Do Hermit Crabs And Turtles Get Along? (7 Cool Facts)

Do hermit crabs and turtles get along? There is much resemblance between turtle and hermit crabs. Both of them are terrestrial and aquatic. Both species can live in the aquarium, and many people keep them as pets. If you want to keep both of them in one place, then it won’t be easy.

Do hermit crabs and turtles get along? Turtle and hermit crabs can live along when you keep both aquatic species in one place. Proper arrangements are required if you own both animals in the same aquarium. Hygiene, food, light, water type, and heating are their needs. If you are new to these pets, don’t keep them together. You should own them separately.

In this article, we will discuss whether hermit crabs and turtles get along, are hermit crabs aggressive with other pets, whether you can put a crab with a turtle, and many other things. Let’s get started with our topic, do hermit crabs and turtles get along.

Can I Put A Hermit Crab With A Turtle?

Yes, you can put hermie with a turtle. They can live in captivity as well as in the wild. Do hermit crabs and turtles get along? You must set the optimum conditions for both of them to live together without getting any issues. Sea turtles can eat invertebrates. They can also eat hermit crabs that are small in size.

Turtles bred and born in captivity don’t like to live with other pets. Cohabitation is not much success for them if you keep other pets with them when they are in captivity. The turtle lives on a fresh diet, and on the other hand, Hermie also likes to eat fresh food. This is a similarity among them. Following are the similarities that are between turtle and hermit crabs.

• Both of them are docile and tolerant
• They can be easily startled and stressed
• Hermit crabs and turtles live in both wet and dry environments.
• Both of these species are aquatic and terrestrial, and terrestrial members need a bath with water.
• Both of these species are aquatic.

These are the similarities between both species. It means that they can live in the same Tank, but the proper requirement is required if you want to keep both of them.

What Are Hermit Crabs Enemies?

Hermit crab’s small size makes them good prey because different predators in the wild can easily eat them like sharks and other fish species like octopus, squid, cuttlefish, etc. they have a natural defensive mechanism that saves them from getting preyed on. The shell that is present on them provides protection.

They also dig and bury themselves to save themselves from predators. Digging and hiding his own body is also a natural adaptation. The best defensive strategy is to have a symbiotic relationship with other sea members like anemones and sea anemones etc.

Sea anemones take free rides by sitting on top of hermit crab shells and then eating food left by hermit crabs. On the other hand, they protect the hermit crabs from predators with the help of poisonous tentacles that are used as weapons.

What Can Kill A Hermit Crab?

Many things can kill hermit crabs, like when they are preyed on by some predators, which results in the death of hermit crabs. Many other things are also there, like when you use tap water, it may kill them because it contains chlorine. Iodine salt is not good. It would help if you used marine salt because salty water is needed for females when they lay eggs.

Can You Put Hermit Crabs With Turtles?

Do hermit crabs and turtles get along together in the same habitat?  Yes, you can put hermit crabs with a turtle, they may live together in the wild, but when they are in a tank or enclosure, it is very difficult for you to own both animals simultaneously. Hermit crabs can live with another member of their species. You need to make proper arrangements in the Tank to keep both turtle and hermie in the same place.

As we know that turtles and hermit crabs are omnivores, both of them give preference to fresh food compared to old food. They love to eat vegetables and fruits. Turtles are more carnivores than hermit crabs, which is why they can also eat marine life and shrimps. A hungry aquatic hermit crab may also eat live hermie when there is no food for them, but this is only possible in the wild.

There is also a similarity with food like insects and worms. Turtles and hermit crabs can eat insects like mealworms. The food quantity that hermit crabs eat is less than the turtle. It means that you can also feed your hermit crab with turtle food because both of them can eat the same food.

Can Hermit Crabs Live With Tortoises?

If you want to know whether hermie can live with tortoises, you should know the housing arrangements for both of them. If there are similarities in housing arrangements, you can keep both of them in the same Tank.

It would be best if you kept hermit crab in a large aquarium. You can also give them substrate in tank-like coco fiber and sandboxes.  You can buy this type of thing from a local pet store. It would help if you placed several shells in the Tank, so they change the previous shell into new ones when they are molting. It is because they have larger sizes now compared to the previous shell. That is why they update their housing.

On the other hand, tortoises need grassy fenced areas, which have easy access to water. Don’t use salty water for them. Salty water is only good for hermit crabs. It would be best if you kept them in a humid and warm environment.

Are Hermit Crabs Aggressive Towards Other Pets?

Yes, they are aggressive towards other pets in the Tank. They may crawl each other. They have fleer fight and pushing contests. This can be seen in them when they will own new shells. You may notice fights and aggressive behavior because of the competition to get a shell if there is a shell shortage.

If you own many hermit crabs at one place, then you should give them many shells for molting. If you don’t provide them with shells, you will see a change in the behavior of hermit crabs.

Do Hermit Crabs Live Better In Pairs?

Yes, hermit crabs live better in pairs. When they are alone, then they may get separation anxiety. That is why it is recommended they should be in pairs. But you cannot keep more than three at the same place.

You should have five gallons of space for two hermit crabs. The humidity level should be eighty people because it needs a tropical environment.

Hermit crabs are social animals, and they get sick when they are alone. They mostly get bored when they are in captivity because no other member of his species is in the Tank. You should keep three in one Tank and give them climbing toys for enjoyment and recreation.

Final Verdict On Do Hermit Crabs And Turtles Get Along

Many similarities are there that tell us that Hermit crabs and Turtles can live together. In the wild, they can live, but it is very difficult for you to keep both of them in the same Tank in captivity. Although there is food similarity, and other similarities are there between them. But many other factors like humidity level, temperature, and water nature tell us that both of them don’t live together.

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! ❤️