Unusual Pets: Hermit Crabs

Did you know that some people keep a hermit crab as a pet? Hermit crabs, by the way, are neither hermits nor crabs. They have a long, soft, spirally coiled abdomen, which ends in a hooked tail. Hermit crabs are nocturnal – so they’re most active at night and least active during the day. Though they don’t bite, they give a nasty pinch and can even draw blood. Around eight hundred species of hermit crab are found the world over. In the pet industry, however, you generally find either the purple claw crab or the Ecuadorian crab. Though they are quite social animals, hermit crabs do show some aggression toward each other. While the Ecuadorian crab has a quite sweet and trusting temperament, the purple claw crab can be quite edgy and pinch you. Just remember that if you plan to get a hermit crab, they need to be bathed every week to remove the sand and dirt from their shell.