In: Food and Nutrition

Written by Julia Crab Monday, 01 August 2005 – this information has not been reviewed or updated but is maintained here for archival and reference purposes. What follows is a list of ingredients added to commercial and processed foods that may harm hermit crab health when fed. While I believe that these substances should be avoided, there is no actual scientific proof that these are harmful. This list is being compiled as a guide to dietary harm reduction. The key to good diet, in crabs, other pets, and people, is informed label reading. Anything enzyme modified *Anything fermented *Anything protein fortified *Ascorbyl PalmitateAutolyzed yeast *BarleyRead More →

In: Caresheets, FAQ

Hermit crabs typically go about their molting business below ground away from your prying eyes and nosey tank mates but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes you will find yourself with a surface molter on your hands. Surface molts can be very cool for you but additionally stressful for the crab. Let’s look at the best way to handle a surface molter. First do not touch or move the crab! Unless you feel you must to ensure it’s safety. Second find a way to securely isolate the crab from it’s tank mates. It is extremely important that your tank temperature and humidity are in theRead More →

In: Noteworthy Crabbers

Hello, I am Tony from Hong Kong. Land hermit crab can found in pet shop, but there is not much information about them. When you ask the sales how to take care of them, they will tell you to give them a little bit of water in the tank is ok and give them bread for food. I followed this method when I was a kid, of course they are all out of shell and died after few weeks. Some people even do not know they are different from marine hermit crab and will put them into aquarium. I think me and land hermit crabRead More →

In: General

Written by Beth Carducci The Miss Crustacean Pageant 2015 It is Wednesday, August 5, 2015. It is a beautiful day, and despite the very warm temps, there is a nice breeze, along with sunny skies. The contestants for this year’s pageant come filing in, from under the boardwalk, 6th and the beach to be exact. The shade protects the crabs from the hot sun, while other contestants register, (the girls registering hand out care sheets from a Hermit crab website, not sure which one, I lost the paper) and then wait for instruction from the MC of the event, Mark Soifer. Mark steps up toRead More →

In: Biology

I am unsure about the set of spots on the legs after the gonopores. Hermit crabs can change gender during a molt so perhaps that is the location of where the male sex tubes would develop after a gender change? Just a theory…. Coenobita rugosus has been found to be intersexual  We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If you have high resolution, clear photos that you would like to donate to this project please upload your photos to Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/request/ajUgzmoG7co86iH2X0fh Overview of the anatomy of a land hermit crab (Coenobita) References:Read More →

In: General

August 6, 2014By Beth Carducci It all started as a search for hermit crab conventions. I wanted to go to a convention, meet new “hermie” lovers, share stories, swap pictures, etc. It was then that I saw the article for The Miss Crustacean Pageant, on my online search. I read about it and became very excited. The article explained the Pageant was to be forty years old, and was also mentioned as a question on the game show Jeopardy! When I voiced my excitement to The Hermit Crab Association, my enthusiasm was much less than what it had been moments before… I was told thatRead More →

In: General

Cannibalism in hermit crabs is not a normal or healthy behavior. By nature hermit crabs are omnivorous and eat all sorts of dead and decaying things they find on the beach. Their job is that of beach cleaner and they play an important role in their environment. They are scavengers, not predators. In captive hermit crabs we often hear stories of one crab attacking another crab and killing it. In most cases this simply isn’t true. If you didn’t witness the attack that killed one of the crabs you can’t assume it was murdered by another crab. In most of these situations the more likelyRead More →

In: Advocacy, Conservation, Painted Shells

Painted shells are inhumane and unnecessary and destroy a much-needed natural resource. Please speak out about this to your local pet shops that continue to order hermit crabs in painted shells just so they can charge more for them. Hermit crabs are forced out of their natural shell. One method can be seen in the video below, the crabs are placed in a vice and their natural shell is destroyed. Other methods include heating the shell so the crab abandons it, drilling a hole, and poking the crab with a wire until it abandons the shell. Hermit crabs are often forced into the shells whileRead More →

