Do Hermit Crabs Get Bored? (9 Interesting Facts)

Hermit crabs are fascinating creatures, from the way they live, to their eating habits, to their outstanding attributes. Crabs are generally crustaceans which belong to the Anomuran Decapod Crustaceans, which are classified under the superfamily Paguroidea. They are adopted to occupy empty Mollusc shells, scavenged ones to be precise, to guard their sensitive outer skeleton.

When talking of hermit crab’s characteristics, how about we talk of what does a hermit crab do when it gets bored.

Do hermit crabs get bored? Yes, surprisingly, without appropriate entertainment in a hermit crab’s environment, hermit crabs can get bored and stressed. It is also vital that a hermit crab gets the company of fellow tank mates since this will give them the motivation they need.

Do Hermit Crabs Get Bored?

Absolutely, your hermit crab can get bored if he lacks entertainment in his environment. Considering that hermit crabs are social creatures, they will also need tank mates to keep them company. That said, aside from your hermit crab getting bored because of lack of entertainment, your hermit crab can also get stressed up because of the same.

According to what we’ve learned above, exactly why do hermit crabs get bored? The main reasons that will make your hermit crab get bored is if they lack entertainment and if they are left alone for an exceedingly long period of time.

However, it is easy to make your hermit crab satisfied and happy. All you need to do is to get your hermit crab enough “toys” in his structure to “keep himself busy” with.

Is My Hermit Crab Bored?

When your hermit crab is bored, his behaviour resembles that of a stressed pet. Your hermit crab will also become sluggish and lack interest in his surrounding environment. Furthermore, you will also notice that your crab will also spend most of his time hiding under his tank’s structure or in his shell.

Talking of whether your hermit crab is bored, do hermit crabs get bored in the first place? Yes, interesting enough, your hermit crab will get bored often due to lack of entertainment! Yes, you heard it right, entertainment! 

Fortunately, salvaging this situation is easy. Just make sure your hermit is in a lively environment and that he has enough “toys” in his structure to play with. This will keep your hermit crab happy and content.

What Is The Ideal Home For Hermit Crabs?

Your hermit crab will be comfortable in a glass or plastic tank. A 10 gallon  aquarium with a lid would be ideal for your hermit crab. An aquarium with a sliding glass would be best suited for your hermit crab since it would work well to avoid moisture from escaping.

This is considering that hermit crabs need moisture in their housing structure, in a range of 70 percent to be precise. Furthermore, although small plastic tanks or housings with accessories are very small for your hermit crabs when fully grown, they make great temporary housing structures or isolation tanks for your hermit crabs while they are still young.

Talking of the ideal home for your hermit crab, what about when it comes to hermit crab tank? The ideal size of your hermit crab’s tank should be at least 10 gallons. It should ideally be made of glass or plastic fitted with a screen top to prevent your hermit crab from escaping.

However, your hermit crabs will probably require more space as they grow. You should also avoid positioning your hermit crab’s tank in direct sunlight, near windows, drafts, or in places with excessively high temperatures.

Furthermore, the terrarium should have a hood to prevent humidity from escaping your hermit’s tank.

Talking of the ideal home for your hermit crab, what about when it comes to hermit crab shells, what are the best shells for your hermit crab? When it comes to hermit crab shells, natural shells are the best option.

You should also avoid painted shells for your hermit crab. Also ensure that your hermit crab’s shell doesn’t have a “jagged inside” or holes beneath its surface to avoid water leakage. That said, most hermit crab species will often prefer open rounded shells. 

What Do Hermit Crabs Do For Fun?

Giving your hermit crab fun things to play with while he is in his tank will make him happy. You can give your hermit crab things like driftwood to climb on, small boxes with hole piercings, and empty flower pots that your hermit crab can hide in.

Talking of what hermit crabs do for fun, do hermit crabs get bored if they don’t have anything fun to do? Yes, hermit crabs will usually get bored and stressed out if they lack entertainment or things to play with in their housing structures.

When talking of what hermit crabs do for fun, what about when it comes to hermit crabs as pets? Hermit crabs are friendly and social creatures that can make great family pets. Another interesting fact is that hermit crabs live on land and use empty shells as a means for protection.

However, if you properly care for your hermit crabs, they can be great pets and companions for several years.

Talking about what hermit crabs do for fun, what about when talking about hermit crabs as pets? Yes, hermit crabs can make very great and fun pets. Aside from being playful, hermit crabs are by nature very social and friendly creatures which are easy to keep and maintain.

Hermit crabs can also make great companions for many years provided they are well taken care of.

How Do I Keep My Hermit Crab Entertained?

