Perlatus.... why not?

[starmaiden]

Do you know how many different types of hermit crabs there are? I am only familiar with 3- the Caribbean, the Ruggy, and the Strawberry.... what others are there?

Here's a good site about all the different types of land hermit crabs and where each species is found worldwide:
http://www.tonycoenobita.com/species_eng.htm

Scroll down on the right frame and click the picture of each hermit crab for detailed info on that species.

 

[Fayt]

Whoa..I did not know ther were so many people from the Hermit Crab association on arachnoboards whats up guys!

Hermit Crabs are great, I love mine. They do require ALOT more care then is typically let on by pet stores or care sheets. If any of you are considering setting up a tank for Hermits, here are a several sites that will help you get started. I could write the basics down here but in my opinion the basics would still amount to a small book....heh

http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/index.php . This is pretty much the standered hermit crab forum...

http://coenobita.org/xoops/modules/newbb/ One of my personal favorites.
http://www.crabbytalk.com/?p=29 This is an old blog, the author rarly updates it but, it still has some usfull information.

http://www.tonycoenobita.com/species_violascens_eng.htm
http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/
I think these were already posted but...meh

If you have any quistions about my tank setup fill free to pm me.

P.S mrbonzai211,Starmaiden and iucandi, my name on the HCA is "Silent Protagonist"

Cheers ^_^V

 

[Fayt]

Do they secrete thier own shells?
[edit] I would guess not. I saw a video of an aquatic species (maybe not a hermit crab, but sure looked like one) clipping off the barnacles from an old shell and transferring them to a new one. Anyone seen this? What purpose does this behavior serve?
[edit] ok, wait. I know I've seen hermit crabs, or things that look very similar to them. If those aren't hermit crabs, what are they? Which are the ones that are uniquely terrestrial?
[edit]ok one more question and I'll leave you alone: How big do they get (terrestrial spp)

I think what you saw was most likley some speices of marine hermit. There is one species (the name escapes me...) that use anenome as deffence against predators (?) When they change shells they will most offten take the anenome from there old shell and transfer it to the new.

18 land hermit crab species have been reported, all of them are listed here: http://www.tonycoenobita.com/species_violascens_eng.htm

However, The following species of C,olivieri,C. longitarsis,C. carnescens,C. rubescens and C. pseudorugosus have been thought to be mistakes and that they are just color variants of other speices since hermit crabs color will change depending on there diet. For example, very young and older C,perlatus will occationally be white and red or all white this could be from a lake of carotene in there diet or just a unexplanible phenaminon. The hyposthisis is that the species of C,psuedorugosus are in fact C.perlatus, it could very likey be a similar deal with the other species.

And Strangly enough, hermit crabs will "poop" in there shells they will clean it out after they are finished or they will just wash it out in the water pools....nice:?

Also, if you are holding a hermit and water drips out of its shell on to you... Its not piss Hermit Crabs store a constant supply of water in there shells to keep there gills moist, they keep it at the perfect gravity by balenceing salt water and fresh water.

 

[dtknow]

hmmm...you can breed marine hermies? Any websites telling how to do that?

 

[spydrhunter1]

Cool to know there are so many hermie keepers on this board. I currently have two colonies containing 30 crabs total (C. compressus and C. clypeatus). Some of my guys are nearing 10 years old now.

 

[Black Widow88]

OMG! I've kept land hermit crabs for years and I'm always wondering what species I'm getting when I get new ones. I've had some of the really small ones and I wanted to know what species those were ( photos to be posted soon ) and never found out.

And then I've been wondering what all the "regular" sized ones were. Right now I do have 1 photo of 2 of my hermit crabs on my computer and it's posted below. If any one could tell me what species they are that would be greatly appreciated!

Here you go:

Sorry about the photo quality though it was taken with a Polaroid and I wish that it came out better.

Black Widow88

 

[mr.wilderness]

I want more people to discover the beauty of hermit crabs because they are incredible pets that don't sit around a tank like a "pet rock."

Lol, I know that petstores are by no means an indication of what the pet's lives are like at a home, but I've never been to a supplier from petco on down to the more private specialty stores (that actually know how to take care of their animals) where the hermit crabs didn't look more like pet rocks than all the other inverts/animals in the store put together... at least the land ones anyway... They're still cool animals though, they probably just dont move around a lot because they're nocturnal or something, right?

 

[Black Widow88]

Yes they're nocturnal! Mine always come out at night and make noise. The tank is outside my room and I can hear them even with my door closed! They're funny though. So does any one know what species my hermit crabs are?

I would really like to know. When I get new ones I'll try and get better close up pics. They're marvelous pets to have. You never know what they're going to do next which is one of the many reasons why they're so fun to keep.

Black Widow88

 

[AneesasMuse]

I just saw this thread ...I have Hermits, too!! Three C. perlatus.. Strawberries and two C. rugosus... Ruggies. JB, DD, PeeWee, Bella and Niko

It's all starmaiden's fault, too

 

[Scythemantis]

Do they secrete thier own shells?

That hermit crabs use the shells of other animals is the first thing about them, and the origin of their name. Stores that sell the crabs also sell all sizes of snail shells to provide them with as they grow larger.

Carrying a separate shell just offers a lot more protection than the crab's own exoskeleton. It can slip out of it when caught by a predator, and trade it for a new one when it gets damaged. Millions of years of this behavior has left hermit crabs with a soft, vulnerable abdomen.

 

[Black Widow88]

I wanna know what species my hermit crabs are! How come no one is answering me!

Black Widow88