Different Species of Hermit Crabs around the World

There are different kinds of hermit crabs that exist around the world. Many have no idea what are they. About 600 are known to be scattered in many countries but only few are used as pets. To have some idea to the varieties of hermit crabs, read on below:

  • Coenobita cavipes – this could be found in Philippines, Micronesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, China, Polynesia, Africa and India. The typical color of this hermit crab is from orange to dark brown with a length of 30mm. It is different from the common hermit crab that is omnivorous because it only eats fruits. The regular hermit crabs only molt once a year during summer but Coenobita cavipes molt often than the usual. They are most comfortable in a mangrove forest to be their home than any other place like aquarium or terrarium where pet owners placed their pet hermit crabs. You will often see hermit crabs scattered in the beach but Coenobita cavipes on go there for a special purpose like mating.
  • Pagurus bernhardus – it is a native from South Pacific but you could see this type of hermit crabs in European and North American Coastal waters. It also dwells on the rocky and sandy areas. The usual length of this is 3 ½ cm long.
  • Ciliopagurus strigatus – this is also called as Halloween hermit crab. Maybe because of its features that looks terrifying because of its color. It has a bright orange red stripes color on its body that is very distinct in them. It is approximately 2 inches long that you could always see in tropical saltwater bodies of water. These hermit crabs are common in Hawaii and it could have a life span of 10 years.
  • Coenobita clypeatus – it is commonly called with so many names such as Caribbean hermit crab, Purple Pincher, Tree Crab and Soldier Crab which is a native of Atlantic Bahamas, Venezuela, Virgin Islands, West Indies and southern Florida. It has a pale color but only its big claw has a distinct bright color. You can see these hermit crabs roaming around in sandy high hills near to the shore where they usually stays. This type of crab is a wanderer. You can’t let them stay in just one place. They will explore the area beyond their reach. They could even climb a mountain as high as 887 meters. But the most of the time they are just staying in the woods. It has a life span of 30-40 years old the most and they are the most saleable pet that are being sold.
  • Coenobita compressus – it is well known as Ecuadorian hermit crab or Pacific hermit crab. This is the partner of Coenobita clypeatus in the market. Both are well sold in pet stores. This is the smallest in all the hermit crabs. It only grows up to 12mm on its maximum length. It walks fast even on its small frame. It is usually tan in color but you can see other colors like yellow, orange, dark or grey in some Coenobita compressus. Normally, you will see them in sandy beaches and moist areas that are inside in a wide and round shell.
  • Coenobita perlatus – it is commonly called as strawberry land hermit crab or Straw because of its bright red color sprinked with white spots that looks like strawberries. It is mostly found in Australia, Indian Ocean, Cocos, Queensland and Coral Sea Island Territory but their origins came from Mauritius, Aldabra, Seychelles, Japan, Australia and Madagascar. Hermit crabs love to stay in sandy areas, tidal pools and turban shells. It could live up to 32 years.
  • Coenobita rugosus – it originated from Australia, east Africa and south western Pacific. It has 15mm length that can be found mostly in sandy areas. You will see them eating the algae and tortoise feces in the beach. Their usual color is green, brown and tan but you could see some Coenobita rugosus that are black, white, pink and blue in few cases. They have a behavior that is distinct in them. When they are stressed, they rub their big pincher on the shell to create a chirping sound
  • Coenobita brevimanus – this is the second biggest in the hermit crab family. It originates in Zanzibar, Tahiti and Tuamotu Islands. Hermit crabs are commonly found in rain forest and grassy areas.

What are the Foods that a Hermit Crab can Eat?

There is a corresponding responsibility in having pets. You have to feed them like the way you feed yourself. We have the same basic needs like them. A crustacean pet like hermit crab is just easy to please in giving them foods to eat. They are omnivores like us that can eat both plants and animals. So it means that t you can feed them with almost anything that is available. You won’t have a hard time looking for foods or buying it from a department store. If you are on a tight budget, you may wonder what are the foods that a hermit crab can eat which will cost you less? You can just feed them with clean leftovers you have in your meal. But the only thing that you have to remember is that, they must be feed only by unprocessed foods. Processed foods like you see in most department stores are full of chemicals that could be toxic for the hermit crabs. Hermit crabs are extra sensitive to chemicals that’s why they are given ultra care even on the water that are being placed inside their glass aquarium.

