Hermit Crabs

Hermit Crabs are a well known pet, but what do you really know about them?
What kind of animal is a Hermit Crab?
Hermit Crabs are Crustaceans.
There are marine(lives in water) and land(lives on land) Hermit Crabs. Unlike most Crustaceans who have abdomens that are hard and calcified, Hermit Crabs have soft bodies. Their bodies often have a curved spiral shape. They protect their soft bodies with the shells they find and inhabit. These shells act as their protection and can be seashells of all different sizes and shapes. When the Hermit Crab grows too big for their shell they have to find bigger shells. Hermit crabs have even been known to use hollow wood and rocks as their shells. Perhaps those Crabs were into fashion, and wood or rock was the "in" material at the time. Or maybe they couldn't find any other seashells. What do you think? :)  Actually Marine Hermit Crabs actually do decorate their shells sometimes with Sea Anemones. This works out for both the Hermit Crab and the Anemone, because the Anemone helps to ward off enemies for the Crab, and it also gets some of the Crab's dinner when it feeds.

In the picture above, here is a Hermit Crab out of his shell! If you look close you can see an orange claw in the upper left hand area of the picture. Molted probably.

Are Hermit Crabs herbivorous, omnivorous or carnivorous and what do they eat
Hermit Crabs are omnivores, which means they eat meat, fruits, vegetables and more. Hermit Crabs are scavengers(which means they eat dead and decaying plants and animals) so whatever they find where they live they eat.
In captivity as pets, you can feed Hermit Crabs meat, fruit, vegetables, and you can try experimenting with other foods to see what they like, maybe cereal, or crackers.

Where do they live in the wild?
Land Hermit Crabs live near shorelines, because they need access to water. They can live around salt(Ecuadorian Hermit Crabs need salt water for drinking and for bathing)or fresh water, but they need to be near a water source, even when kept as pets. Never give your Hermit Crab table salt in water though, it is harmful to Hermit Crabs. Instead buy marine salt . You can find Hermit Crabs in the USA, The Caribbean, and Ecuador to name a few. Marine Hermit Crabs live in the water. Salt water to be exact. They can be found in the USA, Jamaica, Brazil, The Bahamas, The Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Do they live in groups? Hermit Crabs, despite their name are very social, and live in groups.
Where do they sleep?
Land Hermit Crabs sleep in their shells, and often piled on top of each other, as I said before, they are social.