Most people think of hermit crabs as small beach dwellers that make good pets. Although they start small, hermit crabs can grow to a large size. In the wild, they can live more than thirty years. In the words of Big Fat Crabber on TikTok, “Hermit crabs are a long-term commitment.” She owns six purple pincher hermit crabs and knows about their care and feeding. A comparison helps us understand. @bigfatcrabber ♬ In the Forest – Lesfm & Olexy Batman’s first painted shell is about an inch long. He is eight years old and will continue growing throughout his lifespan. When a commenter mentioned how bad the painted shells are, Big Fat Crabber answered almost immediately, “He moved into a natural shell as soon as we brought him home and has only had natural shells ever since.” You can learn about the dangers of painted shells here. Hermit crabs can make excellent pets, but be prepared for them to grow in size. The largest hermit crabs can be almost the size of a coconut. Although they have an exoskeleton, hermit crabs live in scavenged shells. As they grow, they will shift into a larger shell. Hermit crabs do not injure or eat snails. They will, however, fight other hermit crabs for a vacant shell. Image from TikTok. Some steps a hermit crab will take to select a new shell include testing the shell for moveability, looking at the texture, external shape, and opening for suitability, and being able to turn over if it gets turned upside down. The crab also needs to be able to exit the shell quickly. To learn more about caring for hermit crabs, follow Janie Groeling on TikTok or Instagram and visit her website at Norton’s Nest. Please share. Hermit crabs are cute. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Pet Owner Shows Surprising Reality Of Hermit Crab Ownership appeared first on InspireMore.