In: General

Since its launch in 2001 The Crab Street Journal has always been a free and open resource for land hermit crab keepers. I believe knowledge, science and research should be available to everyone. I don’t want to gatekeep what I know. I want to expand my knowledge by working with other like-minded hermit crab keepers. We (first Vanessa and then me) have always shared our knowledge and research so that others may learn and care for their pet hermit crabs better than ever before. Improving the lives of hermit crabs has always been our mission and it remains our mission today. There are no adsRead More →

In: General

It has come to my attention that original content from my work featured on CrabStreetJournal.org and in my book, *The Complete Guide to Land Hermit Crab Care*, has been plagiarized by a Facebook group administrator and a related website. This unauthorized use of my intellectual property is deeply concerning and undermines the years of dedicated research, writing, and community support I have invested in educating others about proper hermit crab care. I have always been committed to sharing accurate, science-based information to promote the well-being of land hermit crabs and to support a responsible and informed community. My work is a product of countless hoursRead More →

In: Advocacy, Conservation, General

Importance of Seashells in Coastal Ecosystems Seashells play a vital role in maintaining the health and stability of coastal ecosystems. They provide critical shelter for marine life, including hermit crabs, small fish, and various microorganisms. Seashells also contribute to beach stability by helping to prevent erosion and maintaining the natural balance of sand movement. Additionally, broken-down shells add essential minerals like calcium carbonate to the environment, enriching the habitat for other marine organisms and promoting biodiversity. The Growing Trend of Collecting Seashells as Souvenirs or Decorations and Its Impact on Wildlife In recent years, seashell collecting has become increasingly popular, particularly among tourists who viewRead More →

In: General

The Crab Street Journal: A Testament to Hermit Crab Care and Advocacy Introduction The Crab Street Journal (CSJ) stands as one of the most respected and comprehensive resources dedicated to hermit crab care and education. Since its inception, this website has served as a beacon for hermit crab enthusiasts, providing them with scientifically backed information, practical care tips, and a thriving community for sharing knowledge and experiences. The history, mission, and depth of content offered by the Crab Street Journal highlight its vital role in the broader hermit crab community. History The Crab Street Journal was established in 2001 by a group of passionate hermitRead More →

In: Advocacy, Conservation, General

Introduction Every year, on October 29th, we come together to celebrate National Hermit Crab Day. It’s a day not only to appreciate these fascinating creatures but also to raise awareness about the threats facing wild hermit crabs and the importance of their conservation. Hermit crabs are unique and often misunderstood animals that play a vital role in maintaining the health of coastal ecosystems. As we mark this special day, let’s take a closer look at the challenges these remarkable creatures face and what we can do to protect them. The World of Hermit Crabs Hermit crabs are fascinating creatures, known for their peculiar habit ofRead More →

In: FAQ, Food and Nutrition, General

REMEMBER NO SEASONINGS OR ADDED SUGAR Safe to feed: Ham contains too much added salt to be fed safely. Remember you can freeze the leftovers too or dehydrate for later. If they do not like it one way they may like it another: dehydrated, re-hydrated, ground, whole, sliced, fresh, thawed later, softened, chunks etc. What’s for dinner? A hermit crab food guide!Read More →

In: Advocacy, General

Purchasing a hermit crab from a pet store is not a rescue. ANY purchase of wild caught hermit crabs feed the pet trade cycle and sentences more hermit crabs to the same terrible fate. Why does a store that treats hermit crabs like this deserve your business? Your money is the one thing they do care about, so take it elsewhere. By ignoring the fact that a pet store neglects the animals they sell and giving them your hard earned dollars, you are feeding the cycle. Corporate offices at major chains ignore the demands for better care because it would affect their bottom line. SoRead More →

In: General

(Photo credit: Sherri Werdebaugh.) Calling all US AND INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS who want captive bred babies. I am working with an international wholesaler of captive-bred Caribbean reef fish (ORA) who is interested in carrying MY captive-bred babies. If you live in the US OR live overseas, and have been wishing you could get your hands on some of my babies, I need your help! If you have a local saltwater fish store, or a pet store that carries saltwater fish, would you please contact them and tell them you’ve heard that ORA is going to be carrying captive-bred babies and you want to get on theRead More →

