there are couple things you can dowhile choosing to help cut down on the possibility.

1. You can choose crabs of the same size(the same size large claw) and temperament. Even though hermit crabs are generally social creatures, the larger hermit crab is usuallydominant and might sometimes pick on or bully a smaller one/s(this is rare though). Plus, if two of the same size do get a fight they can both fend for themselves. If you have manyhermit crabs (more than 10), some people say a mix of sized crabs is often better because then at least the crabs won't be in competition for prized shells.

2. Some people say that with the same color claw get along better, this is usually referring to crabs of the same species get along better with their own kind a little better(this isnot always true either). There might be natural antagonism between hermit crabs of 2 different species.

3. It is best to choose 2 or 3 crabs that are right next to each other and especially if they have the same kind of shell. This usually means that they already know each other andalready get along.

4. Crabs with missing or damaged limbs and obvious damage to their shell are usually either being picked on or the ones doing the picking on(or sick), either way they are more likelyto spur on fights.

The Right SizeThere is no really easy way that I know of to tell the exact age of a hermit crab. In general, the larger the crab the older it is.

Small (dime sized) crabs need more attention, and are harder to care for. Their chances of dying are a lot greater just because they are smaller. Some people like small crabs thoughbecause they think they look cuter or because they have spent less of their life outside their home or in captivity, they are more suitable for smaller children, because they arecheaper, or other various reasons. If you can only afford (or have space for) a smaller tank, you might want smaller hermit crabs too. Another thing to keep in mind is that jumbo(tangerine, softball, etc.) sized crabs only molt about once every 18 months but when they do, their chances of surviving it are less likely. Jumbo crabs are kind of awe-inspiring to lookat, but are more expensive and more difficult to find.

Make Sure They are HealthyLook over the crab and see if the crab is missing any legs, or other parts of their body. They should have two eyes, two long antennae, two short antennae (called antennules), both

chelipads(grasping claws: 1 large and 1 small), and all 4 of its large legs. Plus make sure the crab doesn't have any scratches, or cuts on it. Also look to see if any part of the body looksabnormal, different from the other crabs. Be sure the head and thorax isn't damaged. Hermit crabs are not normally smelly creatures, so if is has a strong fishy smell (an indication ofdeath), more so than the other crabs, it might be sick, dying or is in the middle of a moult. It is best to avoid crabs which are moulting when purchasing a new pet as such crabs as itusually ends in heartache because of the stress on an already weakened crab.. It also should NOT be "hanging" limp or loosely out of it's shell. You want to make sure they have ahealthy color to their exoskeleton (skin). You want to make sure their shell fits just right (meaning not too big or not too small). The shell opening should be as large as it's big pincer,this is a good sign of it's health and future health. It should also be a little heavy when picked up, showing it has a good storage of moisture and isn't dried out or dehydrated. Be sureto check that there are no little bugs on the crabs, or in the cage. These parasitic mites are deadly and may spread to other crabs. Pass on any batch of crabs if you find even oneinfected animal. Lastly, you want to pick one of the the most lively, active crabs you can find with fluttering antennae (but keep in mind that hermit crabs are nocturnal animals). Makeyour pick from the crawlers and climbers, let the stay-puts stay put. Active crabs tend to be healthier and also less timid and hence more interesting and more enjoyable.

PreferenceBe sure to pick a crabs with a shell that you like. Some crabs will not switch their shell for a long time. Ask to take it out of it's cage and place it on your outstretched palm leaving the

skin taught so they can't grab on to it. A crab that peeks it's head and legs out and is relatively friendly towards you right off the bat is preferable.

It is important that the shell is attractive and it is suitable for the other crabs once the original occupant has moved on to another shell. Some crabs spend months in the same shell. Iknow it is not as important as the health of the crab but it can make a difference in how you perceive your crab.

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LastlyDo not ever place your newly bought hermit crabs with the rest of your hermit crabs right away, if you already have a bunch of hermit crabs. They could potentially be sick or mite

infested and possibly spread it to the rest of your crabs. Put them in isolation for about a week until you are sure there won't be a problem.

Purchasing Your Hermit CrabWhere to Buy & What to Look For: You should be able to purchase hermit crabs at most quality pet stores and they are also often found in gift shops at most popular beaches. When

you purchase a crab, make sure that you can see at least 6 legs and make sure it is moving. Also stay away from crabs that have a strong odor or have any bugs on them.

How old is that Hermit Crab? There is no really easy way that I know of to tell the exact age of a hermit crab. In general, the larger the crab the older it is.

Hermit Housing: Don't cramp you hermits! Even though they are tiny creatures, they need enough room to crawl around. Don't make the mistake I did and buy a small plastic container.I would suggest purchasing a glass 10 gallon tank with a screen to cover the top. The best place to setup the tank is in a warm spot (remember they come from very warm climates) withabout 4-6 inches of sand in the bottom covered with a thin layer of gravel, crushed coral, coral rock, crushed clam and oyster shells, or limestone. Crabs also love to climb. You should

include a piece of non-resin wood for them to climb on. If you are unsure about what kind to put in, you can purchase "fake" wood in the reptile section of your pet store. This is theroute I took! The tank also needs a water dish that is easy for the hermit crab to climb in and out of. You can also find these in the reptile section of the pet store. Be sure to put smallrocks, or a natural sponge (the kind you buy in a pet store not grocery store) on the bottom of the dish so the crabs can climb in and out easily. Crabs can drown if they can't get out ofthe water dish. The last thing needed for the hermit house is a very small shallow dish to put the food on. I cut down a small medicine cup and burried it in the sand so it is easy to getto. I have also seen people who use a plastic lid or a clam shell. Crabs eat very slowly so it must be easy to remove and change the food supply, so it doesn't go bad.

Lighting: Hermit crabs are basically night creatures in the wild. They don't often come out during the day. A low watt flourescent light, like the type used for a tropical fish tank, canbe vurned a few hours each day to help warm the tank and simulate daylight or dusk. A nice blue or purple flourescent bulb gives a nice soft light.

Information: Finding A CrabChoosing the right crab can be a hard thing to do, but if you do it right, it can help you in the long run. Doing this can help you get a crab that will live longer, and a crab that will get

along with any other crabs you have (if you have any others). When buying a crab, there are a few things you should do to make sure you get the right crab.

* The first and most important thing is that you make sure your crab is healthy. Look over the crab and see if the crab is missing any legs, or other parts of their body. Plus makesure the crab doesn't have any scratches, or cuts on it. Also look to see if any part of the body looks abnormal.

