Hermit Crab Breeding

If you are thinking of breeding a hermit crab, think again. It is not that easy to breed it. You have to make sure that you have both of the male and female in the cage. These creatures are really shy.

There are other things also which add to the problems. Say the female crab lays eggs in the sand. As soon as the eggs hatch the creatures take little time to move quickly to the ocean.

Be prepared to have many eggs. Even if the crab pair is not in the wild, the number of eggs laid by the female is not reduced. This number depends on the capacity of the lady crab. You have to keep in mind that this is a part of the plankton mass in the ocean and you need to be dedicated enough and try to provide special conditions for their proper care.

A step by step procedure can help you understand the necessary arrangements to be made and the considerations to be taken into account.

First step

The first step is the establishment of a saltwater tank. The tank need not necessarily be inside; it can be outside as well. The outdoor location is preferred over the indoor one according to the experts.

Second step

This step involves creation of waves. A device which can produce waves like that of an ocean is required. Hermit crabs like the waves very much. According to the zoologists, this set up even helps in the breeding process of the hermit crabs.

For wave creation, there are a plenty of good machines available. This can be done over the internet or at a local pet store. Sea Swirl Aquarium Wavemakers is one such good brand available in the market. It is cheap as well. But there is always a possibility of a better find, so try to locate a good one, if possible.

Third step

Adding to the environment you are setting up for the hermit crabs erect moonlight bulbs around the tank. This is a great help in the breeding process and the hermit crabs especially breed during the night time. 

These bulbs are easily available at a local store or over the internet. They cost around $15 or less.

Fourth step

This step is a real tough one as you have to ensure the presence of the male and female in this. When your purpose is to breed the hermit crabs, you might need to buy them specifically for the need. A local pet store is good enough to serve the purpose. Make it clear to the store person why exactly you are buying the pair of the hermit crabs.

Fifth step

Maintain the temperature of the salt water tank at around 72 to 80 degrees. This temperature helps the hermit crabs to grow stronger and in the absence of such conditions they may become ill or weak.

Sixth Step

How do you achieve this?  Keep the water salty just like ocean, air has to be clean, temperature the right one and the appropriately full lighting. The crabs must also get a healthy diet. Give them some supplement containing calcium. If the crab is healthy, it is more likely to mate compared to the one with health not in the right condition.

Seventh Step

You will require a good quantity of brine shrimp for the larvae.

Bring the pair together. It is up to the Mother Nature now. Allow the pair to remain together for several weeks, say three weeks or so. You would love to see them during the period they mate. They seem like dancing and it is a great watch for everyone.

When the pair is attempting the mating process, they are actually going through some specific activities. Once they become normal again you can part them.

This is the time when the pair requires some extra amount of calcium in the form of supplements. Feed them properly as you would normally.

The time taken for the babies to come is a month or a few more days, if your attempt to breed them properly is successful. Ahead lies your responsibility of buying some tiny shells for the babies. When these start migrating to the land, they are in mm of sizes. The shells you have bought need to be accordingly of the same size.

Internet is a good option for this again like earlier. While buying them from a local store, consult the person there. Somebody who has knowledge is this field would be a good person to look for.

Help the babies safely get into their shells. This does not complete the process. Your next aim is the raising of these young hermit crabs.

Some other content you might like to look at:

  1. Hermit Crab Care : How to Breed a Pet Hermit Crab
  2. How to take care of hermit crabs…
  3. Beginner Hermit Crab Care
  4. Making the Hermit Crab Cage a Home
  5. Ocean acidification – Hermie the hermit crab