In: General

Help us spread our message! Most hermit crabs are purchased as a beach vacation souvenir from a shop that does not provide any care information. Some of these new owners find their way to our community and get the help they need. All of them are shocked, many feel duped and angry that they were not informed of the true expense of keeping hermit crabs. Imagine when they discover that a hermit crab’s life span rivals humans. So how can we reach these folks before they make a purchase? An ad on the boardwalk! A fun but educational and informative ad to quickly drop someRead More →

In: General

 The Choya Log – A Journal for Keeping Hermit Crabs As a hermit crab owner of 15+ years I created the book I needed and I hope you will enjoy it too. Custom made pages for specifically for tracking your hermit crabs and crabitat. Over 200 pages of crabby goodness in full color. No pre filled dates allow you to start your planner any month of any year and still get a full 12 months of use. Use the monthly calendar pages to track details like daily tank temperature and humidity, who is digging or resurfaced. Week day pages allow you to document noteworthy behaviorsRead More →

In: General

Currently we use the blanket term PPS as a way of explaining why hermit crabs die so soon after purchase. PPS or Post Purchase Stress The use of the word stress has always bothered me as it implies a mental or emotional state of mind. Really the method is designed to reduce post purchase death due to physical stress on the hermit crab’s body due to lack of care prior to coming home with you. I also don’t like the term ‘destress’. Really it should be more like recuperate or recover. I would like to move away from using the term destress. It again impliesRead More →

In: General

This year’s winner by random drawing is Sherri W! Read her Testimonial Sherri’s prize includes: $20 credit for shells with Ken Lipe 1 Crab Con 2019 t-shirt 1 Pewter Hermit Crab necklace from TaylorCustom.com $25 prize pack from Cholla Queen – Courtney Iris KarrRead More →

In: General

We turn 18 years old on October 17th 2019! To celebrate we are giving someone a prize pack! $20 credit for shells with Ken Lipe 1 Crab Con 2019 T-Shirt 1 Pewter Hermit Crab Anatomy necklace from www.TaylorCustom.com Courtney Iris Karr has donated a $25 prize to the winnings!! Entering is easy! Write a testimonial about CSJ and submit a photo of your favorite hermit crab before October 31st Midnight CST and you will be entered to win! Winner will be drawn at random. Submit Your Testimonial Here*~*Submit Your PhotoRead More →

In: Crabitat, General, Product Reviews

To successfully keep land hermit crabs as pets owners must provide a tropical environment that is both warm and humid. In order to maintain the proper heat and humidity gauges are required. The most popular product among hermit crab owners is the Acurite Temperature and Humidity Digital Monitor. This unit has proven to be reliable and a great value for the money. Most gauges don’t last long in the high humidity of a hermit crab tank but the Acurite out performs other more expensive gauges. Your Acurite Temperature and Humidity Monitor should be located inside of the tank but not touching the substrate or directlyRead More →

In: General

I’m honestly not even sure where to begin. Was Crab Con a success? Yes! Was it fun and amazing? Yes! Will we do it again? Yes! Most of my emotions leading up to the event were doubt, anxiety and excitement all mixed together. Today, I am proud, heartfull, thankful, amazed, impressed and inspired. More than once on Saturday I started to tear up, I was just so happy. For me, this event could not have happened without a lot of support from a lot of people. I am so very thankful for: My momma for being my helper, my product bagger and my pet sitter. MyRead More →

In: General

Did you accidentally bring home a land hermit crab or a marine hermit crab? We often find people searching our site for care information on what are actually marine hermit crabs and not land hermit crabs. We are a group dedicated to the care of land hermit crabs and provide no care information on marine crabs. Their needs are drastically different from a marine hermit crab and we are not able to provide assistance beyond what is in this file. Please note: In most areas of the U.S. it is ILLEGAL to collect wild life without a proper permit.Shown here you can see they areRead More →

In: Crabitat, General

A couple years ago when we created our Facebook group to go along with our website I was shocked to find so many people with flooding issues and bacterial blooms in their crabitats. The response to this was a false bottoms.  In 14 years of crab keeping I’ve never encountered this, so it’s on my mind all the time…where is all the water coming from? I think I may be on the path to the root cause – overly wet substrate at the beginning. When you take sandcastle wet sand, add wet ecoearth, add bubbler pools and heat and it’s no wonder the humidity inRead More →

