Natural Habitat for Hermit Crabs
Hermit crabs are an interesting species of crab that live along the shore of tropical beaches. They travel along the beaches looking for food and shells in which to live. As they continue to grow, shells are molted and the crabs move to new shells. Interestingly, these crabs are born in the sea and need constant access to the water in order to survive. On average, hermit crabs live to be about 10 years old.
Other People Are Reading
-
Location
-
In the wild, different species of land hermit crabs are found on the tropical beaches of the Indo-region, the western Atlantic, and the western Caribbean.
Climate
-
Hermit crabs prefer a warm, humid climate. Ideally, they seek environments with a temperature around 80 degrees and 70 to 80 percent humidity.
-
Habitat
-
Hermit crabs live in environments where they have constant access to land and sea, and they are typically found close to the shoreline. They dig in the sandy ground for extra protection from predators and the heat.
Food Sources
-
Hermit crabs feed on what they can find along the beach because they scavenge for food. Due to their omnivorous nature, crabs eat both animals and plants.
Land vs. Water
-
Hermit crabs mate in saltwater, where both the male and female emerge from their shells. Larvae grow and mature in the water and only come on land once they reach adulthood.
-
References
- Photo Credit Image by Fotolia.com, courtesy of Tomasz Pawlowski