In: Noteworthy Crabbers

It’s funny the things that stick with you from childhood. Growing up our elementary school had an indoor carnival every year. One of the booths had hermit crabs as prizes but my mother insisted I could not attempt to win one. Fast forward many years to 2003 and at the local mall I discover hermit crabs for sale. Without thinking about it I immediately bought one and finally satisfied that long dormant need to have a pet hermit crab. Once I got home I set up a spare 10 gallon tank to resemble the set up I had seen at the mall. At some pointRead More →

In: Food and Nutrition

written by Julia Crab (Kerie Campbell) 2005 If you’ve decided to get rid of commercial diet completely, and go natural, here is a list of the recommended human-grade beginner foods. These are the highest in nutrition and will make a good base for adding fresh fruit, vegetables and meat too. When you are ready to expand your knowledge of hermit crab nutrition check out the Hermit Crab Feeding Guide. Add a couple of the following dried flowers or flower products: Add some dried fruit (unsweetened and free of sulfur dioxide or other additives): If there is still room for more purchases, here is the list IRead More →

In: Biology

The Cephalic shield [1] or carapace is part of the exoskeleton that covers the cephalothorax. It functions as a protective cover, hence the common name ‘shield‘. We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If you have high resolution, clear photos that you would like to donate to this project please upload your photos to Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/request/ajUgzmoG7co86iH2X0fh Overview of the anatomy of a land hermit crab (Coenobita) Photo credits:HUSO Chen Yu-Jung Stacy Griffith References:Read More →

In: Noteworthy Crabbers

Hi! My name is Vanessa Pike-Russell and became addicted to hermit crabs at age 5. My Great­-Grandfather wrote a poem about it. Then 17 years later in 1994 I was living in a one-bedroom apartment and decided I wanted a pet. I saw some hermit crabs in a pet store in Westfield Warrawong. It was a case of love at first sight. When I entered the pet store I had no idea that I would be taking a land hermit crab home with me. As soon as I picked one of the land hermit crabs up and placed it gently onto my palm I wasRead More →

In: Noteworthy Crabbers

Kerie Campbell owner of Epicurean-Hermit ABOUT ME I am in Oakland, CA, and am 40 years old. All my life, every beach I’ve been to around the world, I’ve spent the entire trip chasing crabs. I love the little critters. I don’t know what it is about them, but I find them to be fascinating. Whole afternoons have slipped by while I pursued both land and marine crabs. Oh, the sunburns I have had! Then, on October 8, 2004, I won a crab at a fair. I am up to 15 crabs now (as of December 30, 2004), in a climate­controlled 120 gallon tank complete with filtered fresh and salt water ponds. I thought I could stop with seven, but I was mistaken. I have kept exotic pets on and off since I was 14 years old.I have had scorpions, lizards, birds, and snakes. Snakes were the creatures I had the best success keeping alive. When I started keeping exotics, there was no internet, and not much proper information on their care. I lost several lizards and the scorpions, most probably to climactic deficiencies. In the ‘80’s I had a hermit crab. Like the other exotics, I had no real idea how to care for it, and the information I was given was incorrect. It either died, or I threw it out when it molted, not knowing anything about their molt cycle. Either way, I have felt sad about it ever since. After I won the crab in October, I went on­line to find out how to care for it properly, and was appalled to find out that the information I was given for its care was incorrect and, in some cases, perhaps deadly to the animal. I’ve spent the past three months learning more and more about their keeping, and adding crabs to my menagerie. I love to do research, and would have gone into the sciences, had I better math skills. Sadly, I am mathematically challenged, and could not pursue a career on that path. Finding hermit crabs, though, I have found a renewed interest in research and the sciences. I have just joined the Crustacean Society, a world­wide organization of crustacean researchers, mainly so I could have access to the Journal of Crustacean Biology. I have located many research papers on crab biology on­line, and am being given access to others by Vanessa Pike­Russell?. I have found that my main interest is in diet and nutrition, and am working on that particular line of inquiry in my own crabitat. Part of my original research on crabs and their care led me towards organic food for their feeding, as crustaceans are sensitive to chemicals. In researching their care, I have come to the realization that I’m also poisoning my own family with food additives, and am in the process of switching my entire household onto strictly organic foods. My crabs eat like little kings and queens, with a large and varied menu of human­grade organic foods including meats and seafood, algaes (seaweed and spirulina), fruits, nuts, flowers, greens, grains and local pure honey. I have had four molts so far, all successful, and the color of my post­molt crabs is becoming darker. I feel that the diet I feed my crabs so far is doing them well. I know I still have a lot to learn, but am confident in my abilities as a crab keeper now. I have accepted the honor of being the local representative for CSJ at Vanessa’s behest. I really enjoy the antics of my crusty little friends. I feel fortunate, even blessed, to have found such a wonderful community of fellow crab­lovers. I look forward to many years of observation and tank rearranging.Read More →