* Another thing you should do is make sure the crab is not too small if you do not have lots of time on your hands. Small crabs need lots of attention, and are harder to care for.Their chances of dying are a lot greater just because they are smaller. I suggest that you get a bigger crabs because they are more tame, and have a better chance of living.

* The crab should also have a good fitting shell (meaning not too small). Some crabs don't change to a bigger shell because they are sick. That isn't true for all crabs with small

shells, some are just fine with small shells.I have a crab who hasn't changed his shell in a while, but he is perfectly normal still (as far as I know).

* If you already own a crab, you have more things to look at if you are thinking of buying a new crab. One thing you should do is make sure your new crab is not aggressive. Also, ifyou are planning to get more than one crab, but you don't have any now, look into the future, and make sure your first crab is not aggressive.

* Another thing about size is the fact that crabs have been known to pick on smaller crabs. Even though the crab may not be aggressive normally, it may pick on smaller crabsaround. To prevent this, make sure you buy crabs that are about the same size. This will help your crabs from bullying each other.

* The last thing has not been proven, but works for me. Some people say that if you want to have multiple crabs, that you should make sure that they have the same color big claw.These people say that if they have the same color big claw that they will get along better. It tends to work for me, but it may not work for everyone. Take this into considerationwhen you buy your crab.

This crab is very active, and I recommend getting a active crab.

Choosing a hermit crab as a petBecause they are hardy, curious, and active, hermit crabs make excellent pets. Many pet stores carry hermit crabs, but most shopkeepers are not terribly familiar with these charming

crustaceans. When buying a hermit crab, make sure to check each of the following:

1. Health. Check for missing legs and obvious damage to the integral shell (the front part of the crab).

2. Parasites. Check for the presence of any small bugs on the crab. These parasitic mites are deadly and infectious. Pass on any batch of crabs if you find even one infected animal.

3. Disposition. Hermit crabs vary in their level of activity. Lively crabs tend to be healthier and also less timid and hence more enjoyable.

4. Size. Hermit crabs vary in size; including their shells, typical specimens range from marble-sized to fist sized. Larger crabs tend to be hardier and less timid.

5. Matching with existing pets.

a. If you already have a hermit crab and are adding another to your household, try to find a good match in size and temperament. Hermit crabs can be cannibalistic and maybully or kill smaller crabs, especially in close settings.

b. Don't try to house hermit crabs with other animals such as lizards, snakes, or turtles. Hermit crabs are predatory in the wild and may harm other pets, or conversely maybe intimidated by larger roommates.

Different Species of Hermit CrabsThe shape of the claw is a good way to recognize a particular species. For instance Caribbean Hermits have a deep purple claw, Haiti Hermits have an orange - purple claw, Philippine

hermits have a smaller more purple claw and Tahiti hermits have a black or white claw depending on the island.

The Hermit Crabs common to the United States, DO NOT require salt baths, with the exception of the Ecuadorian Crabs.

Australian Land Hermit CrabsThe crabs that I own are land - based tree - dwelling hermit crabs from Australia, of the species Coenobitia variabilis which are affectionately known as "Crazy Crabs". Another

popular land hermit crab is the Strawberry or Red Land Hermit Crab, Coenobita perlatus.

Hermit crabs sold in Australia are the only species of hermit crabs that need to be bathed in seasalt water about once a month. It is believed that since they live closer to water inthey need more brackish water. There are two species of hermit crabs sold in Australia:

Coenobita Perlatus- "Strawberry" or "Red" land hermit crab, little is known and they are very rare.

Coenobita Variabilis- "Crazy Crab", most often what is sold in Australia.

"Land Hermit Crabs of the family Coenibitidae are in general a tropical group poorly represented in the Australian Area. Some small, brown Coenibita species occur in northernAustralia and the bright red Coenibita perlatus is abundant on cays in the Coral Sea between Queensland and New Caledonia. Though found widely throughout the tropical Indo-Pacificfrom the Red Sea to Samoa, this active scavenger is seldom seen on the islands in the Barrier Reef area... These virtually terrestrial decapods have branchial chambers richly suppliedwith blood vessels as well as gills, and can use atmospheric oxygen directly. They can live for many months out of water but usually return to the shore quite regularly to wet themselves,change shells and release larvae from hatching eggs."

Little is known about Australian Hermit Crabs and they are not by any means my specialty. Vanessa Pike-Russell is a very knowledgeable hermit crab owner who lives in Australia. If youhave any questions regarding Australian Hermit Crabs you are best off asking her, her email address is [email protected] and her Yahoo instant messenger ID is hermit_crabs

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Vanessa Pike-Russell, who lives in Australia and is very knowledgable, had this to say about Australian hermit crab care: "E's are somewhat like the Aus C.variabilis crabs in that theywander closer to the water on their nightly wanderings for food. This means that they have a higher intake of salt and salt water in the wild than their C.clypateus cousins, and as suchit has to be maintained in captivity. That is the main reason why the drinking water of E's is laced with a weak saline solution (which, from what I have heard, many PP's will drink too).If you have the room in your tank I suggest offering both E's and PP's a dish of each water, and let the crabs decide for themselves.

Australian hermit crab owners are advised to give their crabs a salt bath. A "salt bath" merely means a dish of salt water solution (much like that used with E's but stronger) that isleft in the tank overnight. If you want to be sure the crabs have some access to it, you can lower them into the dish and allow them to climb out. This is done once a month. If there isroom in the tank, then you can add a small dish of water with slightly saline solution like that offered to the Ecuadorian crabs, as well as a dish of fresh water that is chlorine andchloramine free. This is an alternative to salt baths, but only if you have the room in the tank.

Due to concern over the possible damage to the modified gills of my crabs due to exposure to salt water baths I consulted 'experts' both in the US and Australian hermit crab fieldswho felt that weekly salt baths were far too frequent. I was advised to weaken the solution and was informed that If beach sand was used as a substrate then the crabs wouldprobably receive their salt intake that way, making additional salt intake unnecessary. I now only give my crabs a salt bath once a month, and have halved the strength of the solutionbased on my crabs preferences and expert advice. FMR informed me that the species C. clypateus did better to ingest than absorb salt into their body, and that is why rock salt isadded to the FMR food and treat. CLD sent me some FMR Food and Treat and my crabs just can't get enough of it, especially the treat!

I have been bathing my Aussie crabs in Stress Coat laced water since CLD convinced me of its beneficial qualities, especially the ability to help repair any damage the salt watersolution may have caused. I believe that Stress Coat has been helpful in creating a protective coating of the gills and helping maintenance of the gill function necessary for theirbreathing. I believe that Stress coat bath once a week has helped my crabs in many ways, including the ability slip out of their exo much more easily, as well as a very shiny exo due tothe moisturising properties of Aloe within Stress Coat brand I use. Believe me, they enjoy it just as much as their US cousins do :)"

(Ref: Healy, A. and Yaldwyn, J. [1970] Australian Crustaceans in Colour. Sydney, Reed.

