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.
Some other content you might like to look at:
- Simple Basics on How to Care for a Hermit Crab
- Hermit Crab Shells
- Signs and Symptoms When Your Hermit Crab Molts
- My Hermit Crabs are Locked Together over a Shell Fight
- How to Clean and Take Care of a Hermit Crab
