Description
One of the crabs that is simple to recognise is this terrestrial one. It is the most beautiful member of its genus and distinguished by its orange-red colouring. This crab stands out among land crabs in terms of looks.
Adults have magnificent white patches and pores all over their body that resemble human hair follicles. Their distinctive markings gave them the nickname “strawberry hermit crab.” This hermit crabs abdomen is always completely white. Their eyes are often a bright brown colour, although occasionally they can be grey or deep black, extended, and have a polished, metallic appearance.
The colour of the baby crabs ranges from pale red to orange. They progressively develop this magnificent red colour as they become bigger, changing their colour. On their legs, young crabs have creamy or white striping that usually goes away as they get older. For this reason, they are also known as “candy cane crabs.”
Strawberry hermit crabs live in abandoned, scavenged mollusk shells that serve as both a protective covering for their exoskeleton and a source of food. The slightly chubby left pincer is used to close the shell with the third left leg (the shield leg).
Distribution
Strawberry Hermit Crabs are found near to the shoreline of Malaysia, Madagascar, Indonesia, Japan and Australia. The majority of them are gathered in places like Madagascar and Indonesia.
Behavior
The habitats of strawberry hermit crabs are bustling with activity. They like to climb, burrow, and roam, especially at night, the study claims. Despite frequently being active throughout the day, these hermit crabs are nonetheless regarded as nocturnal creatures.
The strawberry hermit crabs live in groups. They behave normally and topple over one another. These species occasionally engage in pushing competitions and feeler battles during which they can smell one another. When threatened or needs to relax for a lengthy period of time, crabs are known to burrow into their snail shells. A curious or aggressive tank mate could be attacked by the claws of a strawberry hermit crab.
Keeping as Pet
It is advisable to keep this species in a sizable glass tank because it will aid with humidity levels later on.
Tank Size:
They need a lot of room, so allocate two to three medium- or large-sized Strawberry Hermit Crabs to a tank that is at least 30 inches long.
Substrate:
The ideal substrate is a sand and dirt mixture, buried three inches deep. Because strawberry hermit crabs enjoy climbing, make sure the enclosure has plenty of climbing space, including logs, rocks, and jungle vines.
Temperature:
Nighttime temperatures shouldn’t drop below 26C (80F), while daytime temperatures should range from 26 to 29C (80 to 85F). A basking lamp must be available because they prefer to sunbathe for five to fifteen minutes each day. To avoid overheating the enclosure, make sure that all basking bulbs or other heat sources are thermostatically connected. The humidity levels can be improved by the use of a heat mat on the side or rear of the tank, provided the heat mat is safe to use with glass tanks. Land Hermit Crabs respond well to a low percentage UV bulb or tube, which is another option.
Water:
It is necessary to have two sizable water dishes or locations with enough depth for the hermit crab to completely submerge itself. Fresh, dechlorinated water should be used for one dish, and salt water for the other. Spraying dechlorinated water on a regular basis will assist keep the humidity levels high; you should aim to keep them at 80% day and night.
Diet:
Your Strawberry Hermit Crabs’ vibrant red coloration will fade and, after molting, could turn white if you do not feed them foods high in beta-carotene. Bananas, broccoli, carrots, poultry, oranges, sardines, peanut butter, seaweed, nuts and seeds, tomatoes, prawns, tuna and other foods are just a few examples of what they will eat.
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