Can I Keep Hermit Crabs From The Beach? (7 Clear Facts)

When you visit the beach, what people do is play in the sand, take photos of great scenery, or look for unique shells. Sometimes when you take one of the beautiful shells, there is a hermit crab inside that uses the shell as condos.

Can I keep hermit crabs from the beach? Check the state laws in your area, as it may be illegal to bring hermit crabs from the beach. Hermit crabs may not survive in captivity for a long time. It is recommended not to keep hermit crabs from their natural habitat. But if you accidentally brought a hermit crab, you must take full responsibility for caring for it as a pet.

Caring for hermit crabs needs to fulfill the requirement because hermit crabs from the beach should not be taken to be treated in captivity. Let’s read this article to the end.

Can You Use Shells From The Beach For Hermit Crabs?

Hermit crabs you buy from a pet store can use new shells that you find at the beach. Clean the shell you picked up and place the new shell into the tank, and allow one of the hermit crabs to occupy that shell if they wish.

But be careful when picking up shells from the beach because we could accidentally pick up shells with hermit crabs inside. We know that beach hermit crabs cannot survive in captivity for long.

Can I Keep Hermit Crabs From The Beach?

Not all areas in the world allow taking hermit crabs from their natural habitat. Check the laws in your area before taking any shells with hermit crabs in them. For example, you should not collect any living specimens in Georgia because they may disturb the local ecosystem.

Hermit crabs can only breed in their natural habitat. Saltwater hermit crabs cannot survive in captivity like land hermit crabs because they need salt water to survive.

Can Hermit Crabs From The Ocean Live On Land?

It depends on what kind of hermit crab you have. If you mean marine hermit crabs, they spend most of their life in the water and rarely live on land. But if you find terrestrial hermit crabs close to the shoreline, they can live on land because they use water and crevices of seawater to keep their bodies wet.

Each type of hermit crab requires both freshwater and saltwater to keep surviving. Although hermit crabs can survive months without water, they can dry out and cause suffocation.

Can Hermit Crabs From The Beach Live In Freshwater?

Beach hermit crabs require salt mixed with water, or you can use table salt. You can’t put hermit crabs in freshwater, as it will kill saltwater hermit crabs slowly. Every hermit crab needs both freshwater and saltwater.

Beginner owners who don’t know that saltwater hermit crabs can’t live in freshwater will find their hermit crabs limp and challenging to stay alive. Try looking for specific sea salt at the pet store to keep the water at the proper level.

How To Keep Saltwater Hermit Crabs Alive?

Bringing hermit crabs from the beach is easy, but you must pay attention to caring for them to survive in captivity.

Hermit crabs need a warm and humid environment. Place the hermit crab in an aquarium with 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 80% humidity.

Hermit crab from beach requires humidity to avoid suffocation. If the temperature is below 72 degrees, the hermit crabs will grow unwell.

Ensure you fill the hermit crab’s tank with 10 gallons of a mixture of saltwater and freshwater.

Items Needed To Keep Hermit Crabs From The Beach

Bringing hermit crabs from the beach must adapt to their natural environment. There are 6 things to keep the beach hermit crabs alive in captivity. Let’s look at the table below.

Can I keep hermit crabs from the beach? Try asking the state of law because not all areas allow you to take hermit crabs directly from the beach or shoreline. Hermit crabs on the beach can’t live long in captivity because they need some requirements.

Is It Illegal To Take Hermit Crabs From The Beach In Florida?

No, you can take a limited number of Florida hermit crabs. There are at least 9 species in the Florida Keys. The Hermit crabs you get from the beach can grow quite large because they grow in mild winters and warm waters.

If you’re bringing hermit crabs home from Florida beach, prepare some larger size new shells. Each hermit crab can be competitive in search of a new empty shell.

The largest hermit crabs will look for the largest home and abandon their old shell. Other crabs will swap the abandoned house.

Florida Hermit Crab Laws

There is a default limit if you want to take land hermit crabs. You can take 100 lbs of hermit crabs or 2 individuals of each species per person.

