- Where to see one
- 4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold hermit crab, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the hermit crab
Hermit crabs are crustaceans, more closely related to squat lobsters and porcelain crabs than to true crabs. Their soft abdomen leaves them defenseless, so they occupy empty shells, most often those of sea snails, into which the whole body can retract. There are over 800 species, and most are found in marine environments. Aquatic and terrestrial groups are recognized, and the land hermit crabs of the family Coenobitidae spend most of their lives on land in tropical areas, though they need access to water to keep their gills damp and to reproduce. Hermit crabs are omnivorous scavengers and mostly nocturnal. As they grow they must find larger shells, and they molt as they develop.
Hermit Crab facts
- The coconut crab, a shell-less relative in Coenobitidae, is the world's largest terrestrial invertebrate.
- Coenobita brevimanus can approach the size of a coconut and live 12–70 years.
- A molt can take up to 60 days, and the crab then eats its old exoskeleton.
- Some hermit crabs have used hollow pieces of wood and stone as shelters in place of shells.
Where to see hermit crab in the U.S.
4 zoos across 3 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding hermit crab by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
