Why Crabs?
People often ask why there are hermit crabs all over my office. The answer is simple:
What started as a childhood fascination grew into a lifelong passion that now shapes not only my personal life, but also the way I approach my business and my clients.
I’m the Treasurer of the Crustacean Plantation and the Land Hermit Crab Owner’s Society, and love being able to assist those who wish for healthy, happy crabs.
My love for hermit crabs restarted years ago when my husband surprised me at Christmas with a tank and information about crab care. The following summer, my son encouraged me to adopt a hermit crab at a local festival. I brought one home and immediately started researching how to have the best set-up.
What I discovered completely changed my perspective.
Most people are never taught how complex and incredible hermit crabs truly are. They are often treated as disposable pets, when in reality they can live more than 40 years with proper care.
Many hermit crabs are also taken directly from the wild — often referred to as being “crabnapped.” They are sometimes forcibly removed from their natural shells and placed into painted or varnished shells that can be toxic and harmful to their health.
Most people are never told:
- Hermit crabs need proper heat and humidity to breathe. They have modified gills and need tanks with solid lids.
- They need deep substrate to destress and molt safely.
- They require both fresh and saltwater pools to fully submerge in (preferably with bubblers.)
- They thrive on fresh and freeze-dried foods — not the processed pet store diets often marketed for them.
- They need extra shells, climbing enrichment, exercise, and about 10 gallons of space per crab to thrive.
Today, our home includes around 20 hermit crabs, including several captive-bred crabs. My office is decorated with crabs because they represent something important to me —
growth, care, resilience, and community.
Finding support
I also discovered an amazing community of people who genuinely care about these animals and support one another. Since then, I’ve attended every international CrabCon convention and have become deeply involved in hermit crab advocacy and education.
What Crabs Have Taught Me About Business
As unusual as it may sound, hermit crabs and business ownership have a lot in common.
Hermit crabs need the right environment to grow and thrive. Businesses do too.
Both require:
- Stability
- Proper support
- Preparation
- Healthy systems
- Room to grow
Hermit crabs always need larger shells available before they outgrow the current one.
Successful businesses work the same way — planning ahead matters.
I also believe business owners thrive when they have the right support system. Accounting should be relational, not transactional. My goal is to help clients create healthy, sustainable businesses built for long-term success.
At the end of the day, hermit crabs remind me that growth requires the right environment, resilience matters, and sometimes the smartest thing you can do is know when to pause, regroup, and strengthen yourself before moving forward.
They also remind me that community matters. Hermit crabs thrive when they have the right support systems around them — and I believe people and businesses do too.