In: General, Testimonial

Before finding this group I thought I knew a lot and was doing everything right. Boy was I wrong! They helped me create not only a home for my crabs that would keep them happy and healthy, but that is aesthetically pleasing. Something that is front and center in my home, not hidden away in a corner or closed off room. The many years of past research and ongoing research and willingness to change care guidelines based on new studies makes me confident that I will always be on top of their care and I will have them as part of the family into oldRead More →

In: General

Welcome to the world Coenobita lila! It’s not often a new species of land hermit crab is announced so this is a pretty big day for us.  Until now the purple land hermit crabs found in Borneo were considered to be C. purpureus AKA Blueberries. This new research document confirms this is false and that the hermit crabs found in Borneo are actually Coenobita lila (for lilac). Check out the details on the Coenobita hermit crab species site: http://coenobitaspecies.com/new-species-of-land-hermit-crab-discovered-coenobita-lila/Read More →

In: Biology, General

When adding newly purchased or adopted hermit crabs to an existing colony, for the long-term health of all, we at CSJ recommend a 30 day quarantine period in an isolation tank. Placing newly purchased or adopted hermit crabs into an existing healthy colony without a quarantine period risks the unnecessary exposure of your healthy hermits to shell disease or parasites. If you are just starting out with hermit crabs and do not have an existing colony or crabitat in place, use of the PPDS Reduction Method will allow you to monitor your new crabs for 30 days and bring them slowly up to ideal environmentalRead More →

In: General

Relocating to a new house is something all humans do at least once in their life. Sometimes the move is planned and sometimes not so much. Relocating with hermit crabs can be a bit more challenging that moving with other pets. While I’m certain there are other ways to ensure the move goes smoothly we are only going to cover some basics here. First of all, do not move your tank with the substrate and crabs still in it. The biggest danger is the collapsing of molt burrows. Even if you don’t have hermit crabs underground you risk the bottom busting out of the tankRead More →

In: General

In 2011 The CrabStreet Journal was contacted about featuring our print magazine in a film tenatively titled Imogene. We granted permission of course! In 2013 the film was released as a major motion picture under the title Girl Most Likely featuring Kristin Wiig, Matt Dillon and Annette Benning. Krisin Wiig’s character has a brother who is a fellow hermit crab lover and in this seen he can be seen reading the lastest issue of The Crabstreet Journal. Below is a screenshot of our cameo. How exciting!!!Read More →

In: Caresheets, Crabitat, FAQ, General

Let’s look at how to set up a proper hermit crab habitat, which we refer to as a crabitat. Basing your tank set up on what you saw at the pet store or mall cart where you may have purchased your hermit crabs is a recipe for disaster. Kritter Keepers and wire cages are death boxes and should never be used. Listed below are the primary components of a proper set up and we will discuss them in detail. If you are not willing to equip the tank properly you should return your hermit crabs or rehome them, they will not thrive without a properlyRead More →

In: General

In hermit crabs, the fourth and particularly the fifth pereopods are reduced, usually remaining within the confines of the gastropod shell and hence are not used for walking. These appendages do however becoming important when the hermit crab attempts to right itself, providing anchorage within the shell. Further, the fifth pereopod has become specialised as a gill cleaning appendage, often resting within the gill chamber (Bauer 1981). On the abdomen only the left pleopods are retained (Poore 2004).[1] Hermit crabs used specialized setae on the their maixillipedes and fifth pereiopods for most grooming but used the unmodified first, second, and third periopods as well. MostRead More →

In: General

Summary by Stacy GriffithDespite the name, hermit crabs are not solitary creatures. They live in large communal colonies of other hermit crabs and they are host to other species that attach to shell of the hermit crab, bore into the shell or live within the central cavity (lumen) of the shell. Discussed here are symbionts that live on, within or bore into shells worn by hermit crabs. Land hermit crabs can harbor nine species of mites that attach to the gills. Addition of note are polychaete worms that bore into the shells of hermit crabs. 35% of hermit crab shells in the Phillipines may containRead More →

In: General

Written by Beth Carducci The Miss Crustacean Pageant 2015 It is Wednesday, August 5, 2015. It is a beautiful day, and despite the very warm temps, there is a nice breeze, along with sunny skies. The contestants for this year’s pageant come filing in, from under the boardwalk, 6th and the beach to be exact. The shade protects the crabs from the hot sun, while other contestants register, (the girls registering hand out care sheets from a Hermit crab website, not sure which one, I lost the paper) and then wait for instruction from the MC of the event, Mark Soifer. Mark steps up toRead More →

