A Hermit Crab Without a Shell is pretty unnerving. They rely on their shells to protect them from the cold, and without a shell, they are housebound. What do they do in the meantime? They can evict their fellow crabs from their shells and become housebound themselves. If you do not have the time or resources to provide your hermit crab with a shell, consider keeping one for the short term.
Hermit Crab Without A Shell: Do Not Grow Their Shells
Hermit crabs are not true crabs because they do not have a uniformly hard exoskeleton. Instead, they only have a hard front end and a soft tail, which they use to protect their softer abdominal exoskeletons. Hermit crabs live in large colonies along tropical coasts and are sometimes kept as pets. These creatures are omnivores, meaning they eat bits of dead animals and other crabs and shells.
As the availability of shells decreases, hermit crabs must choose a new shell. In order to get enough food and shelter, they sometimes use tin cans or plastic cups. Unfortunately, these substitutes have several consequences. Plastic micro-particles in the seawater interfere with the motor function and decision-making abilities of hermit crabs. These animals may starve to death or be eaten by predators.
They Need Their Shells To Keep From Getting Too Cold
Hermit crabs need their shells to protect them from extreme temperatures. The temperature should never rise above 80 degrees F. Otherwise. They’ll overheat and die slowly. A brown discharge will come from their mouths, indicating overheating. Changing temperature too frequently can cause stress to hermit crabs and cause them to die prematurely. It’s also best to maintain a consistent humidity of seventy to eighty percent for the best conditions.
Raising humidity in the tank is another great way to warm it up. Warm air humidifiers use water to create humidity. The water will warm up the area when they’re in use while simultaneously warming the crab tank. Misting your hermit crabs will prevent them from becoming uncomfortable and may even prevent them from dying. However, do note that heat lamps can lead to overheating, so make sure you monitor the temperature regularly.
Hermit Crabs Can Evict Their Fellow Crabs From Their Shells
Hermit crabs have evolved to utilize a niche in nature for socialization, and this adaptation has allowed them to improve their environment for a lighter load on land. They also exhibit a complex social hierarchy. While there are no formal rules for why hermit crabs choose their shelters, scientists believe that social behavior has shaped the evolution of the species. This social hierarchy has been studied extensively, and biologists have identified characteristics that hermit crabs prefer for a shell.
Hermit crabs have been observed to form temporary coalitions to evict non-kin from their shells. Despite this, little theoretical work has been done to explain the formation of coalitions and the “splitting of the spoils” problem in social hermit crabs. However, researchers in Costa Rica and elsewhere have widely reported the phenomenon. Ultimately, hermit crabs use this social structure to maintain their species’ health.
They House Bound
Hermit crabs are not true crabs, as they do not have a uniformly hard exoskeleton. The majority of species have a snug and well-fitting shell to their bodies. The crabs also do not have calcification on their abdominal exoskeleton. And they are making it essential to have an exogenous shelter system to protect themselves. The crabs are more closely related to lobsters than to other types of crabs.
Hermit crabs can be housebound if they are in a cage with another animal, like a snail. When they do not have a shell, they will fight among themselves to protect it. In this situation, the crab cannot move out until human intervention. This may require a change in their surroundings, such as a confined environment. This situation can result in a hermit crab not returning to its shell.
Hermit Crabs Are Vulnerable To Stress
The first thing you should know about hermit crabs without shells is that they require special care and feed regularly. They need food that is moist and deep. A sand substrate that is deep enough is also essential. The right type of substrate will keep the crab’s stress level low during molting. A deep enough substrate is also important for the crabs’ long-term survival.
Hermit crabs know for their strong association with shelters. Nearly 800 species carry mobile shelters in their shells, most often calcified snail shells. These shelters contribute to the diversity of crustaceans in marine habitats. While most species of hermit crabs metamorphose into shell-seeking crabs, they are vulnerable to stress. They that lack shells are at an increased risk for osmotic stress, predation, and eviction from their homes.
Hermit Crabs Can Have Poison
Hermit crabs know to be prone to poisoning if they are mice with a chemical. In these cases, the crab will not take on a new shell. A trained veterinarian can determine whether your hermit crab has poison and how to prevent it from happening again. Hermit crabs can also have poison by ingesting cultivated plants and building up to toxic chemicals in their internal organs. The good news is that land crabs are not dangerous to humans unless they catch.
A healthy crab will molt privately. However, a crab that contaminates should isolate from its friends. A clean, non-scary container is ideal for this purpose. Use dechlorinated water for the crab’s tank, and never use table salt. Toys can be a source of stimulation. Try textured wood, coconut shavings, and nets with suction cups.
