I thought I lost my hermit crab until he turned up four years later… alive

6. That shell isn’t just decorative…

Hermit crabs don’t just like mollusk shells; they need them for protection. Unlike other crabs, hermits don’t have a hard exoskeleton area over their midsections to protect their vulnerable abdomens. They rely on the shells they inhabit to do this for them. Wondering how it works? Well, the crab’s tail actually clamps on to the shell from the inside, allowing the crab to maintain its position in the shell.

Next: They can get kinda picky about their shells