Hermit Crab Facts
Hermit Crab Facts
2. A hermit crab is part of the crustacean family. However, a hermit crab is not a true crab. It’s shell is not attached to its body like other crabs. The hermit crab's relatives are the spider and lobster.
3. A hermit crab must borrow a discarded shell from another animal. Hermit crabs usually scavenge a shell from a mollusk snail.
4. Hermit crabs can live on land or in the water.
5. There are over 500 species of hermit crabs, found all over the world. Ocean hermit crabs are found off the coast of Europe, North and South America, and Australia. Land hermit crabs are found in warm places like the Caribbean, Florida, and Australia. A hermit crab has four sets of jointed legs and one set of pincers.
6. The claws or pincers are used for eating, climbing and defending itself against predators.
7. The first two sets of legs are used for walking and finding food. The back set of legs are used to hold the hermit crab inside its’ shell.
8. Hermit crabs can be many sizes. If you look closely you may find one while playing on the beach. A coconut hermit crab can grow to gigantic proportions!
10. Hermit crabs will eat the exoskeleton that they shed to get extra calcium to help grow a new one. Hermit crabs eat both animals and plants. For example: mussels, small plankton and worms. They also are called scavengers because they will eat dead plants and animals.
11. Hermit crabs pick its food off the bottom of the ocean with its claws. If the food is too big, it rips it into pieces with its claws. They drink by dipping their claws into water and putting it into the gills or mouth. A hermit crab carries its home where ever it goes. When it travels it doesn’t even need to pack.
12. Sea anemones often attach to hermit crabs. The anemone provides camouflage for the crab, while the crab provides food for the anemone. Many people think anemones are plants. They are actually animals!
13. A hermit crab’s enemies are sea birds, fish, octopi, crabs, and other hermit crabs.
14. The crab fights off other crabs with its claws. Their main defense is to crawl back into their shell and they use their claws to block the entrance.
15. A hermit crab has a special ability! When a predator attacks, a hermit crab will detach a leg or pincer to escape. The hermit will grow a replacement leg fairly quickly.
16. Hermit crabs are usually nocturnal. That means they move around more at night than during the day. Hermit crabs have been heard making croaking sounds. Scientists are still trying to find out what they mean. It's very hard to tell if a hermit crab is a boy or a girl.
17. Hermit crabs make great low maintenance pets! They are also very entertaining animals; they can climb, dig, and even hold on to your shirt with their claws as you walk.
18. Later on in the Hermit crabs life, it needs a new shell to fit its size. Hermit crabs don’t have symmetry because its shell could be different shapes and sizes.Hermit crabs can be all different colors.
19. It moves by using its legs to pull itself and its shell. This crustacean is definitely slow moving. For eating, they get their own food. Or people feed them.
20. They mostly have fruits and vegetables. They get their food by finding it or being fed. It is down at the bottom of the food chain because it is very small and not very vicious.
21. It lives on the beach right next to the ocean. It lives wherever there is water. It likes to live in the sand and by the water.
22. Hermit crabs lay 800-1200 eggs at one time. Also, they definitely do not reproduce asexually.
23. Hermit Crabs love to climb on things. They are also used to being by water. They also like to go in their shell a lot.
24. They are usually in large groups. Most of the time, hundreds. Hermit crabs like to be active at night. They sometimes eat at night too.
25. Hermit Crabs use its shell to defend itself. It just goes inside it.
26. To attack predators it uses its pincers. Large hermit crabs can snap a pencil in half. What could kill it: PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING!!!!!!
27. Hermit crabs do not carry any known diseases.
28. They lose calcium when they molt.
29. Small crabs wait near an occupied shell so they can move in when the owner moves out.
30. They are like humans and need vitamins and minerals.They have to drink water.
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