Hermit Crabs

Hermit Crabs

by Natalie Utsch

Multiple Choice

How many legs does a hermit crab have?

• 6

• 8

• 10

• 12

​Decapods

​Hermit crabs are decapods (10 legs)

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In the shell there are small pairs of 4th & 5th legs

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Those legs hold onto the inside of the shell & clean the gills

Poll

Are hermit crabs actually crabs?

• True

• False

FALSE​

​They do not live within their own shell, so they are not considered a true crab.

Fill in the Blanks

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Multiple Select

Hermit crabs live:

• in water

• on land

• in shells

• in a crabbitat

​Housing

​There are about 500-1,100 species of hermit crabs.

They are divided into 2 groups: Aquatic/Marine & Terrestrial/Land

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​Most live on the ocean floor

​Land hermits (aka tree crabs) - found along shore of the ocean

​Pet hermits are the land hermits

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​Find homes in abandoned shells of other marine invertebrates, they prefer snail shells; need to find larger shells as they grow larger

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​Crabbitat - tall screened enclosure or aquarium

Multiple Choice

What are chelipeds?

• Eye Stalks

• Bunch of hermit crabs

• babies

• Front legs

​Chelipeds

​Clawed front legs

Symmetrical, 1 a little larger

​Fold completely across the opening when tucked into a shell

Blocks entrance

​Used for defense

​Transferring food to mouths

Multiple Choice

Which of the following do hermit crabs NOT have?

• Skin

• Eyes

• Gills

• Antennae

​Hermit Crab Parts

• ​Gills - extracts oxygen from water; can travel away from ocean but must be in a damp environment

• ​Antennae - 2 pairs, used for motion, vibration, food, detect smell

• ​Eyes - 2 eyes on eye stalks that move, poor vision

• ​Exoskeleton - external hard skeleton

Multiple Select

What age can hermit crabs live to?

• 1 year

• 15 years

• 30 years

• Undetermined

​Lifespan

​All pet hermit crabs are from the wild - therefore, hard to determine age

Some up to 30 years in captivity

​Some only 1-2 years

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​Early death could be because: different species, age caught, stress & handling during shipment, inadequate care, especially lack of moisture

Multiple Select

What does a hermit crab do as they get bigger?

• Hibernate

• Molt

• Burrow

• Eat

• Get Bigger Shell

​Molting

• Molting allows for growth​

• Eat & drink more

  Dig & burrow into substrate for protection from predators & trauma

• ​Molt - several days to a month or more, eat molt for nutrients

• ​Then find larger shell (some may go into larger shell before molting)

Multiple Choice

Hermit crabs are:

• Diurnal

• Nocturnal

​Nocturnal

​Explore and forage at night​

Stridulation - creation of sound by rubbing body parts together

​Chirp noises (like a cricket)

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