Hermit Crab

Species > Hermit Crab

As with many species in Florida, the hermit crab grows quite large due to the warm waters and mild winters. Hermit crabs are "mobile home" dwellers using abandoned sea shells as their home. As they grow, a new larger home must be found to accommodate its larger body size. Hermit crabs can be very competitive when it comes to finding a new, empty shell. Usually the largest will win the new home, abandon his shell for the larger, then the next biggest will occupy his former home, and down the line a swapping of homes occurs.

Hermit crabs are very popular pets. Once I scooped a very large hermit crab out of the water in Naples and put it into my 65 gallon saltwater fish tank. He was a great addition to the aquarium with only one problem - he slammed his shell against the glass all night. Needless to say, I put him back into the Gulf after a week of sleepless nights!