for Dog Products & Supplies
for Dog Food
for Cat Products & Supplies
for Cat Food
for Reptiles
for Small Animals
for Aquarium
for Bird Products & Supplies
Hermit Crab Shells
We have a variety of Hermit Crab Shells to choose from online. We have regular, painted and designer shells. They come in small, medium, large and x-large to suit your Hermit Crab. We recommend having at least two spare shells in the habitat that are slightly larger than one your Hermit Crab is currently in.
About Hermit Crab Shells
As we grow, our skin grows with us. Old skin cells fall away and new ones are added, allowing the surface area of our skin to get larger. Crustaceans such as hermit crabs, however, have a tough exoskeleton that cannot grow as the crab grows. Instead, their exoskeleton is occasionally moulted to allow for the crab to grow. As the old exoskeleton is moulted, a new fresh and soft exoskeleton is exposed. This new exoskeleton will harden and, in time, it too will be moulted as the crab grows.
Most crabs will grow a tough shell to act as defence against predators, but the hermit crab is famed for doing things a little differently. Instead of growing a tough shell of its own, it borrows one that was made by other animals. This means that you will need to make sure you provide your crabs with spare empty shells that they can use for their mobile homes. As your crabs grow, so they will outgrow their borrowed shells. This makes it necessary to make larger empty shells available when needed. This process will continue until your crab has reached its maximum size and no longer needs a larger home to move into. Having spare shells in their habitat also helps to beautify their home.
This borrowing of shells is something that endears many people to these fascinating creatures. If you are lucky enough, you may catch them in the act of moving into their new home. The move is usually over in a few moments, though, so it’s easy to miss.
