hermit crabs..can they go under water?

Answer 1

OK there are two types of Hermit Crabs The Marine Varieties and the Terrestrial or Land Varieties.

The Marine types live full time under the water in the ocean and in tide pools, they have fully functioning gills and are well know scavengers and the cleaning crew of the sea bed along with starfish, sand dollars, shrimps to name just a few.

The terrestrial or Land Hermit Crab can in fact stay underwater for quite a long period of time. Though they only have modified gills, which require humid and warm air in order to breathe and properly absorb and extract the oxygen out of the air, since they have both water and an air pocket within their shell, they can actually use that air pocket with the water to extract the oxygen out of the water for a small period of time for breathing.
Now this can not be full time nor for too long in captivity because most pet land hermit crab owners do not provide large enough water pools or properly oxygenate the water through pumps.

We do however and have observed a few of our crabs under water for over an hour or more at a time.

It is important to have large pool regardless for a few important reasons...

First and foremost, bathing is a cause for extreme stress in pet hermit crabs and can lead to behavioral problems, difficult molts as well as other things.
Bathing a pet hermit crab is NOT natural in any way and should be avoided. They carry no disease, communicable disease or bacteria and in a tank will not get dirty just get sand or coco fiber on them.
By forcing these creatures to take a bath is ridiculous they do not get forced baths in the wild and since they are in fact WILD creatures and ALWAYS will be, it is unfair to put them through that stress.

By providing large water pools they are able to submerse into the water at their will and when they know it is needed.
They will soak up water for pre-molt reasons to help soften their hard exo-skeleton and to take on water under their exo-skeleton to help it split and slip off easier.
They will flush their shells cleaning the sand, grit, debris and droppings from it.
They also will take on water and adjust the salinity to their liking and need for breathing and for wetting the sand as they need it and as much as they need.
(another reason why pre-wetting the sand is stupid)

Water needs to be de-chlorinated, bottled water is best from a spring or natural source not from a municipal source (city water) so read the bottles, distilled is also fine.
You must provide both fresh and Marine or oceanic salt water, by purchasing Oceanic Brand or Tropic Marin Brand salt water aquarium natural salt and mixing per package directions.

We use either large reptile dishes that are at least 2 inches deep for the micro crabs and large glad ware or Tupperware plastic containers for the bigger crabs. They all can fully submerse and be covered by the water and they love it. It is important for health and happiness of our pets to provide for them BUT to not do things to OUR liking but to what is best for THEM.

Answer 2

Well yes and no. It depends on what kind of hermit crabs. If its a hermit crab you got from like Petsmart or at the beach in the shops, its a land hermit crab. If so, it can go underwater, bur for a limited amount of time. They like baths. Fill the sink with room temp water and treat it with dechlorinator. Put him under for a few seconds. Do this multiple times, but be sure tip him to the side and drain the water after removal. This is good for him because it rinses out all the poop and nasties and replaces his shell water. There are hermit crabs you can find in the ocean and in the water at the beach. These are aquatic and live primarily under the water. They can be bought to be in saltwater aquariums. They are usually kinda small and their shells (their exoskeletons not the actual shell) dont look as hard either. Be careful and figure out which crab you have before you put them in any environment other than you saw them at the petstore where you got him.

Answer 3

The land hermit crabs, also known as tree crabs, only go back to the beach to release their eggs in the water. They start off life with gills, then gradually get lungs. They can live under water for only a short time, because they can store a small amount of air in their shell. We are talking minutes here, not hours.

When a crab is walking around on the land, it will store some water in its shell for later. When they switch to a bigger shell, they will feel the shell with its legs, then quickly pull its wrinkly little pink butt into the new shell.

There is also a marine hemit crab that lives its whole life in the oceans. I saw it on Discovery.

Answer 4

I actually had hermit crabs for a while, yes they can go under water they do in fact enjoy a bath and will become more active after a dunk. They cannot breath under water so you must take them out after a minute or two or leave them a sponge they can crawl on. Have fun they are devilishly hard to keep alive.

Answer 5

In addition to what Amanda J said on the land hermit crabs. They will go into the water for a while. Sometimes to clean off their bodies or to soak in. I have seen one hermie that was having a hard time with his molt, soak in the water for awhile, got out and went to his corner and molted.

I have also seen some that are very stressed from pet store conditions get in the water and die there. Most stores do not give them enough or the right kinds and they are to stressed to live through it but they do enjoy the water while they can.

It is recommended to have a bowl that is deep enough for the hermies to totally submerge in but have things in it where they can climb out. They need one that is declor water and another one that has Marine Salt water in it. Only one species of land hermit crabs do not have to have the salt water but they do benefit highly from it.

Answer 6

if he is a terrestrial hermit crab (and i am sure he is), they DO need the occasional little bath to keep their gills moist. Most hermit crabs at pet stores are of that variety. I gave mine about 1/2" of dechlorinated water to crawl around in for about 20-30 minutes. Do this a few times a week. They also enjoy being misted, too. Don't keep them wet, though. After all, they only go into the ocean to release their eggs! Also, you need to keep one area of their cage (preferably using play box sand...get it at home depot) moist at all times to keep up the humidity and when they shed, they will burrow here until their new "skin" has hardened. Just a little corner is fine. Please remember to keep them warm using a low wattage light or even better an undertank heater. They also do better in groups. Please ignore some of the other posts, you are not stupid for asking this question.

Answer 7

Yes and no for the simple reason...... marine hermit crabs (living under water) and then the land hermit crabs which will drown under water

Answer 8

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well, hermit crabs have gills which is why they need bowls of waters with sponges in them but they cant stay in water permanetly. they do kinda bathe in the water, this is what he might be doing. im not sure how long they can stay in water but not forever,, lol. and as for eating/killing fish, if it feels the need to protect itself if will probably try to pinch them.

Answer 9

dont listen to the first girl they live under water actually if you got to the beach and see a line in the sand in the water a hermit crab was walking there and if you see shells that are rounded,pick it upo and poof theres a hermit crab if you have any other questions on hermit crabs go here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermit-crab

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_hermit_crab

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrestrial_hermit_crab

hope i helped!

Answer 10

Yes they very well can and rather enjoy having a quick one minute dunk completely submerged once a week. If you see a bubble take out that crab for a second and put him back in.