I Present the Purple Pincher Hermie!

These hermit crabs come in all shapes, sizes, and colors throughout the Caribbean and North Atlantic coastlines! 🏝

The 2 front legs form claws called “chelipeds” and each serve a different purpose. The right claw is much smaller and is used primarily for feeding. The left one is greatly enlarged for fighting off rivals and to block the entrance of its shell when threatened (see 2nd pic). 🐚

If they escape predation, these hermit crabs can live up to 40 yrs in the wild! Sadly, populations are starting to decrease due to high demand in the pet trade. They are very hard to keep in captivity and often only last a few months so it’s best to leave them to scuttle around their natural haunts and observe from afar! 👀

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