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

Hermit crabs start in the ocean as eggs, they mature into larva in shallow waters of the tide line, as adults they climb onto land to find a shell, and then return back to the ocean to breed and lay eggs. What is the hermit crabs life cycle called?

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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

​

​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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