Instructions
Determine, as best you can, if your hermit crab is female. Females have two, pinhole-sized openings--called gonopores--on the underside of their third set of walking legs. They can only be seen if the hermit crab extends far out of its shell.
Consider whether your crabs have been in contact with males. If you have a tank of hermit crabs--and they are social creatures--make sure to confirm that there`s at least one male in the batch.
Keep an eye out for an accumulation of brick red eggs along the left side of her abdomen. Monitor these eggs for up to a month. They should change from their original brick red color to a dark gray.
Provide some salt water, in which your hermit crab can lay her eggs when the time comes. Hermit crabs lay their eggs in the ocean, not in a fish tank.
Understand that hermit crabs are almost impossible to breed in captivity. Although the eggs will burst after contact with salt water, the larvae will probably die for lack of food and proper conditions.
How to Tell If Your Hermit Crab Is Pregnant
Hermit crabs can be lovely, charming pets--and if you see that there are more hermit crabs on the way, it can be quite exciting. To determine if your hermit crab is pregnant, however, you need to keep your eyes peeled for certain signs and to understand some basic facts about a hermit crab's lifecycle.