Important Facts About Hermit Crabs

There are two main types of hermit crabs. One type lives predominantly on the land and the other lives predominantly in the sea. The former are called land hermit crabs and the latter marine or sea hermit crabs. The land hermit crab is born with gills but also grows lungs. It will die if it is in the water for too long. Marine hermit crabs have gills and will die if they are on land for too long.

  1. Marine Hermit Crabs

    • Marine hermit crabs like tropical or temperate seas. They can live in deep waters or tide pools with rocks and sand. A marine hermit crab has two chelipeds or claws and one is larger than the other. It uses them for catching prey and protecting the shell that it has chosen to inhabit. A hermit crab has a number of pods that it uses to grasp the shell and remain attached to it. The size of hermit crabs varies but the largest species -- the giant hermit crab -- can grow to approximately 3 1/4 inches.

    Land Hermit Crabs

    • Land hermit crabs commonly live on the western Atlantic seaboard and further south to the southernmost point of Florida and all around the Caribbean. Although they are predominantly land creatures, land hermit crabs lay their eggs in the sea. One result of this is that you can't breed them if keeping them as pets. Similar to their marine cousins, a land hermit crab has a soft abdomen which it can curl to enable it to fit in its chosen shell. It will also use pods to cling to the shell. Land hermit crabs also vary in size, with the smallest species growing to about 1/4 inch and the largest to about 3 1/2 inches.

    Food

    • Marine hermit crabs are scavengers and omnivores. This means that they will feed on dead organic matter and will eat meat as well as plants. A land hermit crab will drink water, using a claw as a scoop to lift water to its mouth. They are similar to the marine variety in that they are scavengers and omnivores. They will eat practically any item of food that is around them.

    As Pets

    • Keeping hermit crabs as pets is not unusual. However, they do not adapt well to artificial environments. If you are considering keeping one or more, you should first create a suitable habitat. This can be a cage or tank but the most important provisions are moisture and humidity. Because hermit crabs are scavengers and will eat practically anything in their natural environment, you can feed them with most forms of vegetation and food scraps.