Hermit Crab Shells Turning White – Should I Be Worried?
You little hermie crabs come in a variety of beautiful and vibrant colors, particularly the marine species, which vary in color from bright yellow, blue to scarlet and are chosen for reef tanks largely for their appearance as well as for their foraging habits. However, it is only natural that hermit crab shells turning white would set off alarm bells in most owners' heads, although fortunately much of the time this is not too serious and can be dealt with quite easily.
As you are all probably aware, you hermies are born without a shell of their own and consequently spend a lot of time sourcing and moving into discarded shells from other creatures, such as sea snails, which they can call their own. Now snail shells naturally a contain a high level of calcium bircarbonate and any drop in these levels will cause them to look faded and eventually to turn white. The discoloration of the hermie shell can also be caused by over exposure to salt, which acts like bleach. This is a natural occurrence for snail shells that have been immersed for long periods in the ocean or even laying on the shore and being washed over by waves and is no cause for concern since your little hermie is likely to hop from shell to shell on numerous occasions and may well opt for a more colorful home next time around.
When your hermie's shell start to turn white in a reef tank is a different matter and points to your crab definitely being deficient in calcium and possibly magnesium. Since hermies are omnivorous, like us humans, they need a well balanced diet of meat, fish, fruit and vegetables in order to function efficiently. A deficit of calcium can cause them to fade and it is important that an owner supplements their hermie's diet with food that is rich in calcium such as cuttlebone and sea biscuits. Cuttlebone can easily be found in the bird section of any decent pet store and can be grated and added to food plus you can purchase commercially prepared hermie food which contains all of the necessary supplements, including calcium and magnesium.
When a crab molts it normally eats its exoskeleton which is rich in nutrients but occasionally part of it is discarded and left on the surface. It tends to look pale and faded and many a new owner has confused this discarded skin with their hermie's shells starting to become white and have feared the worse - that their beloved hermie has in fact died. In actual fact he is probably snuggled up into the snail shell, recovering from his molt.
So, hopefully you've stopped worrying so much about the color of your hermie's shell. After all he is a choosy little creature and will often fight to the death in his quest for the perfect house, regardless of color. Hermit crab shells turning white is not such a big deal and can be controlled by supplementing his diet with calcium rich foods so relax and have some fun with your new found friends
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hermit crabs shells turning white
A change in the appearance of the hermit crab's shell is seems like abnormal. You may wonder what might be the reasons behind this phenomenon. A mineral deficiency such as calcium and magnesium are the usual thing that trigger this to happen or just a salt water.
When taking care of hermit crabs it is probably good to know that as far as pet care goes, it is relatively inexpensive and doesn't take up too much of your time. This has got to be good news right! After all, what better way to own a pet than to have one that virtually looks after itself! Well, just before you dive headlong into the world of "crabbing," here are some common mistakes that you should avoid to enable your hermie companion to live a long and happy life.
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Now you may not know this but wentletrap and hermit crab association comes about due to the fact that hermie babies are born without shells and as soon as they are big enough they set about seeking a discarded shell to move into and call home. Wentletrap snail shells are perfect for the job since they are small, no larger than 2 inches at best, and can easily accommodate a tiny hermie baby.
Hermit crabs are amazing little creatures and the more you get to know them the cuter they become. Whilst many potential pet owners have an ultimate goal to breed their pets, in the case of pet hermies, this is really best avoided. You see, hermit crab babies stand a better chance of being successfully bred and reared in the wild. In order to even attempt to breed from a pair of hermies, you need to have a great deal of time and patience and be prepared to fail, time after time.
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Hermit crab behavior can vary signifcantly from one individual to another. If you own several, I am sure you will have recognised that fact that each individual has its own personality and traits to go with it. A good indication of whether you are buying a suitable hermie for a pet is to observe the hermie's personality and habits when it is inside its shell.
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