Hermit Crabs

Hermit Crabs

Shell-Changing Night A hermit crab hurries across the beach. An empty shell just washed in. The shell is a little bigger than the one he's been using. He grabs the new shell with his claws. Then he pokes his head inside. It's empty. He stands on two legs. Then he slips his body out of his old shell and into the new one. He's in!

What Do Hermit Crabs Look Like? Hermit crabs are related to other crabs and also to lobsters and shrimp. A hermit crab has its own hard outer shell, called an exoskeleton. But the exoskeleton only covers part of its body. A hermit crab wears an old seashell to protect its soft parts.

A hermit crab has five pairs of legs. The first pair of legs ends in claws. The second and third pairs are for walking. The fourth and fifth pairs are short. The crab uses the little back legs to hold onto its shell home. A hermit crab also has two pairs of antennae. They help the crab taste water and find food. There are more than eight hundred different kinds of hermit crabs. Some are as tiny as a penny. Others are as big as a softball.

How Do Hermit Crabs Live? Hermit crabs live in warm oceans all around the world. Some hermit crabs live on beaches or in tidal pools. Others live in the water. All hermit crabs are scavengers. They will eat just about any food they can find. Seaweed? Love it. Dead fish? They're great. Rotting wood? Dinner is served.

Hermit crabs are mostly nocturnal, which means they move around at night. They hide in their shells during the day. Baby Hermit Crabs Hermit crabs start as eggs. The eggs hatch in the water, and larvae (LAR-vee) float out. The larvae look like tiny shrimp. For a few months, they grow and change shape. When they are big enough, they find an empty seashell and join the colony.