In: Noteworthy Crabbers

Crablover Don Don Drenning was a walking encyclopedia of hermie knowledge and was a pioneer of sorts. It was CLD who experimented with todays standards such as the use of StresCoat®?, ESU® MoonGlow? bulbs, the Two Sponge System, Hermie Buffets and much more. He was one of the first people to have successful Ecuadorian moults. Don was a frequent poster on landhermitcrabs.com, hermitworld, hammies and horsies, and Vanessa’s InsideTheWeb messageboards, often zapping his energy in the process. In 1999 Don was made a moderator of Hermies Onelist, (which later became eGroups and now Yahoo!Groups), in recognition of the countless hours he spent answering questions on land hermit crab care. It was Don’s fervent hope that Hermies could be a community for land hermit crab owners, and along with Vanessa, the group owner, and later Jennifer Borgesen as co­moderator, he invited people he knew and respected to join Hermies and create an active, safe and supportive community for land hermit crab owners, cutting down on the need to read multiple boards which usually held the same types of questions. A lot of the messages Don wrote to Hermies OneLIST/eGroups/Yahoo!Groups can be found at the ‘in progress’ CLD_on site. http://geocities.com/CLD_on What we would like is for everyone who knew Don, especially people who he has helped either directly or indirectly, to share your rememberances of him. There are some members who talked with him on the phone, or shared lengthy communications by email. Now that CLD is no longer with us, his words of wisdom are a testimony to the caring, generous man that was Crablover Don. If you have something that you would like to share, we would love to read about it. We would also like to hear form those people who have adopted KritterlandUSA hermit crabs, perhaps give an update on how they are, and/or share photos. Crablover Don, a friend to all the ‘little critters of God’ and a good friend to many hermit crabbers that benefited from his time among us. JUNE­ 19­99 A bright light went out at Kritterlandusa today… But in turn, our clear sky shines brighter tonight… in the skies there is a new star… Our sweet, beautiful and beloved ‘little big guy’ KING peacefully passed away. No sign of illness, warning or other problems… KING was alert and active this morning and a short time later, our darling little friend was gone! I guess he felt that he had accomplished what he ‘needed to do’ in his short time here. He took over the ‘house duties’ of DUKE upon his death…even though his reign was a short thirteen weeks… KING continued his faithful watch over his ‘flock’… His surprise and worry­free molt… such a short time after our loss of DUKE… never wanting to bother or worry us with any concern. Maybe not as out­going as his predecessor, DUKER, KING had that friendly and fatherly respect of all the smaller and more active guys in his care. Odd that we should lose our elder statesman on the eve of Father’s Day! When I went in to ‘visit’and play with the guys this afternoon, I realized something was not right. Several of the other fellas were wandering around KING… not bothering him, but just acting oddly. It was then I checked him out and discovered that he was gone…those bright clean eyes were ‘fixed’… his long fluttering antennae were still… No odor or anything else was unsual … KING had just passed on… just peacefully gone! He has just been good old KING recently…doing his normal thing… I guess his aging body was ready and he felt that he had done his duty and it was his time to ‘rest’… The tears are here, but I think out of respect for such a fine friend and buddy, I will try to suppress my grief and outward emotion… KING wouldn’tlike that at all… he was a proud guy! He loved attention and affection but didn’t like being ‘fussed over’ or worried about. I know it would make him uneasy to know that he was the cause any kind of unhappiness around here… So… Long Live Our GENTLE BUDDY… KING…You will be greatly missed but never forgotten… We LOVE you dearly… and your spirit will live forever at your home here at Kritterland! Til then… All ofus here, know that you will be happy to be back with your best buddyDUKE… Our loss… but heavens gain! Today, June 20th and Father’s Day, was “Bath and Food Frenzy Day here at Kritterlandusa… What a void we had… KING loved to play in the various fruits and goodies… baths were a time of fun for him… and he had ‘mastered’ all the fun things in the ‘playroom’…. Damn, I had promised myself I wouldn’t do this… There was a strange aura surrounding the usual hype and activity of “B.A.F.F.D.” … The guys were not as active or as excited as they usually are… Maybe in reverence of our Gentle Giant Baby….KING… I am really trying to deal with the loss of KING. Age, I truly believe was the major factor in losing that gentle guy. He wasn’t as personable as DUKE, but he had a beautiful and sweet disposition that was truly unique to our KING. He was a rusty red color and had bright eyes that would melt your heart. I know that he is at peace, so it really does make things some easier to take. He looked just as if he were just asleep, resting, but looking at him I KNEW in my heart that things were not right… Normally, at any ‘touch’ of his shell, those legs were moving and his long fluttering anteanne were there to greet you… happily and knowing… But, it was those eyes… those clear, moving, enduring and everloving eyes… God Bless that sweet gentle giant of a guy! I am just so very thankful that he seemingly left without pain or problem. by Don Drenning aka Crablover DonRead More →

