Hermit crabs are pretty funky little crabs. Instead of a hard shell, they have a soft abdomen. Hermit crabs are salvage empty seashells, such as whelk shells, to protect themselves. Once the crab gets too big, it'll leave its shell and look for a hew one.
Did you know, if a hermit crab finds a new shell but realizes its too big, it will wait next to this shell for up to eight hours. During this time other hermit crabs may come along and check out this new possible shell. If they also find it too big they will join in on the waiting game. If one hermit crab is able to claim the new larger shell, all the other hermit crabs will start switching existing shells in sequence, with each hermit crab "moving" up one shell size bigger. It works just like hand-me-downs!
Written by Malia Canann
Did you know, if a hermit crab finds a new shell but realizes its too big, it will wait next to this shell for up to eight hours. During this time other hermit crabs may come along and check out this new possible shell. If they also find it too big they will join in on the waiting game. If one hermit crab is able to claim the new larger shell, all the other hermit crabs will start switching existing shells in sequence, with each hermit crab "moving" up one shell size bigger. It works just like hand-me-downs!
Written by Malia Canann