In: General

August 6, 2014By Beth Carducci It all started as a search for hermit crab conventions. I wanted to go to a convention, meet new “hermie” lovers, share stories, swap pictures, etc. It was then that I saw the article for The Miss Crustacean Pageant, on my online search. I read about it and became very excited. The article explained the Pageant was to be forty years old, and was also mentioned as a question on the game show Jeopardy! When I voiced my excitement to The Hermit Crab Association, my enthusiasm was much less than what it had been moments before… I was told thatRead More →

In: General

Cannibalism in hermit crabs is not a normal or healthy behavior. By nature hermit crabs are omnivorous and eat all sorts of dead and decaying things they find on the beach. Their job is that of beach cleaner and they play an important role in their environment. They are scavengers, not predators. In captive hermit crabs we often hear stories of one crab attacking another crab and killing it. In most cases this simply isn’t true. If you didn’t witness the attack that killed one of the crabs you can’t assume it was murdered by another crab. In most of these situations the more likelyRead More →

In: General

Written by Stacy Griffith and originally published on All Things Crabby.com Now that you’ve decided that a hermit crab is the pet for you, it’s time to make sure you are right for a hermit crab. If you know as much about hermit crabs as I did when I first purchased one, you are going to appreciate this information. I will cover the basics for setting up a crabitat (a cute name for your hermit crabs habitat). So BEFORE you run off to the pet store and pick out your new pets, print the shopping list at the bottom of the article and take it toRead More →

In: General

In 2011 The CrabStreet Journal was contacted about featuring our print magazine in a film tenatively titled Imogene. We granted permission of course! In 2013 the film was released a major motion picture under the title Girl Most Likely featuring Kristin Wiig, Matt Dillon and Annette Benning. Below is a screenshot of our cameo. How exciting!!!Read More →

In: General

What’s a micro hermit crab? What’s a jumbo hermit crab? Size can be subjective and hard to define but we are trying anyway!  Our friends in Indonesia have developed two more realistic size charts based on leg length or leg span. Indonesia is home to many of different species including the large C. brevimanus. With much more data to work with the group created these new sizing charts which are more accurate. Why does size matter? When determining how much space is needed per hermit crab we need to know how large the crabs are and how large they will grow. Small crabs can beRead More →

In: Biology, Caresheets, General

written by Sue Latel March 8, 2006 Little Billy has had 3 hermit crabs since his 12 birthday. He has a 20 gallon tank housing his 3 small PP crabs. One day when he is at the store picking up some ocean salt water for his crabs, he spots a tank containing 2 poor little Ruggies that have no water except for a damp sponge, huge pellets of food that he doubts they have even attempted to eat, and no ground cover to protect them from the 100 watt heat lamp that is shining directly on them from an open tank top. Billy has been aRead More →

In: Crabitat, General

written by Kerie Campbell 2005 Two months ago, during deep clean, I took my largest compressus,Houdini, out of the tank, turned him over to have a look, and a red…thing fell out of his shell. I couldn’t believe it! Mites!Huge, red mites. Houdini had a few, Fifi had some, and poor Ghidra,a pre-molt rugosus, was covered with them. I was appalled. I inspect new crabs when I get them for mites, and have never seen any. The only explanation I have is that these mites, being a bright red color, must have snuck in on some of the perlatus – they are the same colorRead More →

In: Biology, General

written by Jennifer Borgesen The fungi:  how they grow and their effects on human health. (includes related article on documentation of fungal exposure and disease relationship) Date: 07-01-1997; Publication: Heating, Piping, Air Conditioning; Author: Burge, Harriet A. Shape and structure of fungi “The fungal cell is similar to that. of plants and animals, containing all of the same organelles (nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, membrane systems, etc.). Like plants, the fungal cell is bounded by a rigid cell wall. However, while plant cell walls contain cellulose as the basic structural material, fungal cell walls contain a material that is similar to that in insect exoskeletons (chitin). MostRead More →

