Not For The Faint Of Heart:  Hermit Crab Breeding

Well, it isn’t.  Breeding hermit crabs is not easy to do.  Think about it.  The first step is ensuring that you have both a female and male in your cage.  And with creatures who are shy about even coming out of their shells, it’s difficult to tell the boys from the girls.

But, there are other problems that complicate the process as well.  Take for example that the “girl” hermit crab lays her eggs in the sand.  But once the eggs hatch, the little creatures scurry off to the ocean.
Just because your pair of crabs is not in the wild (where predators can kill off many of the eggs) doesn’t mean your mom will lay any less. Be prepared for many eggs.  Of course, the exact number of eggs your little girl lays depends on her size. These crab eggs in their natural habitat, in fact, are actually part of the plankton mass in the ocean.
If you’re even considering this, you need to be dedicated and you must create special conditions for their care.

Step One:

Set up a saltwater tank.  If this is impossible to do inside, then you can do it in an outdoor pond.  And in fact, most experts say the second – outdoor – option is actually preferred.

Step Two

Now you’ll want to create waves.  This means setting up a device that can simulate the ocean’s waves.  Hermit crabs like nothing better than the motion of the waves.  Many zoologists believe that the ocean wave movement may even help them in the breeding process.

And please, don’t make your poor spouse fan the pond in hopes of creating waves.  Wave machines can be purchased either at your local pet store or through the internet.  One of the best brands on the market is the Sea Swirl Aquarium Wavemakers.  It’s also one of the most inexpensive.  But don’t limit your search to just that brand.  You may find something even better.

Step Three

Now it’s time to set up those moonlight bulbs we told you that you needed.  Erect them around your tank or your pool.  Believe me when I say that this helps the breeding process.  Hermit crabs most typically breed at night. 

Again, these are easy enough to find at your pet store or on the internet.  And they can be purchased for less than $15.

Step Four

Ah!  Now for the tough process: making sure you have both a male and a female. If you have to, you may have to buy a pair specifically for breeding.  You can easily do this from your local pet store.  Tell the clerk that you must have a male and female and exactly why you want them.

Step Five

You’ll want to ensure that the temperature of your pond or aquarium stays between 72 and 80 degrees.  Hermit crabs thrive in this specific environment.  If the temperature drops below this, they may either become weak or ill.

Step Six

How do you do this?  By keeping the air clean, the lighting full, the temperature just right and the water salty.  Not only that but you’ll want to make sure your crabs eat a healthy diet – and you’ll also want to supplement these guys with extra calcium.  A healthy crab is far more likely to mate than one whose health isn’t in top form.

Step Seven

Plan on becoming a storehouse of brine shrimp.  You’ll need a large supply of these for the larvae to eat.

Place your pair together.  It’s pretty much up to Mother Nature now.  Leave the pair together for several weeks – three weeks isn’t too long of a period in fact.  Earlier we talked about the dance they do when they mate. While they’re together you may want to observe them.

If they’re attempting the mating process, then they’re going through the mating rituals we’ve already mentioned.  Keep the pair together until you notice that they’re acting “normal” again!

During this time, you’ll also want to feed your pair, just as you normally would.  You may want to supply them with extra calcium supplements. 

It’ll take a month, or perhaps even more, but if you’re successful you’ll see the babies.  You may also want to plan ahead and buy some very tiny shells for when these guys and gals come ashore.  Remember, when they start to migrate to land they’re barely 5 mm in size. So make sure the shells are very small. 

Again, this is where internet shopping comes in handy.  If you decide to buy these at your pet store, consult with your pet store staff.  You’ll be able to find someone who is knowledgeable enough to help you.

Once your baby crabs are safely inside their shells, you can breathe a sigh of relief.  But definitely doesn’t mean your duties are complete. Now you have the job of raising your young.