Hermit Crab Hand Puppet

Fun Facts about Hermit Crabs

1.  Hermit crabs are crustaceans belonging to the superfamily Paguroidea. There are 7 different families and about 1100 species of hermit crabs living in many places around the world.

2.  They have jointed limbs, claws, a hard exoskeleton, eyes on stalks, and two sets of antennae.

3.  These unique soft-bodied creature are more closely-related to lobsters than crabs.

4.  Terrestrial or "land hermit crabs" are more active at night and spend their days hiding from the sun. These are the type kept as pets.

5.  They need friends! Despite their name, hermit crabs are social animals and ideally need to be in pairs or groups.

6.  Unlike other crabs that make their own shells, hermit crabs seek shelter in the empty shells of other animals.Their shell is both their armor and their home, and they are are always on the lookout for new shells to accommodate their growing size.

7.  Hermies are not picky eaters! They are omnivores and will scavenge for whatever plant or animal matter is available.

8.  Both marine and land hermit crabs use gills for breathing. Land hermit crabs require very humid air (with at least 70% of humidity) to survive. Despite well-developed gills, land hermit crabs cannot breathe under the water.

9.  Hermit crabs vary greatly in size; however, the average adult size is between 2-6 inches long.

10.  With proper care and in a suitable "crabitat," your pet hermies can live 10 years or longer!