Cluster together the hermit crabs so they are not alone in captivity. If you want to pick hermit crabs from Florida, it’s safer to buy them at a pet store with a price range of $2 to $45.

Can I keep hermit crabs from the beach? No specific laws in Florida that prohibit us from taking hermit crabs on the beach. If you have access to saltwater, you will need to stock it in a tank because beach hermit crabs can only survive by submerging in water and getting a mix of freshwater and saltwater.

Is It Illegal To Take Hermit Crabs From The Beach In Georgia?

Collecting seashells is a fun thing to do. There are several shells you can get, such as moon snails, sand dollars, or coquina shells.

Ensure you pick up shells without any creature living inside them. You may not take any living specimen in Georgia, including hermit crabs.

Georgia Hermit Crab Laws

It’s illegal to take hermit crabs at Georgia beach because well-being creatures should not be interfered with because they can damage the local ecosystem.

Try lifting the shell you took, or check with your finger by going inside the shell to ensure there are no living beings inside.

You must have permits or licenses to have hermit crab on the beach as a native species. If you find striped hermit crabs on the Georgia coast, you can’t just pick them up to take home.

What Do Saltwater Hermit Crabs Eat?

If you are licensed to care for saltwater hermit crabs from the beach, you can feed them plants, algae, dried seaweed, poultry pieces, or crab pellets.

Ensure you treat saltwater hermit crabs by submerging them in the water and giving them access to climbing if they wish to get out of the water.

Marine hermit crabs are omnivorous. You can provide a variety of foods such as cyanobacteria, krill, or popcorn shrimp. Don’t worry if there is uneaten food, as hermit crabs can eat it.

Feed your hermit crabs daily with small pieces of fruits or veggies and ensure their pinch can pick them up.

How Long Can Hermit Crabs Live Without Salt Water?

Hermit crabs need water to keep their body moist. If you forget to give hermit crabs access to water, they can last up to two weeks. After that, the hermit crabs’ body begins to dry, and they will be exposed to suffocation.

Any hermit crabs need both fresh and saltwater to keep surviving. Similar to food requirements, hermit crabs can go without food for up to two weeks.

But don’t intentionally don’t give hermit crabs access to water because it can reduce their life expectancy.

Can I keep hermit crabs from the beach? Each state has different regulations regarding the ownership of hermit crabs taken from their natural habitat.

Make sure you have a license or permit from around the beach, or you can buy it safely at a pet store.

Will Hermit Crabs Die Without Salt Water?

Marine hermit crabs cannot live on freshwater alone. They will be tormented and slowly go to fatal conditions. You can use table salt or mixed water at the pet store to suit the needs of marine hermit crabs.

The tank should be filled with water until the hermit crabs can source in, but not so deep that they can sink. Do not use tap water to avoid chlorine.

If you can bring salt water from the beach, it’s better than using bottled spring water.

How To Handle Hermit Crabs From The Beach?

Ensure you already have a permit or license to own the hermit crabs you pick up from the beach. Bring some saltwater from their natural habitat and mix it with any freshwater you have.

Provide a 10 or 20-gallon tank if you want several hermit crabs. Prepare climbing or hiding spaces to access hermit crabs.

When the tank is ready, fill it with mixed water until the hermit crab can submerge without sinking. Feed the hermit crabs until they get used to being in captivity.

Wash hermit crab’s food to avoid pesticides or dirt so that the food is fresh and healthy.

Is It Illegal To Take Hermit Crabs From The Beach In Texas?

While no Texas hermit crabs are considered threatened, you should never take any hermit crabs on the beach carelessly as they can damage the ecosystem.

There are three hermit crab species in Texas waters such as long-armed hermit crab, thumb-clawed hermit crab, and a thin striped hermit crab.

Can I keep hermit crabs from the beach? Many people do the pet trade in Texas and consider hermit crabs as throw-away pets because life can’t last long in captivity. If you want to maintain the local ecosystem, you should not take the hermit crab to the beach.

