- Locate the Gonopores – It’s easy to locate a Female Hermit’s crab genitalia when it’s out of her shell since it’s easily exposed. How do you find their Gonopores? Check it on the back of tier legs, closest to the abdomen, and the joint of the cephalothorax. Their genitals will look like two tiny holes on their body. Note that Male ones don’t have this feature on them so you can tell if it’s a male or female Hermit Crab.
Male Hermit Crab’s Hair – So you’re hermit crab is not getting out of its shell, so how can you tell if it’s a male or female? You can distinguish male crabs easily by the amount of hair present on its body since female ones have very little hair on them.
- Determining it by the Female Crabs’ Eggs – One of the easiest ways to tell the gender of your Hermit Crab instantly is if your Hermit Crab is carrying eggs then it’s a female. If you’re taking care of pairs or a couple of Hermit Crabs, chances are they will leave their shells to mate. Female Hermit Crabs, carry their eggs on their body for an estimated one month. If all of a sudden you notice a cluster of reddish-brown eggs on your Hermit Crab, don’t panic! Just meant you’re going to expect more baby hermit crabs!
Hermit Crab Breeding
Note that the ideal time to breed Hermit Crabs is in January and February. Ensure also to transfer the pairs of Hermit Crab you’re planning to breed on an outdoor enclosure since this increases the chances of successful breeding. Just be sure that when you do this, they won’t get harmed by large animals like dogs or cats.
Encourage egg-laying by including a saltwater tank with your hermit crabs. Just add one tsp of salt to every cup of de-chlorinated water in the tank where you’re going to place them. Make sure also that the tank is not cold or too hot, maintain the following temperature around 72 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a thermometer to easily check the temperature.
Closely monitor your female hermit crabs, if they already laid eggs and changed the color to dark gray, don’t panic! You can try to move it from the shell so you can help with hatching it.
Monitor your female hermit crabs. Her eggs will change color, and when they turn a dark gray color, you can try to dislodge them from the shell and hatch them.
Raise those Little Critters!
So you’ve successfully bred hermit crabs, so what should you feed them?
It’s suggested that you add zooplankton on their food since it contributes to the larvae’s nutrition and health. And once they are seven days old, you can begin feeding the young ones a pinch of powdered spirulina or brine shrimp daily.
And when they reach 14-day old, you can place itty bitty conical shells in their habitat!
When they start to wander around, make sure to provide the younglings with fine-grained sand that will be connected to your salt-water tank. Once they reach the 40-day old, you can include them with the other hermit crabs.
