Millions of hermit crabs are captured from wild beaches and sold as novelty pets worldwide, facing high mortality from inappropriate care while being removed from ecosystems where they play important roles.
Pet hermit crabs experience chronic suffering in typical consumer care conditions. Deprived of adequate humidity, they slowly suffocate as their modified gills dry out. Without deep substrate, they cannot molt - a biological necessity - and may die mid-molt. Without appropriate shells, they are forced to squeeze into inadequate housing. Kept singly, they are deprived of the social contact they seek in nature. The marketing of hermit crabs as easy, low-maintenance pets contributes to a system where millions of animals die preventably each year from well-intentioned but inappropriate care.