Texas Hermit Crab Laws

You are not allowed to pick or kill hermit crabs at the beach from November 1 through April 30. There is a specific boundary where you are not allowed to pick up hermit crabs from the bay out 1000 yards from the mean high-tide line.

Is It Illegal To Take Hermit Crabs From The Beach?

Yes, because hermit crabs require careful handling. Marine hermit crabs can’t live long in captivity because not many people know the requirements to keep hermit crabs healthy.

Don’t let yourself be one of the people who impact marine life by carelessly taking hermit crabs in their natural habitat.

You still have other options, such as buying hermit crabs at a pet store or already having a permit to pick up some hermit crabs in your state.

Don’t go ahead by assuming that taking wildlife is permissible because if many irresponsible people do the same thing, then they are people who are destroying the local ecosystem.

Can You Keep Hermit Crabs From The Ocean?

Look for states that allow you to pick up hermit crabs directly from the beach. Ensure you provide an ideal environment with several requirements such as saltwater and freshwater, 80% humidity, climbing or hiding places, and a 10-gallon tank.

Can I keep hermit crabs from the beach? You must be aware of the ecosystem in the ocean that you must take care of. You can bring hermit crabs alive from the beach, but you may not be able to care for them according to their life expectancy of 3 years or more.

You also need permission to pick hermit crabs straight from the ocean.

How Long Can Hermit Crabs Go Without Food?

Do not allow hermit crabs to go without food for up to two weeks. It is rare for hermit crabs to survive without food for more than two weeks.

Hermit crabs can last a little longer if they have access to water, but it will affect their health.

Provide proper food for hermit crab every day, such as algae, fruits, and veggies. Don’t worry if you see hermit crabs that haven’t eaten in a few days, as they may be molting.

Hermit crabs will burrow themselves on the substrate and don’t eat or drink until they complete the molting process.

Do Hermit Crabs Need Water To Swim?

It depends on what hermit crabs you have. Land hermit crabs have no reason to swim. They need access to water, but not for swimming.

Only marine hermit crabs can swim in the water, although they will often come out of the water so they don’t drown.

If you see land hermit crabs source in water, it’s never for long and only wets their bodies to keep them moist. You have to ensure the water in the tank is clean and a mixture of saltwater and freshwater.

What Dishes And Toys Are Suitable For Hermit Crabs From The Beach?

Hermit crabs love to play. You can put some toys or shells in their new habitat. You can put plastic houses, half-logs, coral, driftwood, or plastic plants as hiding places or toys for hermit crabs. You can get all the toys at the pet store.

Climbing or hiding places can be activities for hermit crabs while in the tank. You can see them spending time with various toys while using their pinch.

You can provide water dishes or food by placing them in a small non-metal dish. Do not place a bowl that is too big or too deep because if it is filled with water, the land hermit crab may drown.

Tips To Keep Hermit Crabs From The Rocky Beach

If you have obtained a permit or license to own a hermit crab from the beach, the next step is to find a hermit crab at a rocky beach. You can find some hiding spots in the tide pool or near rocks.

Put hermit crab in a 10-gallon tank with saltwater that you brought from the beach. Prepare a larger tank if your hermit crab continues to grow. Prepare new shells of a larger size.

Caring for hermit crabs must pay attention to the humidity and water used. Do not allow the hermit crab’s tank to have dirty water.

Final Verdict – Can I Keep Hermit Crabs From The Beach

Many people on the beach want to collect unique shells, and unintentionally bring shells with a hermit crab inside.

It is illegal to take hermit crabs in their natural habitat in some states, so you must have a permit or license to collect them from the beach.

If you already have a permit or accidentally picked up hermit crabs and you only realized when you got home, treat hermit crabs by placing them in a 10-gallon tank with a mix of salt and freshwater.

Provide substrate, climbing or hiding places, and daily food to keep them happy and healthy.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet hermit crab a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️