2007-08-19 16:17:31 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Hermit Crabs are arthropods. The defining and major characteristic of any arthropod is that they have an external skeleton which is hard and rigid. The process of molting actually is very necessary to any arthropod because they need to grow. They can't grow if their shell will limit their size. They grow a new skeleton made of chitin that is soft. They climb out of their old exoskeleton and they grow a bit. Over a period of a few days the soft exoskeleton will get progressively harder. Eventually with age the crab will have to perform this process over and over.
It is a very stressful time for the crabs. They are basically sitting food for birds in the wild. It is best that you provide allot of shelter of your crabs and try to make them feel safe.
2007-08-19 16:22:59 · answer #1 · answered by dudas_91 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sorry to hear about your loss. Not sure where you got him... or when... what I noticed about stores that sell hermits.. is they have them in a tank with sand... no mist, no humidity control... which is necessary for hermits... I hope you have a humidity control and some sort of misting device.. they need this or they dry out and die.... hermits are not as easy to keep as people think.. walmart is the worst for killing them before they are even sold and the ones they sell usually dont last long unless they do to a hermit expert who knows the condition of the crab. So having said all this, you should educate yourself about them more and shop at breeders of these crabs (I am only assuming your not an expert because your on here asking if one is dead after its legs and pincer fell off)...you will get a much healthier crab ..... and enjoy him for awhile.... good luck
2016-05-17 12:43:43 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The outer hard "skin" of crabs and other invertebrates does not grow. Therefore, as the animal grows bigger, they need to shed their outer layer and replace it with a larger one. This is molting.
Thei also occurs in snakes. This term is also used to describe when birds shed their "baby" feathers for their adult plumage.
2007-08-19 16:24:03 · answer #3 · answered by biologist1968 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In anthropods, like the hermit crab, it is the shedding of the exoskeleton (shell thing), so that they can grow. It's like a snake shedding its skin.
2007-08-20 20:35:22 · answer #4 · answered by tasha7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Molting is how they grow. They need to shed their external skeleton or shell (not the one he lives in) and that is molting.
2007-08-19 16:19:59 · answer #5 · answered by bravozulu 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Crabs outgrow their external skeleton. When this happens, they molt and discard this skeleton. Their outer surface becomes the new skeleton.
2007-08-19 16:21:39 · answer #6 · answered by cattbarf 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