Since hermit crabs prefer playing without much human assistance, giving him the right toys in his aquarium will do the trick. Your hermit crab will not usually need much to play with other than a well-stocked aquarium, so just provide him with things he can either climb on, go through, or go under, and he will be happy and content.

Talking of how you would keep your hermit crab entertained, how about when it comes to hermit crabs getting bored, do hermit crabs get bored, and if they do, how can you prevent this from happening.

Why Are My Hermit Crabs So Inactive?

Being excessively cold will usually make your hermit crab inactive. This is considering the fact that hermit crabs retain a small amount of water in their shells so as to maintain the moisture in their gills.

This is vital since if water happens to leak out, your hermit would probably die. Your hermit crab may also reject shells containing sand or other substances.

Talking of why your hermit crabs are very dormant, what about when it comes to your hermit crab getting sick, can your hermit crab getting sick be caused by your hermit crab being so inactive? Not necessarily.

Although your hermit crab will sometimes be dull and less active when he is under the weather, your hermit crab being inactive doesn’t necessarily mean that this is the case.

It is therefore vital for you to know your hermit crab and how he behaves to differentiate whether your hermit crab being inactive is due illness or natural causes.

Do Hermit Crabs Get Lonely?

Since hermit crabs are social creatures that fancy living in large groups, they can easily get lonely if they are left by themselves for a long period of time. There are various reasons crabs might fight, such as lack of enough food, water, or space.

However, some hermit crabs may try to steal shells due to their aggression with others.

Talking of whether hermit crabs get lonely, what about when it comes to do hermit crabs get bored? Your hermit crab will usually get bored for two main reasons, which are if your hermit crab’s environment is dull or if your hermit crab lacks tank mates.

You should therefore ensure that your hermit crab is in a lively environment and that he has companions in his tank.

Talking of whether hermit crabs get lonely, what about when it comes to hermit crab out of shell? Crabs will be left exposed to heat, light, and air without their shells. Your hermit crab can therefore die without his shell when he is exposed to these conditions.

However, it is common for crabs to de-shell while molting. However, after molting, they’re-shell themselves.

Do Hermit Crabs Live Alone?

No, on the contrary, hermit crabs are social creatures that like living in large groups, so you can imagine how social they are. Hermit crabs also tend to feel lonely if they are  left alone for an exceedingly long period.

To address this situation you can get several crabs. However, if you add one or two crabs to an existing tank, watch out for possible fighting among your hermit crabs.

Talking of whether hermit crabs live alone, what about when it comes to how to entertain hermit crabs? Your hermit crab doesn’t need much to be happy really. Just place some things he might play with in his tank and he’ll be happy and satisfied.

Hermit crabs like things like driftwood, specially made half-logs, and flower pots. If you provide these ‘toys’ to your hermit crab, he will play for hours with his new found toys.

Talking of whether hermit crabs live alone, what about when we talk of hermit crabs getting bored, do hermit crabs get bored? Yes, hermit crabs usually get bored if they lack an entertaining or lively habitat or if they lack companions in their tanks.

This is because hermit crabs fancy a lively environment. Hermit crabs are also social creatures that feel lonely if they are left alone for long.

Do Hermit Crabs Prefer To Live Alone?

No, hermit crabs are social creatures which love company. This is probably the reason hermit crabs like living in large groups. Hermit crabs therefore feel lonely if left alone for a very long time.

Talking of whether hermit crabs live alone, what about when it comes to your hermit crab getting bored, do hermit crabs get bored, more so if they left alone? Yes, hermit crabs are sociable creatures that love company and are therefore bored if they are left alone for too long.

Your hermit crab will also get bored and stressed up if he is in a dull environment. Talking of whether hermit crabs prefer living alone, what about when it comes to your hermit crab showing emotions, do hermit crabs have feelings?

No, crabs don’t show emotion. It seems to be like all the emotions a crab could have are frozen in the shells they live in. Furthermore, crabs are also capable of eating each other without showing any remorse whatsoever.

Final Verdict – Do Hermit Crabs Get Bored

In conclusion, how best can we address the question, do hermit crabs get bored? Well, when it comes to the do hermit crabs get bored topic, we can say that, yes, your hermit crab usually gets bored.

The interesting fact however, is that hermit crabs will get bored when they lack entertainment! How fascinating is that! Lacking entertainment will also make your hermit crab get stressed out.

Furthermore, considering hermit crabs are naturally social creatures, they need companionship from tank mates to motivate them and put them in the right mode. Otherwise, hermit crabs are sociable and friendly creatures that can make great pets and companions as long as they are accorded the necessary care.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet hermit crab a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️