So, what are the foods that a hermit crab can eat? This could be the most asked question that you may hear from pet owners. Hermit crab also needs the necessary nutrient especially in preparation for their molting stage where they are weak and seem lifeless during that period. A diet rich in calcium, carotene and anti-oxidants are a must have in their food requirement. When these three are lacking, they color will definitely fade as they are going through their molting period and they might have a low resistance during their weakest moment. Just think of any food that have these nutrients but are soft so hermit crabs could digest it easily without stomach irritation.

What are the good sources of beta carotene that can be given in a hermit crab to eat? A carrot has the highest source of beta carotene but the corn that also has this nutrient, is the one that hermit crabs love. So you can feed them daily but with minimal amount of this food to make sure that they can consume it all. Also, they love Berries and Nuts which are rich in tannin especially the Oak tree leaves and its bark. Hermit crabs are fond of eating. Sometimes you will just find them eating especially if you left some foods just near them. They have a strong sense of smell in a sense that they can trace where the food through its smell as well as they could instantly locate the food through their fellow hermit crabs. They can sense it when they see that their fellow crabs are like having a group meeting. A Hermit crab will go with them and look on what can he eat.

On the other hand, calcium is also a requirement in what could be a so called diet of a hermit crab that they can eat. The cheapest source of calcium is the egg shell. They could eat this one. Don’t throw away the egg shell when you are preparing an egg breakfast because you can have an extra purpose for its shell.  All you have to do to prepare for this as a food is to boil the egg shell and let it dry before you finely crush it. After that, you have made an easy meal out of it for your pet. It will save you a lot than buying any commercial pet foods in any department stores which are mostly expensive as well has it has nutritional value.

As you are having your fresh fruits for dessert, you can also share it to your pets. What could be the fruits that a hermit crab can eat? Tropical fruits such as mango and papaya are the favorites of hermit crabs. These fruits are loaded with vitamins that could definitely help in building resistance in hermit crabs in their molting stage. The feeding of hermit crabs is only done once a day and they are not that heavy eater.


The Cause Why Hermit Crab Shells are Turning White

Hermit crabs vary in their colors. All of them have their distinct color to share that contributes to their innate beauty. Their natural color also adds to the charm of the exotic wildlife. So you wonder when you see that your very own hermit crab seem to be lifeless after it shells became colorless. The dominant color of the shells that you see on your hermit crab is now turning white which is quite weird. This is something that you have not expected and not encountered. Of course, on your mind, you are eager to know what caused these weird changes in the color of the shell of your hermit crab. This is something that you must know since you are the owner of the pet and you are responsible to its well-being. The root of this phenomenon is not that serious.

A change in color in the shell of a hermit crab is a sign that there is something lacking in the nutrition that your pet is getting. Like humans, animals also need a diet similar to us which has the complete vitamins and minerals for our growth. An abnormal change in the body of an animal indicates a deficiency. Hermit crab shells that are turning white means it has a calcium and magnesium deficiency. The shell that a hermit crab used to stay is a snail shell. Snail shell is composed of calcium bicarbonate stored in it. A lack of calcium in the shell caused it to decrease in its natural color. Shells are to be found scattered in beaches and sometimes it may be immersed in salt water.

Salt has been used as a powerful agent in cleaning some heavy stain in utensils together with vinegar. This also contributes in the discoloration of shells that were soaked in salt water. Salt has bleaching properties that could whiten those stains and anything that was soaked on it. This is done when the sea water gently brushes off to shells near to the sand where the water could reach. Hermit crabs that are also on that same place might get the shell that is already clear from any color. That case is different when the shell is inside the aquarium or terrarium. Hermit crab shells that are gradually turning white inside the crabitat are clear sign of calcium deficiency.

Magnesium has also a contribution in shell discoloration in the shells of hermit crab that is turning white. These are just minor problems doesn’t affect much the life of a hermit crab. They tend to change shells depending on the situation. If they found another shell that catches their attention, they want to get it right away. They could change their mind as fast as they could in changing a new shell that serves as their coat that they cannot get rid of their body. It is quite their second skin that you cannot get rid from their system. It is like a part of their body that makes them uncomfortable or incomplete without it.

If you see shells of hermit crabs that are turning white, that is just normal. The cause of it is not just a deficiency but also it’s a natural phenomenon that really occurs whether a shell has a deficiency or not. This is only happens when the shell is exposed to the salt water. It is common in shells that are found on the beach and it doesn’t affect much on the well-being of the hermit crab itself. It is just their protective coating that they can easily change when there is something wrong with it.