In: Noteworthy Crabbers

Our beloved Jon passed on February 14, 2021 after successfully shedding his exoskeleton. May he rest in peace and continue to inspire hermit crab lovers around the world. Jonathan Livingston Crab’s Obituary from Carol              Rest in Peace, my dear Jonathan Livingston Crab After an unusually long molting period, Jonathan performed a perfect molt, shedding his exoskeleton on Valentine’s Day. But, for unknown reasons, he didn’t live through it and went home to be with the Lord, to join Crab Kate and all the other wonderful critters that God created. I adopted Jonathan and Kate in August 1976 in Ocean City,Read More →

In: Biology

Land hermit crabs have two pairs of antennae. The antennae are vital sensory organs that allow Coenobita to locate the ocean, their food and to explore their surroundings. Coenobita rely on humidity in the air to aid them in smelling and locating various odors. In Coenobita Violascens the antennal acicle is fused with second peduncular segment. To capture odors, crustaceans move their antennules back and forth through the water in a motion called flicking. We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If you have high resolution, clear photos that you would like to donate to this project please upload your photos to DropboxRead More →

In: Biology

Chela (organ) A chela /kˈiːlə/, also named claw, nipper or pincer, is a pincer-like organ terminating certain limbs of some arthropods.[1] The name comes from Greek (χηλή) through New Latin (chela). The plural form is chelae.[2] Legs bearing a chela are called chelipeds.[3] Another name is claw because most chelae are curved and have a sharp point like a claw. Also called pincer or pincher. We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If you have high resolution, clear photos that you would like to donate to this project please upload your photos to Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/request/ajUgzmoG7co86iH2X0fh Overview of the anatomy of a landRead More →

In: Biology

Coenobita possess compound eyes comprised of faceted lenses which are especially adept at picking up fine movements. The eyes are located on movable stalks and this is one of the primary ways we determine the species of hermit crab we are looking at.   We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If you have high resolution, clear photos that you would like to donate to this project please upload your photos to Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/request/ajUgzmoG7co86iH2X0fh Overview of the anatomy of a land hermit crab (Coenobita) Photo Credits: The Crab Street Journal has been granted permission by these photographers to use their photo(s) onRead More →

