Do crabs lose their shells?
Just like all other arthropods with an exoskeleton, the crabs must molt in order to grow. Look at it like someone wearing a suit of shining armour, as they keep eating and growing, eventually they will have to purchase a bigger suit, so they leave behind their old one. Whw crabs shed their old exoskeleton, they ahve a brand new soft shell underneath. This shell will gradually become harder, this is aided by calcium deposits in the water. The frequency at which they shed theit outer shell is determined by age and quantity of food they are eating. Very young well fed crabs can molt quite often. Older even well fed crabs molt slowly, because they dont keep growing forever. Really fascinating stuff! I hope this answers your question!
