hermit crab question- on reptibid I saw...

[rapunzel]

an ad for hermit crabs for sale, The person states that they are CAPTIVE BRED.
I thought hermit crabs couldnt be bred in captivity? That they required the ocean, etc.

Can anyone enlighten me, please?

 

[defour]

I can't enlighten you, but I can second your impression. My understanding is also that it's essentially impossible to replicate their natural environment well enough to allow breeding. Maybe someone has figured out how to do it, but I really doubt it. Even if it could be done, the economic incentive simply isn't there since wild collected crabs are so cheap and easy to come by.

Steve

 

[OldHag]

They need sea water to breed in AND the babies are more like... microscopic wee floatie thingies that eat even TINIER plankton (sp?) Theres probably NO way they bred them in captivity....if so Id like to see the set up ect ect bla bla bla.
Michelle

 

[MrT]

Do crabs have spines? Just wondering.

I don't think the crabs we use to get in the army did. ;P

E

 

[rapunzel]

ahem, Ernie!!!!

that is just gross gross gross! ewwww!

You are so bad!;P


Thanks guys, I guess this seller is just misinformed.

 

[Wade]

Misinformed or telling people what they want to hear? I've seen all kinds of animals being offered as "captive bred" that clearly aren't.

I'll stop short of saying it's "impossible" to breed them, but it's very, very, very unlikley.

BTW, this would have been OK to post in the "Insects and other Invertebrates" forum.

Wade

 

[da_illest]

Originally posted by MrT
Do crabs have spines? Just wondering.

I don't think the crabs we use to get in the army did. ;P

E

LOL