Description: 112 p. illus. (part col.) 18x 19 cm ISBN: 0589070738)

Land Hermit Crabs Sold Everywhere Else(Mostly U.S.):There are three main kinds of hermit crabs found in United States pet stores. Ecuadorians, Purple Pincers, and Reds. To learn more about them, visit the US Species page.

Coenobita Clypeatus-"Purple Pincers(PP)", most often what is sold in U.S.A.

Coenobita Clypeatus-"Reds", some recognize this subgroup of the clypeatus group, they are deep red to light orange all over including their large claw, rare . Reds have the samecharacteristics as the pp's except the red tones are all over including their large claw.

Coenobita Compressus-"Ecuadorian", only hermit crab sold in U.S.A. that needs to drink (not bathe in) slightly brackish water.

Coenobita Perlatus-"Strawberry" or "Reds", very little is known, very rare

Birgus Latro- "Coconut" or "Robber" crab, largest land crab, very aggressive, only wears a shell for one year.

"Coconut" or "Robber" Crab - Birgus latroThe coconut crab is the largest living land arthropod. The coconut crab feeds on coconuts and other foods and until it reaches maturity it wears a shell for protection like the land

hermit crabs. Coconut crabs grow very large, with some weighing 5 kilos and with a leg span of a metre! Coconut crabs got their name from observed behaviour in which they climbcoconuts palms in search of the soft coconut meat which they obtain by using their powerful grasping claws to release the coconut and then use claws and legs to prise the crackedcoconut shell open.

Extremely rarely, young live robber crabs are imported into the U.S. and offered by reptile dealers. You would only most likely see these in a pet shop specializing in exotic pets. Theyare not true hermit crabs as they only wear a shell for one year of their life, they first year they are on shore. They are the largest of land crabs. They are known as coconut crabsbecause of their love for coconuts, and robber crabs because of their ability to steal food. they will obviously need an extremely large tank and environment.

Aggressive

They are very aggressive and have been described as "cannibalistic killers." They are best left by themselves and especially not with any hermit crabs of other species. They arevery good climbers and can even scale the walls, walking on the cielings.

Large

A very large robber crab can be over 40 years old and over 8 lbs in weight. They can be very active and strong. they can be especially good at escaping and have been known totear through wire mesh.

Molting

They will need especially good conditions to molt because of the difficulty involved for them. They will need extra deep substrate as well. They might remain buried for at least amonth after molting.

Nigerian Land Hermit CrabNigerian land hermit crabs are seen as a delicacy in Nigeria, where they are sometimes eaten. Nigerian Land Hermit Crabs should not be confused with the Nigerian Moon or SoapDish

crab, which is a 'true' crab.

Ecuadorian Hermit Crabs (Es)Ecuadorians come in all colors(most often gray and tan), tones, shades (depending on which area of the tropics they are from and which colony) and and require additional attention.

They are more easily noted by their larger and elongated oval shaped eyes (as opposed to the tiny beady eyes of the previous two). Their legs fold over their claws when retracting intotheir shell unlike most species. They will usually only grow to about half the size of PPs(40 grams). Some say their large claw is more triangular than the others and that their legs look

more muscular They also have a particular "squealing" sound to their croaks too. They are also generally less ornary. E crabs are particularly susceptible to temperature fluctuations andthey might prefer shells with a more slit-like opening, rather than the traditional round-shaped opening preferred by most crabs. They seem to prefer very natural shells and do notusually change shells as often as the others..They also generally will pee on you more than other species. Many people enjoy the extra activeness and hyperness traits of ecuadorians, butother don't want the added responsibility.

Speed Demons!

They have been described as "speed demons" and run in all directions at once! They are are about 50% MORE active than PPs and can go as fast backwards as they can frontwardsor to either side. And E's antennae are HYPER compared to PPs.

Emotional

They are more high-strung, in general, and also more emotional. E's are about as emotional as a crustacean can get. They have a really hard time adjusting to the loss of one oftheir fellow E's.

Need a Trace of Saline (Seasalt Water) in Their Drinking Water

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They need an extra tad of saline(marine salt) in their water. Do not bathe E's in seasalt water, it may hurt their gills and cause respiratory problems. It is best to bathe E's inStresscoat laced water. Only bathe Australian bought hermit crabs in salt water. With the exception of the Ecuadorian Crabs the trace of salt required for their diet can beobtained through their food and treats. FMR adds a trace amount of sea salt to their Treat and Food for this purpose. The Ecuadorians do require an additional trace of saline viatheir drinking water* but only a trace. Interesting note: when a fresh water source and a source with a trace of sea salt water is offered, E's will almost always head for the salinetraced water! Their keen sense of smell is responsible...

Too much salt works against the stresscoat baths that HELP the Ecuadorian crabs. It can cause blisters around their ("E's") gills and cause major respiratory problems... fromulcerated gills... it is usually a slow and not too pleasant death from suffocation. But they do require an extra trace of salt and a little more calcium intake. The saline is known to'strip' away some of this protectant, this is where the stresscoat comes in to help replace the protectant. I use the cuttlebone for their extra calcium...pretzels, saltine snackscan supply the salt requirement. Sad thing is there is next to nothing written about them. I offer plain dechlorinized water to the others.... but the trace of salt water won't harmthem. I have found that the Ecuadorians do tend to hover over the water dishes more than my others...

A suggested Saline solution for Ecuadorian hermit crabs is:

* Drinking water: about 1/8th of a teaspoon of aquarium salt (Instant Ocean or Doc Fishwell are the best) to a quart of dechloronized water. Then add a teaspoon of thissolution to their drinking water.

Difficulty Molting

Molting in captivity is especially strenuous for Ecuadorians and the survival rate of this period is extremely low. It has been shown that regular baths with Stresscoat laced waterdrastically improves their chances of survival.

Purple Pincer Hermit Crabs (PP)The most common hermit crab species sold in the U.S.A.

Just as their name implies, their large claw (left chelipad) is of a a purple to bluish color which sets them aside from the others. They cover the opening of their shell with this largepurplish claw. Their legs are various colors(depending on which area of the tropics they are from and which colony), but we normally see them in reddish and brown tones. They havebeady looking, round eyes and their legs seem to fold into the shell when retracted. They will grow to about 110 grams (about 4 ounces). They are probably the easiest to care for andlike to switch shells often.

