Shells for your crabs

About how many times will the average Hermit Crab change it's shell?

It all depends on the hermit crab. Some crabs will change hourly while some won't change for weeks. The Caribbean hermit crab species has a tendency to change shells more often than other species of hermit crab. Ecuadorian hermit crabs for instance are very stubborn and will sometimes choose to stay in a shell that is too small rather than changing. Sometimes pet stores do sell Ecuadorian hermit crabs but Caribbean hermit crabs are the easiest to find. The Ecuadorian hermit crabs are different colors, they can be blue, green, or yellowish.

Can a hermit crab molt above the surface of the sand?

Yes. A crab can attempt a surface molt. This usually happens when the sand in the tank is not deep enough for the crab to dig down and find a secluded spot away from all the other crabs.

I have heard of crabs trying to molt on the surface of the sand and there are a few signs that can clue you in if indeed your crab is trying to molt on the surface. The crabs eyes will be cloudy and his/her exoskeleton will look ashy or chalky. The crab will become inactive and sluggish. If you ever suspect that one of your crabs is trying to molt on the surface of the sand you can do one of two things.

1) You can move the crab to a dark isolation tank. Remember to provide food and water just in case your crab will want some. Normally the crab will not eat or drink anything during the molting process but if he/she is trying to molt on the surface then he/she may also eat and drink during that time.

2) You can isolate your crab in the tank from the other crabs by cutting a 2-liter bottle in half and put it over your crab. Again make sure you include food and water.

You want to isolate your crab because he/she is very vulnerable during the time he/she is molting. The exoskeleton becomes very hard to move in while they are building up a new exoskeleton underneath the old one. When they have molted out of the old exoskeleton their new one takes a few days to harden. The molted crab will eat his old exoskeleton in order to provide him with the nutrients to harden his new one and if another crab decided to steel it for a midnight snack then he looses out on all that good stuff.

Another sad but true event is that other crabs can smell and sense the other crab is vulnerable and they may try and cannibalize him. This sounds bad but it is simply a survival tactic for the other crabs. Remember in the wild they are scavengers and anywhere they can find a meal they will take it because it is a means for survival. The crabs we keep as pets still have all of their survival skills and instincts which is why they can be so interesting. 

I have a hermit crab that changes it's shell daily. It keeps going back and forth between a new shell and it's orginal one. Now, my 2nd hermie came out of hiding and the two crabs exchanged shells. The 2nd hermie has been seen wandering around the tank naked. I think it wants it's old shell back. What's happening to them? Is this normal behavior? It's funny to watch, but If they're stressed, I want to try to fix whatever is stressing them.

Do you have extra shells available for your second hermit crab? If your first crab is changing shells back and forth, maybe the other shell is just too big or small for it? I'm not sure how many shells you have available for your crabs, but it might be a good idea to have several different sizes and shapes in the tank for them to choose from.

HOW MANY LEGS DOES HERMIT CRABS HAVE?

Hermit crabs actually have ten legs!

has 6 legs .i think that your web page is cool.

I keep 7 Australian land hermit crabs. One of my jumbos lives in a shell far too small for him (it doesn't even cover his face when he tries to retract himself) and has a hole in the centre, which from the research I've been doing, would very well drain the moisture from his abdomen. I've tried to offer several appropriately sized shells, but he has refused to change so far. Most of the ones I've offered him have been slightly bigger than the one he's in right now, with slit openings, which I believe he would prefer over the round ones. Is there any way to encourage him to change?

I've had these guys for almost a month now, and both jumbos seem to be spending most of their time digging and burying themselves in the sand. They have not displayed any physical signs of molting. Are there any other factors that may cause this behaviour?

The burrowing and digging is normal behavior for hermit crabs. They may just be diggers. I wouldn't worry about it.

Do you have other things in the tank that they can climb on? You can buy wooden hermit crab branches at the pet store. This might encourage the crabs to climb rather than dig. They still like to do it and this way you would be able to watch them.

I would try shells with round holes. I know that our hermit crabs love these types of shells. We have Caribbean Land Hermit Crabs (Coenobita clypeatus) here at COSI, you have a different species (Coenobita variabilis). Here is a link to a page that has more information about this particular species (www.petalia.com) just search for Crazy Crabs. This is a brand name that has been used for Australian Land Hermit Crabs.

There is an older posting that has a picture of a shell that our hermit crabs love. Your hermit crabs may like them too. If they are not interested in the shells that you have provided then they might be worth trying. I get ours from Hobby Lobby and boil them for 10 minutes. I let them cool and put them in the tank. I have been able to find some large shells there.

You can only put the shells in the tank and hope that your crab will find one that he/she finds suitable.

Good Luck Dian!

my hermit crabs have not changed their shells in over months (i got them on July the 4th 2007)...is there something that im not doing right? They have other shells in the cage but they do not change into them. One of the crabs changed shells for the first time last night. Is it bad for them not to change their shells after a while?

i actually dont think so, im not an expert or anything but i had a hermie that didnt change shells for almost a year. i think they just kinda do what they want when they want.

Nice site,