Hermit Crab Types

There are two common pet hermit crabs in the U.S., the Caribbean and the Ecuadorian. But there are many other lesser known hermit crabs too.

  1. Caribbean Hermit Crab

    • This land crab is a common pet hermit crab in the U.S. It is also called purple pincher hermit crab because of its very large purple pincher. Caribbean crab is sometimes called soldier crab and tree crab.

    Ecuadorian Hermit Crab

    • The Ecuadorian hermit crab is also commonly a pet in the U.S. They can live for more than 30 years, making this pet crab a long commitment. Ecuadorian hermit crabs are scavengers, eating anything they find.

    Yellow Hairy Hermit Crab

    • The yellow hairy hermit crab is extremely rare and very small, measuring only 1 to 3 cm long. They get their name from the yellow hair covering their body.

    Electric Blue Hermit Crab

    • The electric blue hermit crab is very rare and has "electric blue" and black striped legs, with bright orange antennae.

    Coconut Hermit Crab

    • A very large hermit crab, the coconut hermit crab gets its name from its ability to crack open coconuts. This crab has very large, strong pinchers and is also called robber crab, palm thief or terrestrial hermit crab.

    Halloween Hermit Crab

    • The aptly named Halloween hermit crab has orange and red striped legs, and is a marine hermit crab.