Different Species of Aquatic or Marine Hermit CrabsThis site is focused on the land hermit crab Coenibita clypeatus, but there are many different kinds of both land and aquatic hermit crabs. Sometimes people have found hermit crabs

on the beach and wondered whether they were land crabs or aquatic (in the wild, land hermit crabs usually stay pretty near the shore; they are born in the ocean and the females must

return to the sea to deposit their eggs). Of approximately 800 hermit crabs known to science, all but 12 are aquatic. They are also sold at pet stores for aquariums and called reefjanitors, because they eat up the algae at the bottoms of the tank and help keep it clean to a certain extent.

Here are a few things that may help you if you find a hermit crab on a beach:Land hermit crabs have solid red, purple, orange, brown, or grey colored legs and claws; Aquatic hermit crabs may have different colored limbs (i.e. they may be striped or spotted).

Land hermit crabs have black eyes; aquatic crabs may have eyes of another color.

Aquatic crabs can live out of water for a little while (which explains why they are sometimes found washed up on the sand), but they need an aquatic environment to survive . May findthem on the beach.; land crabs may be able to stay in the water for a very short period time, but after that they will drown.

One thing you may notice about an aquatic hermit crab is that it might have things such as barnicles living on its shell.

If you think you may have found aquatic crab but aren't sure, I'd recommend taking it to a knowledgeable vet or knowledgeable pet store to ask, FMR may be able to help but not verymuch when it comes to aquatic hermit crabs.

Crab BiologyThe Caribbean Terrestrial Hermit Crab Coenobita Clypeatus (herbst, 1791)

The name Coenobita Clypeatus (usually pronounced seen-oh-bit-a cly-pe-ait-us) may be translated as " shield-bearing monk or cloister brother," which conjures up a truer image of thisoften gregarious and variously cloistered resident of tropical East American shores than does "hermit crab." But, like most common names, "hermit crab" or "soldier crab" in nativeparlance, will certainly endure. The animal so called belongs to a small family of terrestrial decapod crustaceans quite distinct from the marine hermit crabs. The family Coenobitidas iscomposed of two genera: Birgus and Coenobita.Birgus is represented by a single species, Birgus latro(Linnaeus, 1767), the Robber Crab or Coconut Crab of Indo-Pacific islands. Birgus hasdiscarded the protection of an appropriated shelter except for a brief juvenile period.Coenobita contains seven species that inhabit tropical regions throughout the world and that live indiscarded snail shells for their entire adult lives, changing to larger shells as they grow.

The terrestrial hermit crabs and a few true land crabs of the family Gecarcinidae are the only decapod crustaceans (shrimps, lobsters, crabs, etc.) that have successfully migrated fromthe sea directly to dry land. Most land animals gradually evolved from the marine environment through brackish and fresh water to marshes and land. The direct route taken by Coenobitapresents many adaptive problems, especially in the hot and dry climates that seem to be favored by the terrestrial hermit crabs.

Coenobita Clypeatus ranges in size from tiny but sexually mature individuals weighing little more than a gram to old males as large as a man's fist. It occurs naturally from Bermuda, whereit is now rare, and southern Florida to Venezuela and perhaps Brazil. It seems to prefer dry, hard soil at some distance from the sea and it is known to live at altitudes of at least 2,300feet (887 meters.) Although high humidity is desirable, Coenobita seems to avoid areas of dense vegetation or permanently humid habitats, such as marshlands and the muddy banks ofbrackish or freshwater pools. Hermit crabs can survive in coastal areas but they encounter stiff competition for food there from quicker and more active semi terrestrial grapsoid crabs.The hermit crab populations in these regions are consequently made up of small individuals and a few larger ones that usually carry inadequate snail shells and appear the worse for wear incomparison with those living in inland situations, where there are freshwater drinking places, shade trees, and a better 'food supply- The inland populations often occupy the heavy WestIndian Top Shell,(Cittarium-Livona) pica.

On Curacao,the hermit crabs are usually least active about noon; they normally reach their peak of activity between sunset and 8:00 P.M. and gradually become less active from then untilthe following noon, but a sudden increase in humidity, as from a shower, tends to promote activity at any time. The optimum temperature range is probably between 72 degrees and 93degrees Fahrenheit. All movements become slower at 68 degrees to 72 degrees and hermit crabs maintained at 65 degrees become more or less lethargic. Populations of Coenobita onBimini in the Bahamas are more active in the daytime, possibly because nighttime temperatures are lower than they are farther south, but this reversal of the activity cycle was notobserved in those inhabiting the Florida Keys.

When the hermit crabs are active and encountering each other in their travels, they often make croaking sounds, but the source of this apparent means of communication is stilluncertain. Some species of the Coenobitahave prominent stridulating ridges on the outer surface of the major claw, but no such structure is to be found in Coenobita Clypeatus.

As an adaptation forextracting oxygen from the air rather than from the water, the gills of Coenobita are reduced in number and stiffened, and the inner walls of the gill chamber arevascularized to promote the exchange of gases. Also, ventilation of the gill chamber is enhanced by the reduced side walls of the carapace or head shield of the crab. Moistening of thegills is abetted by well-developed glands in the bronchial region.

The danger of drying out or of over concentrating the body fluids through evaporation is the most critical problem confronting any animal that migrates from water to land. Coenobita hasan advantage in this respect over the true land crabs, for it can store water in the appropriated snail shell, and this water may be used secondarily for drinking. One reason that hermitcrabs so frequently try on different abandoned snail shells is to find one that fits the delicate abdomen closely, thereby minimizing evaporation. The same explanation probably accountsfor the nocturnal habits of Coenobita Clypeatus in the southern part of its range, where daytime activity could result in severe evaporation. Experiments have shown that animals in well-fitting shells can subsist without food and water six times as long as those removed from their shells. When the crab withdraws into its shell in the daytime, the claws and walking legsform a reasonably effective seal in the shell mouth against evaporation. The parts of the animal that protrude farthest from the snail shell are most heavily calcified, and this undoubtedlyhelps to prevent the evaporation of body fluids.

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Coenobita takes up water by dipping the tips of the claws in it, transferring drops to the mouthparts or maxillipeds and thence to the mouth and gill chamber. Very small amounts ofwater, such as raindrops and dew, can be utilized in this way. An alternate method is to hold both claws close together and dip them in the water; by shoveling motions, the water is forcedto rise by capillary action along the fringe of hairs on the lower surfaces of the claws, and the maxillipeds, direct it to the mouth. Coenobita has a highly developed sensory perception forwater; it prefers water of low salinity and it is able to discriminate well between different salinities. The animals seem to remain in best condition when a small amount of salt is present inthe drinking water. Full-strength sea water can be used for drinking, but not for shell water-, the latter must be constantly diluted with nearly fresh water to prevent adverseconcentration of the body fluids. During the dry season on Curacao, even limestone containing moisture is consumed by the hermit crabs as a source of water.