In: Biology

The gills of Coenobita and Birgus are modified for air-breathing but are reduced in number and size and have a comparatively small surface area. The branchiostegal lungs of Coenobita (which live in gastropod shells) are very small but are well vascularized and have a thin blood/gas barrier. Coenobita has developed a third respiratory organ, the abdominal lung, that is formed from highly vascularized patches of very thin and intensely-folded dorsal integument. Oxygenated blood from this respiratory surface is returned to the pericardial sinus via the gills (in parallel to the branchiostegal circulation). Birgus, which does not inhabit a gastropod shell, has developed a highly complexRead More →

In: Biology

The land hermit crab (Coenobita) develops a water sac inside of their shell prior to a molt. As shedding of the old exoskeleton begins, this store of water is used to expand the body to stretch and increase size before the soft exoskeleton begins to harden again We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If you have high resolution, clear photos that you would like to donate to this project please upload your photos to Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/request/ajUgzmoG7co86iH2X0fh Overview of the anatomy of a land hermit crab (Coenobita)Read More →

In: Biology

The mandible (from Latin: mandibula or mandĭbŭ-lum, a jaw) [1] of an arthropod is a pair of mouthparts used for either for biting, cutting and holding food. The last three cephalic segments, together with the three most anterior thoracic segments (all of the cephalothorax), house the external mouthparts. From anterior to posterior these are the mandibles, maxillules, maxillae and then the three pairs of thoracic maxillipeds. These are all biramous except for the mandibles and maxillules. [2] Mandibles are often simply referred to as jaws. Maxillipeds are appendages modified to function as mouthparts.  Hermit crabs are often seen grooming their eyes with their maxillipeds muchRead More →

In: Biology

grav·id: ˈɡravid/ adjective 1. pregnant; carrying eggs or young. Land hermit crabs carry their brood inside of the shell until they are ready to be released into the ocean. We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If you have high resolution, clear photos that you would like to donate to this project please upload your photos to Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/request/ajUgzmoG7co86iH2X0fh Overview of the anatomy of a land hermit crab (Coenobita)Read More →

In: Biology

Hermit crabs in the Coenobita family are Decapods which means they have 10 legs, limbs or appendages. The abdominal appendages of the land hermit crab include the thoracic appendages, pleopods, uropods and telson [1].The thoracic appendages are used for cleaning the gills, gripping the shell, gripping a mate during copulation. The pleopods are used for brooding eggs. At the end of the pleon is the tail fan, comprising a pair of biramous uropods and the telson, which bears the anus. Together, they are used for steering while swimming, and in the caridoid escape reaction. We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If youRead More →

In: General

Written by Stacy Griffith and originally published on All Things Crabby.com Now that you’ve decided that a hermit crab is the pet for you, it’s time to make sure you are right for a hermit crab. If you know as much about hermit crabs as I did when I first purchased one, you are going to appreciate this information. I will cover the basics for setting up a crabitat (a cute name for your hermit crabs habitat). So BEFORE you run off to the pet store and pick out your new pets, print the shopping list at the bottom of the article and take it toRead More →

In: Crabitat, FAQ

Question:Craboza asked:I want them to eat the bad things.Will they eat aphids and other bad bugs in there?Or anything that is not the crabs?I want them to keep all possible parasites out. If I can use ladybugs, how many can I put in? Where do I get them? Thank you.   Answer:Bugboy (aka King Arthur-Pod) answered:Don’t…..lady bugs are toxic, that’s the reason for the orange and black coloring.If one should die and the crabs eat it, could be harmful.Put one on the tip of your tongue, you’ll know how nasty they really are (OK so I’m an entomologist and only we do crazy stuff likeRead More →

