Mr. Hermit Crab

Our big plastic hermit crab with the inquisitive eyes is turning out to be quite a popular guy. And why not? He looks so cool and those eyes make him appear somewhere between realistic and very personable. This crab is big enough that you can learn the parts when studying sea life in school. Or - what a nice gift for any crab fancier!

This engaging, realistic-looking plastic hermit crab replica is 4 3/4 inches wide and 2 1/4 inches high. It is made of solid flexible plastic. Its legs are flexible, but not posable. The shell is made of the same hard plastic and is flexible at the front. Our hermit crab has a kindly expression and promises not to pinch. This hermit crab makes a nice pet, a gift or works well in a diorama. Check out our other crab toys and gifts.

There are approximately 500 different species of hermit crabs living in saltwater intertidal zones. It isn't a true crab, but has a soft belly which it protects by crawling into an abandoned mollusk shell. This behavior of living in an abandoned cave evokes the image of a hermit, thereby getting its name. As the hermit crab grows, it must find an ever larger shell to inhabit. The hermit crab is fussy about which shell it takes. It likes those that have anemones or sea plants growing on it and even decorates his shell with these living things. This provides a symbiotic relationship, food for them and they provide better security from predators through camouflage.There are land varieties of hermit crabs and, surprisingly enough, there is an organization of hermit crab pet lovers, who keep them at home in aquariums.

Come see our great selection of plastic sea animals!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic mud crab back in stock

Hi All,

Our very popular small green-black plastic mud crab is back in stock and ready to ship! We've been without this cute red-eyed creature for a couple of weeks, and it's just come in the door!

If you see the "Out of Stock" sign today, you can go ahead and order, because I'm just working on that!

Our Mud Crab

This engaging, realistic-looking plastic mud crab has a solid body, but flexible legs. It is 2 1/2 inches across with good detail. This crab makes a nice pet, a gift or is useful for a diorama. Check out our other crab toys and gifts.

About Mud Crabs

The most common mud crab (Scylla serrata) is generally a mangrove crab but can also refer to several similar crabs found in mud throughout the world. Some mud crabs are large crabs with a smooth, broad carapace. They have 9 even sized teeth on each side of their eyes. Their two hind legs are flattened for swimming. In the most common form, the color varies from very dark brown/black to mottled green. Mud crabs inhabit sheltered estuaries, the tidal reaches of some rivers, mud flats and mangrove forests. These crabs are found scuttling along a soft, muddy bottom, often below low tide level. Some are harvested commercially especially in Australia but, for the most part, they make excellent bait for larger agressive fish.