Land hermit crabs are omnivorous. They feed on all kinds of vegetable matter, as well as on protein-rich food, especially decaying flesh. On Curacao, native fruits, such as cactus fruitsand the supposedly poisonous "apples" of the Manchineal Tree are devoured eagerly, and fresh droppings of horses and cows are used as a source of both food and water.

Local fisherman who use "soldier crabs" for bait claim that they can be obtained most easily by attracting them with coffee grounds. The animal obviously performs a useful function as ascavenger in tropical countries, not only along the waterfront but also around human habitations and refuse dumps. De Wilde tells of a dead donkey on Curacao that kept a group of hermitcrabs busy for several weeks. Even when nothing remained of the carcass but the empty dried hide, the crustaceans continued to rattle loudly around inside of what served as a veryeffective sounding box. In captivity, cannibalism may result from inadequate care but, if sufficient food and water are supplied, mortality is very low, even when several hundred medium-sized animals are crowded together. The crabs were maintained in excellent condition in captivity on Curacao on a diet of cooked rice, bread and fruit- and sometimes fish or other proteinrich food.

Molting is a necessary but hazardous procedure for all arthropods, especially under other than natural conditions. All are vulnerable to attack until the new integument hardens, and theymust protect themselves from all kinds of assailants and predators during this period. In captivity, hermit crabs often burrow into soil when ready to molt and remain out of sight for amonth or more, during which time they consume the cast integument, presumably for its calcium content. When several individuals are kept together in captivity, slabs of some materialunder which the animals may retreat for privacy should be provided. A source of calcium, such as egg shell is also desirable. Some shell water is retained during molting to forestalldesiccation. On Curacao, molting seems to be especially prevalent during April and May.

The sex of hermit crabs usually cannot be determined without removing the animals from the shell. Males of Coenobita Clypeatus are distinguished by the presence of tufts of hairconcealing openings on the first segment of the last pair of legs and by the absence of appendages on the abdomen. Females have bare openings on the first segment of the third legs(counting the claws as the first pair) and three forked appendages on the left side of the abdomen for this attachment of eggs. The sex ratio of the Coenobita population on Curacao seemsto vary with age- in very small animals (weighing less than IO grams), there are usually from 4 to 25 females to every male-, in medium-sized crabs (20-50g), there is considerable variationfrom slightly more than one female to every male to three males to every female; and in large and very large individuals (501 00 g), there are more than three males to every female.

The annual migrations of Coenobita toward the sea are well known to inhabitants of the Caribbean region. They are always made at night and they generate such a clatter that they aresaid to have scared off human invasions of some of the islands in the past. Contrary to general opinion, the migrations apparently do not coincide with readiness to liberate the eggs in thesea. The hermit crabs on Curacao first migrate from island areas to a locations near, but not necessarily on, the coast, where there are sources of fresh water with which to dilute theshell water. What are assumed to be mating activities--although actual copulation has not yet been observed--seem to occur in these breeding areas about a week before the full moon inAugust, September and October.

As the eggs are spawned, they are attached to the abdominal appendages by the pincers on the last pair of legs. The number of eggs varies from 800 to 1,200 in young females and mayreach 40 or 50 thousand in large ones. Freshly spawned eggs are dark reddish brown. During the following month, they gradually become paler, changing to gray or light blue, and the eggmass becomes less compact. Before the full moon of the month following the one that apparently attended breeding activity, the eggs are mature and will burst immediately when placed insea water, releasing the zoeal larvae. For that reason, females keep less water in the shell when they are carrying eggs than otherwise--enough water to maintain maximum humidity but notenough to cover the eggs.

No individuals of the Curacao population of Coenobita were seen entering the sea to release the eggs, as they were believed to do. One might assume that such immersion is avoided sothat the carefully maintained salinity of the shell water will not be upset, yet the Pacific American Coenobita Compresses H. Milne Edwards, 1837, has been observed to approach the shoredeliberately and permit the waves to wash over it. Females of Coenobita Clypeatus on the other hand, mount low prominences along the shore and follow a procedure for releasing the eggsthat may be unique among crustaceans. The eggs are removed in small clusters by the last legs, passed forward to the maxillipeds where they are formed roughly into balls and deposited onthe tip of one of the claws- they are then "shot", by a short forward movement of the claw, onto intertidal rocks from which they are washed into the sea by the incoming tide. There issome evidence that the entire egg mass does not mature simultaneously, and parts of it are deposited on the shore on successive nights.

This breeding cycle may be repeated twice during successive lunar periods on Curacao, but the first event is the most important and the third one the least. In the northern part of itsrange, Coenobita has only a single breeding period annually.

The larval stages consist of four to six free-swimming zoeal stages, lasting for 40 to more than 60 days in the laboratory but probably less than that under natural conditions. The postlarval glaucothoe stage persists for more than a month, during the last week or more of which it is non swimming and crawls ashore. It is believed that many of the larvae remain in eddiesnear the island where they were released and that local populations are therefore probably self perpetuating to a considerable degree. Also there is some indication that young andinexperienced crabs are guided to breeding areas by older, experienced ones. Individuals of the species are known to live in captivity for at least 11 years.

Biological ClassificationKINGDOM-Animalia

PHYLUM-Anthropoda

SUBPHYLUM-Mandibulata

CLASS-Crustacea

ORDER-Decapoda

FAMILY-Coenobitidae

GENUS-Coenobita

SPECIES-Clypeatus

COMMON NAME-Land Hermit Crab

Description: Land hermit crabs are found along coastal shores in areas with warm climates such as the Florida Keys, the Caribbean, and Venezuela. They have 4 antennae and 10 legs.Two of the legs are claws. The large purple claw is used for climbing and to defend itself. The smaller claw is used for carrying food and water to the crab's mouth. The large purpleclaw is also used when the crab retreats into it's shell to cover the shell opening. Four of the legs are walking legs, and the other four are usually hidden in the shell. The two smallestlegs are used to hold onto the shell. Land hermit crabs live in mollusk (snail) shells to protect their soft abdomen (stomach).