In: Food and Nutrition

These recipes were created by hermit crab foodie Kerie Campbell aka Julia Crab in 2005. There are endless food ideas but these may help get you started. We have more hermit crab food recipes submitted by others. Be sure to visit our Hermit Crab Feeding Guide to ensure you are using only safe ingredients. Fruity Fish & Flowers II dried calendula (about 2 tsp.)dried chamomile (about 1 tsp.)coconut chunklarge papaya chunkpink flame rose bud Kibble and place in the serving dish. Air-pop about 1 Tbl. amaranthshred some dulse1 Tbl. Flott tuna1 tsp rolled oatslarge pinch dandelion rootlarge pinch dried dandelion leaf. Kibble and place onRead More →

In: Crabitat

Hermit crabs are tree climbers by nature so maximizing all the vertical space in your tank will provide them with a more enriching and stimulating environment. Making use of all four walls of the tank will give your hermit crabs more room to roam and explore. Also if you use overhead lights you can provide your hermit crabs a way to get closer to the lights and warm themselves as needed. You can get very creative in making second levels with a variety of materials. Just be sure the materials are safe before placing them in your tank. Avoid metal that can rust, paint thatRead More →

In: General

In 2011 The CrabStreet Journal was contacted about featuring our print magazine in a film tenatively titled Imogene. We granted permission of course! In 2013 the film was released a major motion picture under the title Girl Most Likely featuring Kristin Wiig, Matt Dillon and Annette Benning. Below is a screenshot of our cameo. How exciting!!!Read More →

In: Crabitat, FAQ

What’s a micro hermit crab? What’s a jumbo hermit crab? Size can be subjective and hard to define but we are trying anyway!  Our friends in Indonesia have developed two more realistic size charts based on leg length or leg span. Indonesia is home to many of different species including the large C. brevimanus. With much more data to work with the group created these new sizing charts which are more accurate. (Mary Akers, Hermit House raised this adorable, nearly microscopic, captive bred baby hermit crab.) Why does size matter? When determining how much space is needed per hermit crab we need to know howRead More →

In: Crabitat

A total tank tear down for cleaning is no longer considered necessary. If set up properly from the beginning your tank will become bioactive over time and can be kept up with minimal effort. The information below can be applied when purchasing used items that you wish to clean before set up or if you have an emergency (flood, bacteria, insect invasion) situation and need to do a tear down to deal with it. When adopting hermit crabs you may also receive their tank. It is a good idea to fully santize the tank and all the decor items. Throw away the substrate and startRead More →

In: FAQ

All water that comes in contact with your hermit crab must be dechlorinated. Most cities add chlorine to their water supply. Some add chlorine and chloramines to the water. Unless you have contacted your water department and determined if they use both, you should use a treatment to remove both. In the past, it was enough to let water sit out for 24 hours so the chlorine could evaporate out. That no longer is sufficient because chloramines will never evaporate out nor ammonia. A bottle of water treatment will last for years. Distilled water is not recommended as it is devoid of beneficial minerals. StresscoatRead More →

In: Caresheets, Services

We are sorry that you are experiencing a hermit crab care emergency. Below are some links and information to our most commonly experienced emergency situations. Aggressive hermit crab I purchased new hermit crabs: PPS (Post Purchase Stress) Limb loss Mites or pests within crabitat Is my Hermit crab dead or molting? My hermit crab has left it’s shell and is naked Caring for hermit crabs with limb loss or other deformities After reading these items if you still need some help, please visit the Land Hermit Crab Owners Society Facebook Group.Read More →

In: Biology

Please note: We’ve updated our language and PPS is now called PPDS – Post Purchase Death Syndrome as this is a more accurate name. written by Sue Latell March 8, 2006 I have belonged to the on-line crabbing community for a little over 3 years now. From day one there was discussion about the number of deaths immediately occurring after purchase. It evolved into a named syndrome: PPDS. Many “unexplainable” deaths that occurred in the time-frame from newly acquired to first post molt death were labeled PPS. Time lines wavered (anywhere from one week-up to one year), and alarmingly glossed over (in my opinion) tooRead More →

