Hermit Crab Breeding Habitat

Hermit crabs breed sexually, meaning the male crab delivers sperm to the female crab who then lays eggs that hatch and develop into adult crabs. Though most hermit crab owners wish they could encourage their little pets to mate, hermit crabs need a specialized habitat in which to breed.

Types

There are hundreds of hermit crab species, some aquatic (water-dwelling) and some terrestrial (land-dwelling). Both types go through egg, larva (with several moltings) and adult life stages, and live 25 to 30 years in the wild.

Geography

The breeding grounds of the terrestrial hermit crab include regions in the south central Pacific, the southern Atlantic, and the Caribbean, while aquatic hermit crabs live and breed worldwide.

Ocean Return

Though the terrestrial hermit crab lives its adult life entirely on land, it journeys to the ocean to breed. The ocean salts, tropical humidity, and action of the waves are essential for egg-laying success.

Eggs

The female hermit crab carries her fertilized eggs on her abdomen until she can either drop them in the open ocean or (in the case of land hermit crabs) onto sand or rocks where the waves can wash them into the deep.

Captive Breeding

According to the Brandywine Zoo, these creatures cannot breed in captivity. The specialized habitat required for mating, breeding, and juvenile development is virtually impossible to replicate at home.

References

• Brandywine Zoo: Land Hermit Crab
• Smithsonian Zoological Park; Think Tank: Land Hermit Crabs