Biology?Some crustaceans that look somewhat like crabs belong to the Anomura. They differ from true crabs by having at most only three pairs of walking legs instead of four. Some

anomurans are hermit crabs which have a soft coiled abdomen protected by a snail shell. Most hermit crabs are scavengers on dead plant or animal matter. Hermit crabs are divided intofamilies partly on which of the two claws is bigger. Other anomurans are the false crabs, flat and with similar sized chelipeds. The abdomen is a short flap tucked under the thorax andthere are only three pairs of walking legs.

MARINE LIFE PROFILE:TIDEPOOL HERMIT CRABSHawaiian name: unauna, ppai-pp, & others

Scientific name: Calcinusspecies & others

Distribution: Indo-Pacific, including Hawaii

Size: varies with species, to 1 inch (2.5 cm)

Diet: omnivorous, plant and animal material

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These familiar tidepool residents are members of the large invertebrate Phylum Arthropoda which includes crabs, as well as the land-dwelling insects, and many other groups. Like allarthropods, hermit crabs have jointed limbs and segmented bodies. As members of the Subphylum Crustacea, the most prominant arthropod group in the ocean, hermit crabs shareseveral features with their closest relatives, the shrimp, lobsters, and true crabs: they all have three body regions, a head, thorax (mid-body), and abdomen; 2 pairs of antennae;crushing mouth parts called mandibles; and a hard external skeleton.

Hermit crabs and their relatives are called anomurans and are different from the "true crabs" because they have a reduced and softened abdomen. Hermit crabs protect thisvulnerable part of their body by using an empty snail shell as extra armor. The hermit crab's abdomen is curved to fit the shell and small hook-like limbs anchor the crab's body withinthe shell. Hermit crabs have 5 pairs of legs, the first pair is modified into claws and the last two pairs helps them hold onto the shell. When a hermit crab outgrows its shell, it must findanother larger one. While hermit crabs may pull one another from desirable shells, it is rare for them to kill a snail to obtain a shell. When a hermit crab locates a shell, it carefullychecks the inside and outside of the new prospect with its antennae and claws. Then, releasing its anchoring limbs from the old shell, it slips its abdomen out of the old shell and into thenew one. If the fit is good, the hermit is on its way - it not, it quickly transfers back to the old shell.

There are over six species of hermit crabs found in Hawaii's tide pools and reef shallows, each distinguishable by the colors of its eyes, antennae, legs, and claws. One of the mostcommon is the Left-handed tide pool hermit crab, Calcinus laevimanus. This species has a large black and white left claw which they use as a door to seal off the shell for addedprotection. The Left-handed hermit crab uses the shells of many different species of seashells, but is frequently found in the shells of pipipi (nerite), top, or turban snails. The numberof available shells in the tide pool or reef flat is very important to the survival of tide pool hermit crabs and can limit their numbers. So, please leave all seashells, even empty ones, inthe sea where hermit crabs can reach them.

As in most other crustaceans, hermit crabs are male or female. After mating, female hermit crabs carry their eggs attached to tiny limbs on their abdomen. The minute young hatch aslarvae and are swept into the plankton; in this drifting stage, they look more like tiny shrimp than hermit crabs! The larvae feed and grow as they drift in ocean currents. When theyhave reached the right stage of development, they drop to the seafloor and metamorphose (transform) into their bottom-dwelling form and must immediately find a small snail shell forprotection.

Hermit crabs are omnivorous, feeding on both plant and animal materials. Despite the protection of their borrowed shells, they are preyed upon by larger hermit crabs, box crabs,octopus, as well as wrasses and other reef fishes with jaws for crushing shelled invertebrates.

Tidepool hermit crabs profile pg. 2

Classification:Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Arthropoda

Subphylum Crustacea

Class Malacostraca, Section Macrura

Order Decapoda, Infraorder Anomura

Family Paguridae

Genus Calcinus & others

Suggested Reading:Buchbaum, R., M. Buchbaum, J. Pearse & V.Pearse. l987. Animals Without Backbones, Third

Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.

Fielding, A. l998. Hawaiian Reefs and Tidepools, 4th Edition. Island Explorations, Makawao, HI.

Hobson, E. & E.H. Chave. l990. Hawaiian Reef Animals, Revised Edition. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, HI.

Holling, C.H. l957. Pagoo. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA. (This fictional account of a hermit crab's life cycle is done with great attention to scientific detail).

Hoover, J. l999. Hawaiis Sea Creatures, A Guide to Hawaiis Marine Invertebrates. Mutual Publishing, Honolulu, HI.

Johnson, S.A. l989. Hermit Crabs. A Lerner Natural Science Book, Lerner Publications Co.,

Minneapolis, MN.

Niesen, T.N. l982. The Marine Biology Coloring Book. Barnes and Noble Books, New York, NY.Tinker, S.W. 1965. Pacific Crustacea. Charles E. Tuttle Co., Publishers, Rutland, VT.

Titcomb, M. l978. Native Use of Marine Invertebrates in Old Hawaii. University Press of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI.

LEFTHANDED HERMIT CRAB unauna or ppai-pp

Calcinuslaevimanus Waikk Aquarium

Life Cycle of the Hermit CrabLand hermit crabs have many stages in life.

Hermit crabs do not reproduce in captivity. Instead, they mate on land near the sea. After the eggs develop, the female carries the eggs on her abdomen to the sea where she leavesthem on wet sand or a wet rock for the tide to carry them out to sea. The female usually holds are 1,000 to 50,000 eggs inside her shell while they mature and later they hang out overthe shell as they grow. The number of eggs is usually large but depends on the size of the crab Like true crabs, female false crabs usually lay their eggs shortly after copulating but canalso store sperm for many months. The eggs are fertilized as they are laid by passing through the chamber holding the sperm. In the case of hermit crabs this is inside the shell..Theeggs are attached to her abdomen and appendages until they are ready to hatch. They have been fertilized by a male (it is believed).

When she is ready she goes to the ocean and releases the eggs in the ocean by scrapping her appendages. They look sort of like light brown round circles in a bunch of grapes. Thehatched egg opens out of the egg looking like a long snout with tiny eyes. It is known as a zoea in this stage. It is less than 1/8 of an inch. The zoea grows by molting and molts five or sixtimes to gain size. Each time it sheds its outer exoskeleton. A new large zoea grows covering itself with a new skeleton. It also grows appendages. It then enters the glaucothoe stage.His eyes are now on his stalks and two of his appendages have become claws. He is at this glaucothoe stage for about another month forming four antennae and antennules. Afteranother molt he is off looking for protection of an empty shell as he is very vulnerable at this stage. He makes good fish food. They often hide in seaweed or on sea fan or moving plants.Once they mature and find a suitable shell, they come to live on land for the rest of their lives. They come to shore sometimes with and sometimes without a shell and will not need toreturn to the ocean except to replenish their calcium. Often you will see hermits at the oceans edge doing just that. Once ashore and hermit crabs go through a metamorphosis,developing modified gills that act as lungs to enable them to breathe air. Once on land they live in a variety of environments including trees, mangroves and areas up to 1-2 miles awayfrom the shore.

