meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Moment Of Um

Why aren’t hermit crabs born with shells?

Moment Of Um

Lemonada Media

Kids & Family, Education For Kids

4.41.5K Ratings

🗓️ 20 September 2024

⏱️ 6 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Hermit crabs carry their shells with them wherever they go…but they don’t make their own shells! Unlike other species of crab, hermit crabs use shells from other animals for protection. So why aren’t they born with shells of their own? We asked crab researcher Tuck Hines to help us find the answer. Got a question that’s making you crabby? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll share the answer un-shellfish-ly! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

From the brains behind brains on, this is the Moment of Um.

0:03.8

Moment of Um.

0:03.9

Moment of Um comes to you from APM Studios. I'm Kermit, the Hermit Crab.

0:23.0

Um.

0:26.0

Uh, it's that time again.

0:28.9

I've outgrown my latest shell, and now I've got to find a new one to live in.

0:34.6

For those of you who don't know, hermit crabs aren't born with shells, and we don't grow them like other crabs.

0:42.3

Instead, we have to find old shells from other species and move in there.

0:47.5

I hate going shell hunting.

0:50.2

I've been putting it out for as long as I can, but things are getting a little tight in here.

0:56.9

Come on, Kermit, pull yourself together and get this over with.

1:01.8

Stop procrastinating.

1:04.0

I'm just looking for something nice and roomy with a simple design.

1:09.5

My cousin Stanley just got a shiny deluxe snail shell with a pearly pink

1:13.9

exterior and he will not stop talking about it. Okay, here's a nice little slipper shell.

1:23.2

Nah, too small. Oh wow, there's a big sea snail shell over there.

1:29.5

But I think it might be too heavy for me.

1:33.4

After all, I got to carry this thing everywhere.

1:37.3

I totally get why Bentley wanted to know

1:39.9

why aren't hermocrabbs born with a shell.

1:43.4

Music Why aren't hermit crabs born with a shell?

1:53.3

Hermit crabs, technically, they're a different group of crabs.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Lemonada Media, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Lemonada Media and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.