Helping Hermit Crabs One Step at a Time:

Here at NWI Hermit Crabs, we aim to provide a place for hermit crabs to be taken when owners are unable to properly take care of them. Whether they do not have the time to take care of them anymore or need help providing the right care, we strive to help. Surrendered crabs are given the opportunity to molt and heal themselves and change out of their improper painted shells. We then match them with proper homes so they can happily live out the rest of their lives. If you have a hermit crab you would like to rehome, please check out our "Contact" page.

Why do we do what we do?

Many of our rescues were souvenir pets or carnival prizes who's owners were never told the high amounts of care and maintenance hermit crabs take. We want to help educate the public on the care they require, and the suffering they endure as cheap "toys" not treated as real animals. There are many interesting facts most people do not know:

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• Did you know that painted shells are toxic to hermit crabs? They will only change into a natural shell if one of the proper size is provided, and never willingly enter painted shells. They CANNOT be forcibly removed from any shell as this kills them, they can only do so on their own.

• Did you know that even the chlorine in tap water can poison your hermit crab?

• Did you know hermit crabs can fully regenerate multiple limbs when they molt? This is why proper substrate and 70% humidity is so important. However, hermit crabs can never reproduce in captivity.

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So, where do hermit crabs come from if they cannot breed in captivity? PETA may not be the most favorable organization, but they partnered with the hermit crab rescue group "Plight of the Hermies" to investigate the largest hermit crab supplier in the USA and this is what was found:

We advocate for never buying hermit crabs from stores or carnivals, and adopting ones in need instead to prevent the abusive hermit crab trade from growing. Unfortunately, this abuse continues everywhere, even locally! Here is a photo from June 2018 at the St. Thomas More Festival in Munster, Indiana:

As you can see, hermit crabs are crammed together in toxic shells with no substrate present.

Please help us in spreading awareness of this gross abuse.