But remember they do not drink salt water though. They drink rain water and need it to survive.

Hermit crabs have been known to live as long as twenty five to thirty years in captivity. We knew of a hermit that lived to be forty years old. His master found him in the Pacific duringWorld War II. .

On a recent visit to Tahiti and outer islands we found many land hermits. They are white and black with a red line on their back. They are extremely friendly and do not seem to beaggressive. Hundreds would go to the shore line at the waters edge bathing themselves at night. They were all the giants. Because there were so many large shells available and so fewpeople on all the remote islands we visited, many large hermits existed. We also found them climbing coconut trees for the fruit by the dozens during the day. That was an adventurenever to be forgotten.

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Land Hermit Crab AnatomyRef: Jones, S. and Morgan, G.J. (1994) "A Field Guide to Crustaceans of Australian Waters".

Western Australian Museum. Chatswood, N.S.W. (Australia) :

Reed Books, 1994. ISBN 0 7301 0403 6

GenderThere are different ways to tell the gender of hermit crabs, depending on the species. Unfortunately, all of the ways I know, are dependent on viewing a hermit crab that is out of its

shell. Considering the fact that hermit crabs are usually out of their shell only when moulting, or changing shells, this can make identifying male or female anatomy difficult to do.

Whatever you do, do not try to pull your crab from its protective home just to see if it is a boy or girl crab, because your hermit crab would rather be torn in two than be pulled fromhis shell.

Alan W. Harvey (from the Department of Biology at Georgia Southern University) how to sex a land hermit crab wrote: "Sexing land hermit crabs out of the shell is straightforward.Females have well-developed pleopods (the small legs) on on the left side of the abdomen, and a gonopore (an opening through which eggs or sperm are released) at the base of thesecond pair of walking legs. Pleopods are absent or at best vestigial (small) in males, and the coxae of the last pair of legs are, in most species, produced into stout, somewhat tubular

structures (the legs have a wide, tubular look to them)." Note: The information in brackets was added later by me to help de-mystify the technical words.Although not scientifically conclusive, hermit crab keepers have widely held assumptions when determining the sex of land hermit crabs.

Many believe the presence or absence of long hair along one side of the abdomen determines the animal's sex. It is assumed that females have this long hair for the purpose of holdingeggs. It can be difficult to see. Hermit crabs are not known to breed in captivity, however, their eggs must hatch and become larvae in the sea. However you can see the legs and theclaw which also can have hair. It is thought that male hermits have hair on their legs and claw and females do not. It has been noticed that the females with the egg pouches found inthe spring do not have hairy legs, where the males of the same size do You usually can notice this when they are about the size of golf balls.

Many long time owners and a hand full of scientist believe they can change their sex, as need be, when they need to reproduce. This has not been proven. This is what happens withworms, but hermit crabs are not in the worm species.

.

Regardless they do not breed in captivity and they have NEVER been able to recreate the environment that they need to reproduce. Many studies have tried. All have failed to myknowledge.

Some believe it has to do with the size of the claw but actually different species have different types of claws and different colors and this is not sex related.

Hermit Crabs do not mate in captivity so there is no chance of breeding your hermit crabs. Some hermit crab owners have been mistaking in thinking the eggs of a larvae fly were tinyhermit crab eggs . If you see anything other than hermit crabs in your tank it is a PEST and should be removed as soon as possible. See MITES for more information.

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If you happen to miss name your hermit by sex. Don't worry they do not mind.

AgeAlthough not scientifically conclusive, hermit crab keepers have widely held assumptions when determining the age of land hermit crabs. The little teeth on the larger claw seem to

imply age. The more teeth, the older the hermit crab. Of course, size is another factor. Jumbo hermit crabs (softball size and larger) are estimated to be between 15 and 50 years old.

Health

Health Hints For Hermit Crabs:1. Provide new shells for crabs to grow into. Hermit crabs love to swich shells but need larger shells as they grow to maintain adequate body moisture. For proper fit, the new shell

should be one-third larger than the present shell, and the shell opening should be the same size as the crab's large pincher.

2. Not all shells are suitable for crab homes. To ensure that tree crabs function in their homes, shells should be properly cleaned, processed and chosen by a knowlageable hermitcrab distributor.

3. Bathe your crab once a week. Crabs will clean themselves if you provide them with fresh water in thier non-metal bowls. But it is a good idea to bathe crabs once a week.Submerge them once in lukewarm water and then allow them to air dry. Please give them their baths OUTSIDE of their cages.

4. Create a social, healthy environment. Crabs thrive on company and are the most active and entertaining when they coexist in pairs or in a tree crab community. When increasingthe number of hermit crabs, be sure to provide more space for them. They also need a warm and humid environment, 70-85 degrees F.

5. Promote exercise by creating a playground. Crabs LOVE to climb! Coral and choya wood will encourage activity. Again, be sure they have plenty of room to play!

6. Serve a balanced diet and fresh water in shell dishes-daily. Crabs need calcium obtained from shell dishes. And, they thrive on premixed hermit crab food and treats, along with avariety of veggies and fruits. They will bury their food, so make sure you remove ALL uneaten food prior to their daily feeding.

StressSince we cannot speak the hermit crab's language, there is little known about stress. There are some things we do know. Stress is very common in hermit crabs, and is believed to be

one of the main causes of a much shorter lifespan in captivity. Stress leads to other worse conditions like sickness, leaving their shell, lost limbs, and death. We must do whatever wecan to make our crabs lives as stress free as possible (especially in the crucial molting periods). Whenever a sign/symptom of stress is observed, IMMEDIATE attention should be paidto the situation and to be as prompt as possible in seeking EXPERT advice! What is necessary, to prevent further problems/ deaths, is to locate and DETERMINE what PROBLEM is

causing and creating this stress. Ninety-nine percent of the time there is an underlying cause...