In: General

originally written by Jedediah and updated by Stacy Griffith It is impossible to completely rid your home of insects. https://www.wired.com/2016/01/just-give-up-its-impossible-to-bug-proof-your-home Tip: Need to identify a bug? Place it in a cup of water so you can take a clear photo of it or use a magnifying glass to inspect it. Insects Insects have six legs and three body parts that are usually clearly visible, the head, the thorax (the breast) and the abdomen. Most of them have wings, although those might not be clearly visible, some insects can hide them in a sort of pouch on their back (like earwigs) and some insects have noRead More →

In: General

written by Vanessa Pike-Russell Re-Educate before Rescue! Vanessa Pike-Russell on the importance of educating petstores about proper hermit crab careI understand that it is difficult to ignore hermit crabs in bad conditions. By buying them from pet stores you are are saving some from the bad conditions, however unless they stop selling hermit crabs altogether it is feeding the cycle. (Repeat) If you rescue hermit crabs from a pet store with bad conditions then you are supporting a pet store that is doing the wrong thing, and only encouraging them to buy more hermit crabs since there are no negatives about the way they careRead More →

In: General

written by Vanessa Pike-Russell Recently we interviewed Amy Youngs, a young artist who has “collaborated with another artist, Matt Derksen, to design shells using 3D modelling programs.” http://accad.osu.edu/~ayoungs/prototypes.html Vanessa: What prompted you to create prototypes of hermit crab seashells Amy: I am very interested in the ways that technology interfaces with the natural world and I when I was given the opportunity to work with the new technology of rapid prototyping, I really wanted to make something that would connect with my interest in living things. I remembered owning a hermit crab and I knew that they switched shells and I had been curious aboutRead More →

In: General, Painted Shells

Our treatment of animals will someday be considered barbarous. There cannot be perfect civilization until man realizes that the right of every living creature are as sacred as his own – Dr. David Starr Jordan and now, on with the show… Crab in a cup anyone? First a bit o’ the story. I went to the pet store, the one that I LIKE, and they always have good patties, in natural shells, none of the painted. So I wander to the hermit crab tank and in the aquarium is about 16 crabs in cups, stacked on top of each other. all in red or pinkRead More →

In: FAQ, Food and Nutrition, General

written by Jennifer Nielsen The existence of an ocean water dish is a source of great controversy in the world of hermit crab owners. Why the importance of this type of water is rarely debated, it seems that the products used in the creation of Ocean Water are the source of much debate. Just as all hermit crab owners know not to use table salt for their crabs, there are two types of salt available for aquarium use. Fresh Saltwater as well as Ocean Water Salt, which although made of the same components have vastly different role within the world of fish keeping. A saltwaterRead More →

In: General

Originally written by Vanessa Pike-Russell Look closely at the hermit crab environment and ask questions about the food, bedding, housing and temperature needs for your new pets. If you have never owned hermit crabs before a book on caring for hermit crabs is a wonderful resource. There is a list of hermit crab guides listed under Books in Product Reviews. Make sure that you can purchase extra shells from the shop or alternatively from a seashell shop, craft store or tourist shop. When I am selecting a crab I will ask permission to pick up and handle the hermit crabs. Slowly and gently pick upRead More →

In: Crabitat, General

Written by Vanessa Pike-Russell Hermit crabs are advertised as cheap and easy to maintain, which is not necessarily true. To keep your hermit crabs happy and healthy, you will need to provide a lot more than food and water. In this article we will give you a list of essential and optional items you need. Also you will find some info on basic care and upkeep of the tank, considerations when purchasing. 1. ESSENTIALS Glass tank with lid: A glass tank is preferred over plastic tanks, which will scratch and will not be able to hold the humidity within the ventilated lids. A glass lidRead More →

In: General

Setting up a proper crabitat can be expensive even with a 20 gallon tank and the bigger the tank the bigger the price tag for stocking it. With some planning and creativity you can upgrade to a large crabitat without going broke. This article is about ways to save money when setting up as well as some common mistakes to avoid. The first thing I can’t stress to people enough is that there are places you can shop that are far cheaper than a pet store!! A new 150 gallon tank will cost you hundreds of dollars. I bought my 150 gallon tank out ofRead More →

In: General

In 2006, an editor from World Book’s Animals of the World contacted Stacy Griffith and Vanessa Pike Russell to ask for permission to use some of their photos. Permission was granted and the photos are found in the 2007 volume titled Purple Pinchers and Other Hermit Crabs. It was a great honor to be invited to participate in such a well known encyclopedia series. Vanessa and Stacy had two photos each featured in the book.Read More →