The shells of hermit crab that are turning white is not that hazardous. It is just a change in the outer color of the shell without any effect to the health of the hermit crab. So, you can ignore it when this happens or simply change the shell of your hermit crab if you suspect some cracks or thinness of the shell.


How to Clean and Take Care of a Hermit Crab

Hermit crabs love to stroll around and they like it when they see something where they could climb. They love to go up and down to anything that is above them. This is the usual activity they are fond doing but this is also the usual cause why they are getting dirty. They tend to roam around and you may not know if they have gone to a dirty place. Hermit crabs are dragging their shells along with them and their shells could collect any dirt or garbage with them. If this is the case, this is the time for them to have a bath to clean them up. This could be done once a week. It’s still a part of taking good care of them. You may follow this approach on how to clean and take care of a hermit crab:

  • To start with, prepare a dish or bowl where you could place the hermit crab in ¼ inch deep of water. The water level should be lesser than that if there are small hermit crabs to avoid them from drowning. It should be free from chlorine. Chemicals from chlorine are strong enough to affect the hermit crabs.
  • Lay the hermit crab on the sponge and place it inside the bowl. This is for the proper clean and care for the hermit crab. Let them rest on it for a while before you put water inside the bowl.  This is to avoid the crab from getting excited when you pour the water inside the bowl.
  • Pour the water slowly inside the bowl. Make sure that the water is free from chlorine. The water could be in average level or depending on how you want to do it. It still depends upon your choice. There’s no fix level on how deep or shallow the water should be. Enough care is already given to the hermit crab if you make them clean.
  • Let the hermit crab stay under the water for a maximum of 3 minutes. That is enough to let the dirt and mites to come out of their body if there is. The water will naturally wash off the dirt that has stuck inside the hermit crab’s body. The mites will just come out after soaking for how many minutes in the water. Water has the capacity to soften any hard stain or dirt that sticks on the crab as well as it may pull out anything that has hid under the crab. The water could give the proper clean and care on hermit crab.
  • Monitor some changes in the behavior of the hermit crab while it is under the water. Being in the water for more than 3 minutes may stress them. Sometimes you may be half unaware of the time that you have let them under the water. Their action could also speak what they felt and could give a clue on what’s enough for them. If you suspect some drowning, immediately take them out from the water. Rest assured that the hermit crab is already clean and has the proper care.
  • Pull out the hermit crab from the bowl and place them in a dry cloth or towel. Let them roam a bit to dry their bodies. The towel or cloth will absorb the moist dripping from their bodies. After their body dries up, you can place them in the tank. Hermit crab was already given much care after they come clean.
  • Bathing the hermit crab is only done once a week. A regular bath is not good for them. It may affect on their well-being. They doesn’t need a daily bath since they doesn’t sweat or produces bad odor every day. The only thing that you need to clean the hermit crab is when they are already dirty and give them proper care.
  • These simple reminders could definitely help with the proper cleaning of the hermit crabs as well as proper care.

Simple Basics on How to Care for a Hermit Crab

The small features of a hermit crab make it looks delicate. You will always see them scavenging in the spacious area of beaches coming in and out from sand. You will never have an idea that it could be used as pets until you have seen it from others. It caught your attention and curiosity on how to deal with these tiny creatures. For those who are starting to have an interest in having this as a pet. There are some procedures on how to care for a hermit crab. Just follow the simple steps that are shown below:

  • Find them a partner or companion – just as the saying “There’s no man in an island”; it is always true in humans even in animals. A life is lonely without any companion. This is also the same with animals. This is one way on how to care for a hermit crab. A single hermit crab is lonely without any fellow hermit crab with them. They may feel isolated. There’s a tendency that they may get bored and die in loneliness.
  • Place them in a nice crabitat – a crabitat is a term referred to the home of hermit crabs which is aquarium. An aquarium must have a temperature of 70-85ºF. This is an excellent condition suited for hermit crabs. A temperature below than that will weaken their metabolism causing them to die gradually. Also on how to care for a hermit crab is to check the humidity and temperature of water inside the aquarium.
  • Scatter some toys inside the aquarium – hermit crabs loves to stroll around and climb. This activity is like their form of exercise. One of the best ways on how to care for a hermit crab is placing some choyalogs or stumps, Cholla wood and Cork Bark that will serve as their playing ground. Hemp nets and Legos could also be used as a replacement when the two are not available. Corals could also be used not only for fish but also for them. It could also be their sanctuary.
  • Provide extra shells – find a shell that is of the same size suited for the hermit crab. They tend to look for a shell that they like and get inside it. Shells act as their personal home where they usually stay or it can also serve as their overcoat which they use as a protection since hermit crabs are vertebrates who doesn’t have skeletons to support a strong body. Shell is also the main reason why a hermit crab dies. It is because they fight over a shell from other hermit crab that owns or also wants to have the shell and this is how to care for a hermit crab.
    Greediness is both inside them and these characteristics are triggered by will to have the shell and they will really intentionally kill their opponent. This is the most critical situation to avoid because they may end up locked together just for a shell. So, a shell is highly needed for the safety of hermit crabs not from outer forces but from their fellow hermit crabs.
  • Food and Water – of course, this is the most important on how to care for a hermit crab. You can feed them with foods that a normal person eats like fruits and vegetables. It just needs to be clean and free from insecticides. Insecticides have chemicals that are strong enough to kill hermit crabs since it is intended for pests which also have the same features and characteristics like that of hermit crabs. You can feed them with anything soft that their body can accept. They must be provided with fresh and salt water that are dechlorinated. This water must have sponges especially intended for smaller hermit crabs to keep them from drowning.
  • Sand – unlike fish that you commonly see in the aquarium without the sand in it, hermit crabs although placed in an aquarium the same with the fish, they need sand to crawl over. It is needed in their molting period where they bury themselves in the sand and gradually shed off their skin like that of a snake. This is not just the usual sand that you could get anywhere. It must be quite similar to the sand on the beach. You can buy it from the aquarium section.
  • General Cleaning – change the old water of a new one the same with the sand. The feces of hermit crabs might accumulate in there. Clean the toys as well as the sponges. This is done only every six months. This will perfect your goal on how to care for a hermit crab

My Hermit Crabs are Locked Together over a Shell Fight

Other people are pet lovers in any variety of animals even if it is already considered as wild creatures that belong in the wilderness. Certain types of animals are tamable like dogs and cats which are the common pets the people would love to have in their homes. But there are others who are explorative and want to try uncommon species to be their pets. Having a pet is somewhat entertaining in a sense that their characteristics, behaviors and features sometimes amaze us. A factor that may want us to have pets aside from it might be able to help us in some way.

Some people have hermit crabs as their pets at home placed in an aquarium. Only few have this as a pet. Maybe its being uncommon makes its appeal to persons who want something different. Like fish who loves to stay in corals, hermit crabs also loves to put themselves in a shell and stay on it until they found another shell that catch their attention. They try to look for a shell anywhere in the place just to have one and they are happy when they found the one that they really like.

The owner of the pet may sometimes say, “My hermit crabs are locked together!” You may be curious why they are locked. To most animals even to humans, a physical body contact or locking of bodies indicates sexual intimacy but in the case of these crabs, it’s different. The main reason for why they are being locked together simply because they are fighting over something which is a shell.

Another person who has this type of pet might also utter, “My hermit crabs are locked together after I placed them inside the aquarium with some shells”. This happens when the hermit crabs are in a marathon on who will be the first to get their prospect shell. If there are only few shells inside the aquarium, their tendency is to fight just to solo the shell. It is really a bloody fight because they will really kill each other just to have the ownership of the shell. My hermit crabs are locked together inside the aquarium is the usual lament of individuals who have this as a pet especially if they are on the same place with other hermit crabs that also looks for a shell like them. They may fight over a shell if that’s the only shell they have inside the aquarium. Selfishness is one of the characteristic of hermit crabs that is distinct in them. They will soon initiate a fight to another hermit crab when they see that the other crab also wants the same thing as they are and my hermit crabs are locked together again

The only thing that they want to have is a shell that attracts them the most even if it is owned by their fellow hermit crab. They want to get what they want as soon as possible no matter what the cost even it means death. A war between hermit crabs always happens and you cannot take it away from them. This can be avoided. When you are not able to spot this fight of your pets, you can request for somebody inside the house and you can just tell them “if my hermit crabs are locked together, try to separate them.

It’s the very least you can do if they say again, my hermit crabs are locked together, it means hermit crabs are again fighting and surely, one will die if one of them is not removed. It’s just hard to see when one of your pet dies from a fighting match just over a shell. You cannot avoid it to happen but there are things that you can do to lessen the problem with the hermit crabs. First and foremost, place plenty of different shells inside the aquarium. This is to prevent my hermit crabs that are being locked together from each other while fighting as well as they have variety of shells they could choose from.