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can you release hermit crabs into the wild?

Can You Release Hermit Crabs At The Beach?

Last Updated on October 8, 2023 by Joanne Harper

You may find yourself unable to care for hermit crabs for various reasons.

Given that most hermit crabs are sourced from the wild and aren’t born in captivity, this can make the beach seem like the ideal place to give them their freedom.

Unfortunately, hermit crabs shouldn’t be released on the beach unless it’s the same one they were caught and only shortly after they were captured.

Hermit crabs are vulnerable to weather extremes, pollution, parasites, and unsuitable environments for changing shells.

Releasing hermit crabs into the wild may be illegal, leading to fines. Find a new owner or contact a hermit crab rescue organization if you need to part with hermit crabs.

Can Pet Hermit Crabs Survive In The Wild?

Most pet hermit crabs don’t survive when released back into the wild.

Hermit crabs are complex creatures with delicate bodies. If a hermit crab is set loose on a beach, its fate will likely be a painful and unnecessary death.

Of course, this surprises many owners since hermit crabs are unlikely to breed in captivity. For this reason, almost all hermit crabs are caught in the wild.

Once hermit crabs are kept domestically, returning them to their natural habitat becomes difficult. Never return hermies to the beach or other ‘native’ locales for these reasons:

Coping with The Elements

Pet hermit crabs benefit from tanks and enclosures that are climate-controlled.

Even if we discount the level of bacteria and pollution hermit crabs will be exposed to, this sudden change could be enough to kill them. Hermit crabs thrive at:

  • Temperatures of about 75-85 degrees.
  • Humidity levels of 70% or just above.

For this reason, the wild is dangerous for hermit crabs. Even in tropical regions or at beaches that other hermit crabs frequent, they may be exposed to:

  • Temperature fluctuations. Temperatures may reach the 90-100 F range during heat waves or enter the 50-60 F range during cold snaps.
  • Humidity ranges. Hermit crabs breathe using adapted gills, which filter moisture from the air around them to absorb oxygen. Once the humidity level drops below 60%, they’ll slowly suffocate.

Hermit crabs will be newly exposed to these conditions and unable to adapt gradually.

best place to release hermit crabs

Shell

Hermit crabs must switch out shells often to grow and protect themselves from predators. Hermit crabs will usually die if a beach lacks the following:

  • Any shells.
  • Shells that fit them.
  • Quality, intact, and camouflaged shells.

If this happens, hermit crabs will remain exposed and vulnerable, making them easy pickings for birds, lizards, or aquatic predators.

Your hermit crabs may be unable to find shells, leading to death. Sometimes, hermit crabs use whatever other material they can find, including man-made trash.

According to Liverpool John Moores University, exposure to human pollution has been linked to aberrant behavior when selecting available shells.

After being confronted by man-made objects, hermit crabs showed confusion and hesitation when picking new shells. They took far longer to investigate and enter shells in good condition.

Parasites And Bacteria

If hermit crabs were born in captivity, they would be at greater risk of dying due to deadly pathogens. Wild hermit crabs are also vulnerable to bacteria, pollution, and parasites.

According to Hofstra University, hermit crabs and their shells are often hosts for symbiotes. Parasites like flatworms and polychaetes feed on the hermit crabs and their homes.

Domesticated hermit crabs won’t have the experience or tolerance to contend with these factors. That can make them more likely to die without the protection of their tank.

Can You Release Hermit Crabs Into The Wild?

Aside from the health risks to hermit crabs, there are legal factors to consider. Releasing hermit crabs into the wild is frowned upon by animal protection agencies, and it may also be against the law.

In the United States, laws vary between states, but it’s illegal to release any wild animals if they aren’t native to the area.

According to the Connecticut General Assembly, relocating wildlife in Massachusetts is illegal. Also, in California, abandoning any animal is treated as a misdemeanor.

It’s not only an ethical concern but an environmental one. Releasing your hermit crabs into the wild can cause the following problems:

Disease

Hermit crabs kept as pets may have been shipped and moved across several states. Many are transported worldwide, from South America to Asia to the Pacific Islands. For this reason, there’s a risk of acquiring hermit crabs that carry illness or disease.

The strand of bacteria or pathogen may be deadly to other creatures, especially to other wild hermit crabs that have never been exposed to it. You may introduce new diseases into an unprepared ecosystem by releasing sick or contaminated hermit crabs.

Impact On Local Flora And Fauna           

Even if your hermit crabs are healthy and clean, they may still cause damage to a new environment.

Only one hermit crab species is native to the U.S. and only along the East Coast. This means your hermit crabs probably have no natural place in your environment.

If you release them at a local beach, they could become an invasive species. If their tankmates are also let go, they could reproduce into a small colony and expand their numbers.

The invasive hermit crabs may become a danger to prey, which must contend with a new predator. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this can have a cascading effect.

That prey animal may disappear, and when it’s gone, it can’t manage the population of other prey. This might include pests and crop-destroying insects, which could impact the ecosystem.

The consequences of upsetting an ecosystem’s balance will always be unpredictable.

Best Place To Release Hermit Crabs

There’s only one situation where it’s safe to reintroduce a hermit crab into the wild: You release it at the same beach shortly after it was captured.

The hermit crabs were likely bought at a pet store and may have been imported from a far-off region. Even if they claim it was sourced locally, you must take their word on where, when, and at what spot it was captured. If someone misremembered, has inaccurate information, or guesses, you could:

  • Kill hermit crabs.
  • Harm the ecosystem.
  • Face legal action and fines.

For this reason, never release a hermit crab into the wild. If you capture them yourself, you can only take them back to their native home. In other situations, the dangers are too great.

can pet hermit crabs survive in the wild?

Put Them Up for Adoption

The best solution is to find someone willing to adopt your hermit crabs. Sometimes, they may foster the hermit crabs before rehoming them to a new owner.

There’s no shortage of people looking to adopt hermit crabs, so try the following:

  • Put them up for sale or adoption on Craigslist.
  • Seek out new homes through hermit crab forums.
  • Put up flyers at your local pet store.
  • Advertise hermit crabs on buy/sell/trade sites or apps.

The offer will be more tempting if you provide the tank, food, and equipment to go with the hermit crabs.

Contact A Hermit Crab Rescue

Hermit crab rescue services can assist anyone unwilling or unable to continue looking after their pet hermit crabs. The organizations will care for and rehome them, allowing someone else to adopt them.

Depending on where you live, these rescues may not be locally available. However, it could be worth a commute to ensure your hermit crabs get a good home and proper care.

Sometimes, organizations can put you in contact with other groups or pet stores willing to take them.

Return Them To The Pet Store

This may not be feasible in every case, but it’s possible. You can call and ask to return the hermit crabs to the pet store where you bought them.

If you bought the hermit crabs recently, the store may be more willing to take them back. If you’ve owned them for several months or years, it’s far less likely.

Never release hermit crabs at the beach. It’s perilous for the hermit crabs, and you could face legal action in certain states if caught. Instead, take steps to find the hermit crabs a new home.