Strawberry land hermit crab - Coenobita perlatus

The strawberry hermit crab Coenobita perlatus belongs to the land hermit crabs. With a maximum of 8 cm this fascinating animal grows relatively large. Land hermit crabs have a very soft abdomen and therefore always need a snail shell, which they inhabit permanently and with which they protect their soft abdomen. The snail shell is changed from time to time, so it is recommended to offer the animals a small selection of different shells in different sizes. The shells of turbo snails and of tonna snails are gladly accepted, but also other snail shells are accepted. The shells must be intact so that the gills of the land hermit crabs do not dry out.

As its name suggests, the strawberry hermit crab is orange-red to bright red and has lighter colored mounds - in fact, it looks a bit like a strawberry. Coenobita perlatus is native to the Indo-Pacific and lives near beaches in its habitats. Although the animals are separately sexed, their sexual characteristics are concealed by the shell. If you catch a land hermit looking for a new house (please never pull it out, this would cause the death of the animal!), you can look carefully. Females have the remains of swimming legs on the left side of the abdomen, males do not have this feature. Strawberry land hermit crabs reach a very respectable age of up to 10 years.

The very peaceful strawberry hermit crab is a very social group animal and should therefore be kept in groups of at least three to five animals. The terrarium size should not be less than 80 cm. Single keeping would not be appropriate for the species! A socialization with other land hermit crabs is possible, even animals of different size usually have no problems in the group. Please pay attention to a sufficient number of empty snail shells, so that there are no conflicts.

In the terrarium there should always be a bowl with fresh water and a bowl with salt water. Do not forget exit aids! The bowls should only contain enough water so that even the smallest strawberry hermit is not completely covered by water. Since land hermits also like to dig, we recommend a peat-sand mixture, coco humus is also a good substrate. Especially for molting, strawberry hermits burrow completely, so the substrate must be deep enough with 8-10 cm and permanently moist.

Strawberry hermit crabs require a relatively high humidity of 70 to 85% and a temperature of 22 to 29 degrees, which can be well achieved with a heat lamp. This allows the animals to choose whether they prefer to sit in the warmth under the lamp or retreat to somewhat cooler zones. A floor heating is only necessary if the room where the terrarium is located is very cold. A permanent high humidity should be ensured by a nebulizer or by daily spraying (in the morning and in the evening).

Plants are eaten by the strawberry hermit crab, or it destroys them when crawling or digging over them. If you still want plants in the terrarium, you should be prepared to have to add more often and choose only non-toxic species. Plants from the trade should be pre-cultivated outside the terrarium for at least two months and planted without soil so that any pesticides present can be broken down.

Strawberry land hermit crabs are gifted climbers despite their little houses and somewhat clumsy and clumsy exterior. Accordingly, they are very grateful for cork tubes, thicker branches and roots in the terrarium and readily accept the additional freedom of movement.

Strawberry land hermit crabs like vegetable food. Red, orange and yellow vegetables and fruits provide them with the important pigment astaxanthin, which they need for their immune system. Pay attention to unsprayed goods! Besides vegetable food the strawberry hermits also like to eat frozen food, raw, unseasoned fish, protein food ... Please remove uneaten leftovers from the terrarium before they rot. Brown autumn leaves are a good permanent food. Strawberry land hermits need a source of calcium: cuttlebone or crushed eggshells should always be present in the terrarium.

White isopods and springtails have proven to be good cleaners in the strawberry hermit terrarium.

Land hermit crabs have already been bred in the hobby. The females of the Strawberry Land Hermit Crab carry a large number of very small eggs on their abdomen inside the shell of the snail and release larvae, preferably in a container of seawater. These larvae must be transferred to a separate seawater rearing vessel. The larvae are reared in much the same way as those of the Amano shrimp.

Our recommendation: Use NatureHolic InVitros for planting. These are free of snails, planaria and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid when keeping invertebrates. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your invertebrates. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.