In: Biology

written by Vanessa Pike-Russell ‘How old’ is an oft asked question and hard to answer. Lifespan is similar. They both depend on many factors such as diet, exercise, moulting frequency, pecking order, species and availability of seashells. In this article, I will touch on a few of the factors, and finish with some hints on how to get a rough estimate of the size and age of your hermit crab. A big ‘thank you’ to Carol of CrabWorks for her permission to use her wonderful photographs, and for being such an inspiration to us all! How fast a hermit crab grows usually depends on whatRead More →

In: Biology

written by Vanessa Pike- Russell 2000, updated by Stacy Griffith The life cycle of the land hermit crab is unique. It starts by the release of eggs into an ocean tide pool, where the zoea go through a series of moults and developmental stages. A baby hermit crab zoea will be a part of plankton until it grows and starts to resemble hermit crab form. Once they have developed to maturity, hermit crabs leave their watery home, making the long journey to land to find a shell for the protection of the soft abdomen. Once ashore, land hermit crabs go through a metamorphosis, developing modifiedRead More →

In: Biology

Are hermit crabs looking for light and large shells?: evidence from natural and field induced shell exchanges Shell shopping Photo credit Andrea Skinner Jose- Luis Osorno, LourdesFernandez- Casillas, CristinaRodriguez- JuarezaDepartment of Zoology, University of Florida, 223 Bartram Hall, Fainesville , Fl32611, USADepartamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico , Mexico D. F., C. P. 04510, MexicoDepartamento de Ecologia Evolutiva , Instituto de Ecologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico A. P.70 275, Mexico D. F., C. P. 04510, MexicoReceived 15 October 1996; received in revised form 9 May 1997; accepted 3 June 1997 Abstract: Terrestrial hermit crabs(Coenobita compressus( H. Milne Edwards)) onRead More →

In: Biology

ectothermic 1. of, or relating to an ectotherm; cold-blooded From Wikipedia: Cold-blooded organisms (called poikilotherms – “of varying temperature”[1]) maintain their body temperatures in ways different from mammals and birds. The term is now outdated in scientific contexts. Cold-blooded creatures were, initially, presumed to be incapable of maintaining their body temperatures at all. Cold-blooded animals are now called ectotherms, a term which signifies that their heat (therm) comes from outside (ecto) of them; the term cold-blooded is misleading. Advances in the study of how creatures maintain their internal temperatures (termed: Thermophysiology) have shown that many of the earlier notions of what the terms “warm-blooded” andRead More →

In: Biology

heterothermic 1. of animals except birds and mammals; having body temperature that varies with the environment From Wikipedia Heterothermic (from Greek: hetero = “other” thermy = “heat.”) is a physiological term referring to a unique case of poikilothermy. Heterothermic creatures are homeothermic for a portion of the day, or year. More often than not, it is usually used as a way to dissociate the fluctuating metabolic rates seen in some small mammals and birds (e.g. bats and hummingbirds), from those of traditional cold blooded animals. In many bat species, body temperature and metabolic rate, are elevated only during activity. When at rest, these animals reduceRead More →

In: Biology

The molting cycle in crustacean is controlled by hormones. Below is a snippet from a study on crustacean molting that explains the role of hormones in the molting cycle. Land hermit crabs continue to molt their entire life unlike some other crustaceans. ERNEST S . CHANGM, ARILYN J. BRUCEA, ND SHERRY L. TAMONEBodega Marine Laboratory, University of California, P.O. Box 247, Bodega Bay, California 94923 SYNOPSISIn order to increase in size, arthropods must first molt (shed) their confining exoskeleton. This molting process is under the immediate control of the steroid molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE). Read the full article More articles on molting:What is moltingIs myRead More →

In: Biology

Overview of the anatomy of a land hermit crab (Coenobita): We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If you have high resolution, clear photos that you would like to donate to this project please contact us via email: crabstreetjournal at gmail dot com Click to be taken to the gallery:Chelipeds or pincersEyesAntenna (antennal flagellum, antennular flagellum, antennule)Mandibles and MaxipellidGills and branchial chamberAbdomen, Uropods, Pleopods, TelsonWater or molt sacEgg clusterGonoporesShieldRead More →