Known Causes of Stress

-Poor control of temperature and humidity levels

-Underlying problems such as bacterial growths (from too much dampness in the tank/wet substrate)

-Dehydration (lack of water)

-Poor Water quality (has heavy metals in it, especially chlorine which blisters gills, or old water that hasn't been changed)

-Poor housekeeping (allowing wastes to build up, food to spoil, mite infestations, tank and substrate to get dirty instead of cleaning regularly)

-Exposure to odors, housekeeping sprays, fumes(all things that can jeopardize their respiratory systems)

-A drastic change in environment

-A molt gone bad

-Disturbing them when they are molting or sleeping

-Predators and aggressive cagemates

-Dropping from heights

-Over misting/bathing -Death of a fellow hermit crab

-A lonely hermit crab by itself

-Anything else that could bring on a shock

Symptoms Of Extreme Stress

-Inactivity

-Lost limbs

-Comes out of it's shell and stays out

-Won't come out of it's shell

-Starts acting really strange

-Won't eat or drink

Remedy

Read over this whole site to care for it better, ask questions on the message boards, and/or contact FMR.

SicknessThere is very little known about hermit crabs' sicknesses. We do know that there isn't a single recorded case of a human getting sick from a hermit crab. We also know that hermit

crabs do get sick and sometimes they will drop dead for what seems like no reason. If a crab won't retract into it's shell when agitated, you know something is seriously wrong. We mustdo what we can to keep our hermit crabs disease free and when a symptom of sickness is observed you must get to the cause and fix it immediately.

Causes: -Buying a hermit crab from a place where they are poorly cared for -Placing newly bought sick crabs with your other crabs -Poor housekeeping, not replacing or cleaning gravel,not digging out buried food or wastes, not cleaning tank properly -Allowing the substrate to get wet, moist, or damp causing bacterial and other growths -Not changing food and allowingit to spoil or rot -Chemicals and odors -Too much stress -Poor Water quality (has heavy metals in it, especially chlorine which blisters gills, or old water that hasn't been changed)-dehydration, lack of water -Poor control of temperature and humidity levels

A pretty good indicator of knowing if your crab may be in trouble is to take a toothpick or piece of paper (personally, I use a corner of a piece of paper or paper towel...it works thesame but is much safer...as there is not a danger of puncturing or injuring your little guy) Using this object GENTLY run it in between the area between his big claw... a healthy crab willnormally grasp at it quickly and hold on... if he is 'down' he may make a feeble attempt at grasping it and that would be a signal for you to monitor him well...as this is often a signal of asoon to be molting crab, especially if some(or any) of the other indicators of a molt are also present...

Treatment:

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Follow the links above and correct the situation leading to sickness and contact FMR. They'll help you if you need to use a drug treatment(which is rare)

MitesHermit crabs can be made victims of parasites, such as dust mites, maggots (in extremely dirty, nasty situations, as other crabbers have noted) and such, these parasites cause

extreme stress to your crabs, but believe it or not, when treated promptly they are seldom fatal.

Although not usual, parasites can sometimes invade the hermit crab and its environment. They are dust mites from your home. An environment that is too high in humidity and/or toowarm can cause the dust mites to invade your cage, because it is a perfect breeding ground. If you notice parasites on the crab's body, follow these steps to eliminate them. Acrabarium that isinfested with mites and other pests cause hermit crabs to become stressed, lose limbs and die. It is important that you do not use chemicals that could be harmful tohermit crabs in ridding their home and yours of pests. Hermit crabs are very sensitive to the presence of chemicals and they may suffocate if pesticides are sprayed close by. Keep thetank covered and wherever possible, find a natural alternative in cleaning products.

Mites are little bugs that may crawl all over your hermit crabs and in their cage. According to Christa, mites are about the size of an apostrophe ' and are the color of dried snot(green, or brown, or grey). They run away from the strong light of the sun. They will lay eggs and more will hatch. They are a real problem and can kill your hermit crabs. They are also a

real pain to get rid of. If you see any sign of mites, eggs or other pests it is important that you remove it quickly! Some hermit crab owners have been mistaken in thinking the eggs of alarvae fly were tiny hermit crab eggs (they don't breed in captivity). If you see anything other than hermit crabs in your tank it is a PEST and should be removed as soon as possible. Itis best to keep a good lid on the tank to keep flies and mites out of the cage and for many other reasons. There is no easy one step solution to getting rid of mites. You must get rid ofboth the mites on your hermit crabs and in your tank.

Keeping Mites Away From Your Crabs and Tank

Your hermit crab tank is an ideal place for mites to infest because it is dark, warm, and humid and it has food, water, and animals inside of it. Regular cleaning of the tank, bathingof your hemit crabs, keeping the bedding substrate dry, changing food and water regularly, keeping things that attract bugs out of the tank (like cardboard, strong smelling foods,and stuff from outside in nature which may already have bugs on it), and keeping the area around the tank clean and dustless (don't grow plants around the tank, mites areattracted to plants).

Getting Rid of Mites In Your Tank

You must empty your whole tank and either replace or clean and disinfect (by boiling or baking) your substrate. Also boil and/or bake and/or replace (you can also microwave themfor a very short period) anything else in the cage (except your hermit crabs of course and don't boil sponges, nuke 'em in microwave). Clean the tank very well squishing any bugs yosee with the paper towel pressed firmly against the tank(especially in the corners where they hide) and rinsing the tank out very good. Leave everything in the sun for awhile(except your hermit crabs), because mites hate sunlight and will most likely leave the tank if theyre still in there. Leave the tank upside down in the sun so the mites can easily run

off.

Getting Rid of Mites On Hermit Crabs

The substrate and crabarium items boiled and dried (or baked), your tank cleaned out with a dilute solution of vinegar and water, and give your hermit crabs a series of bathsuntil they are free of these pests.

The only way to do this is by repeatedly (about 1 or 2 times a day) bathing them in Stresscoat laced water really well. Dechloronated water will work too but you're better offwith stresscoat laced. Turn the crab upside down and get ALL the air bubbles out. Then pour the water off the crab. The mites will float to the top of the water and drain out withit. Remove all of the mites from the water by pouring them out, and repeat bathing them. Drain them down the sink, not in the garbage, and rinse out the sink and it's pipes verygood afterwards with hot water and soap. Pour the water out before taking your crabs out so that any mites floating on the top don't latch back on to your crabs. Do this a fewtimes until you are sure ALL of the mites are off the crab and out of the shell. You can leave the crab under water for a minute or so, it won't drown and the mites might releasethemselves. Just be careful and don't leave it under water for several minutes or it will probably drown. You can also use a paper towel and gently squish the bugs on the crab, dothis gently though so you don't hurt the crabs or stress them any further.

You may need to use a magnifying glass and keep a lid on your tank to keep the flies away from your crabs and their food.

How NOT To Get Rid of Mites

Sharks unlimited gives advice to bathe the in a Clorox bleach solution. Don't do this, it will hurt your crabs and won't solve the mites problem. Clorox bleach has an extremely high

amount of chlorine in it which will blister gills (check water sect

hermit crab care research

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