“[A] neighbor had this [shell]. We’re going to see if it fits him ... Amill was exhilarated to find that the hermit crab was safely tucked into the new shell. She was initially doubtful ...

What is a hermit crab ... When these trapped crabs die, they release a pheromone signal to other crabs that there may be a shell available, which lures even more crabs into a death trap.

A few weeks earlier and some 2,500 miles away in Ocean City, New Jersey, a young boy was seen with a single hermit crab purchased as a vacation souvenir from a local beach shop. This crab was a victim ...