In: Biology, Caresheets

This is a (hopefully) more simplified revision of the original.  I have also created a printable calendar for tracking that is free to download. Introduction: The objective of this method is to reduce the impact of physical stress by keeping the hermit crab above ground eating well and exposed to light. Both are vital to the hermit crab’s ability to recover. This is a thirty day method. While this can be accomplished in three weeks, there is no reason to rush. If you are adding new (wild caught) hermit crabs to your existing colony it is important that you do not introduce sick or contagiousRead More →

In: Biology, Caresheets, General

written by Sue Latel March 8, 2006 Little Billy has had 3 hermit crabs since his 12 birthday. He has a 20 gallon tank housing his 3 small PP crabs. One day when he is at the store picking up some ocean salt water for his crabs, he spots a tank containing 2 poor little Ruggies that have no water except for a damp sponge, huge pellets of food that he doubts they have even attempted to eat, and no ground cover to protect them from the 100 watt heat lamp that is shining directly on them from an open tank top. Billy has been aRead More →

In: Biology

Exact text of the original paper by Herbst: The name Coenobita Clypeatus (usually pronounced seen-oh-bit-a cly-pe-ait-us) may be translated as “shield-bearing monk or cloister brother,” which conjures up a truer image of this often gregarious and variously cloistered resident of tropical East American shores than does “hermit crab.” But, like most common names, “hermit crab” or “soldier crab” in native parlance, will certainly endure. The animal so called belongs to a small family of terrestrial decapod crustaceans quite distinct from the marine hermit crabs. The family Coenobitidas is composed of two genera: Birgus and Coenobita. Birgus is represented by a single species, Birgus latro (Linnaeus,Read More →

In: Crabitat, General

written by Kerie Campbell 2005 Two months ago, during deep clean, I took my largest compressus,Houdini, out of the tank, turned him over to have a look, and a red…thing fell out of his shell. I couldn’t believe it! Mites!Huge, red mites. Houdini had a few, Fifi had some, and poor Ghidra,a pre-molt rugosus, was covered with them. I was appalled. I inspect new crabs when I get them for mites, and have never seen any. The only explanation I have is that these mites, being a bright red color, must have snuck in on some of the perlatus – they are the same colorRead More →

In: Biology, General

written by Jennifer Borgesen The fungi:  how they grow and their effects on human health. (includes related article on documentation of fungal exposure and disease relationship) Date: 07-01-1997; Publication: Heating, Piping, Air Conditioning; Author: Burge, Harriet A. Shape and structure of fungi “The fungal cell is similar to that. of plants and animals, containing all of the same organelles (nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, membrane systems, etc.). Like plants, the fungal cell is bounded by a rigid cell wall. However, while plant cell walls contain cellulose as the basic structural material, fungal cell walls contain a material that is similar to that in insect exoskeletons (chitin). MostRead More →

In: General

originally written by Jedediah and updated by Stacy Griffith It is impossible to completely rid your home of insects. https://www.wired.com/2016/01/just-give-up-its-impossible-to-bug-proof-your-home Tip: Need to identify a bug? Place it in a cup of water so you can take a clear photo of it or use a magnifying glass to inspect it. Insects Insects have six legs and three body parts that are usually clearly visible, the head, the thorax (the breast) and the abdomen. Most of them have wings, although those might not be clearly visible, some insects can hide them in a sort of pouch on their back (like earwigs) and some insects have noRead More →

In: General

written by Vanessa Pike-Russell Re-Educate before Rescue! Vanessa Pike-Russell on the importance of educating petstores about proper hermit crab careI understand that it is difficult to ignore hermit crabs in bad conditions. By buying them from pet stores you are are saving some from the bad conditions, however unless they stop selling hermit crabs altogether it is feeding the cycle. (Repeat) If you rescue hermit crabs from a pet store with bad conditions then you are supporting a pet store that is doing the wrong thing, and only encouraging them to buy more hermit crabs since there are no negatives about the way they careRead More →