How do you tell the difference between a male and a female hermit crab?

Question

Hi. I have two hermit crabs. one is smaller than the other. the bigger one is named Stormy and the smaller one is named Lightning. I was wondering how you can tell the difference easily between a male and female hermit crab? I think that maybe the bigger one is a male, and the other is a female. please answer! Thanks!

Answer 1

the female has a smaller claw then the male and the female is smaller then the male

Answer 2

the female is the one with a hoover in her claw

Answer 3

Size has nothing to do with gender. my females and males are about the same size. If anything it can help attempt to age the animal as hermit crabs grow all their lives.

The size of the claw will not tell you anything. Hermit crabs have a large and a small claw. The shape, size, and colour can only indicate species not gender.

In order to tell the gender of a hermit crab look at the animals underside. On the last set of full exposed legs you may see a dot on each leg right where it attaches to the body. these dots means the animal is female. no dots then it is a male.

Answer 4

theres no way if you want to breed them youll have to guess