A cozy hermit crab simulator

Make room
for little lives.

Meet a tiny community of hermit crabs. Build their dream habitat, find their next favorite shell, and settle into a little world that grows with you.

Explore their world

In development · Linux first

Shell, sweet shell. Pebble and Clover, two stylized hermit crabs with pink and sea-green shells, on the sand. Your new little neighbors
Care for little neighborsCreate a home togetherGo at your own pace

A whole lot of life in a little tank

A little care.
A lot of character.

Some moments are for making. Others are for sitting back and seeing what your crabs get up to.

A furnished terrarium on a table in a softly colored room.Made for little explorers
A home, their way.

Bowls. Branches.
A favorite place to hide.

Arrange a 3D habitat with climbing structures, plants, pools, and cozy retreats. Start small, then make room for a growing community.

  • Place and rearrange with a visual build catalog
  • Choose tank sizes, toppers, and room styles
  • Watch your crabs explore the home you create
An extended terrarium and climbing topper in a customized room.

Make space for your next idea.

Choose a room style, expand your tank, and build upward with a matching topper. Arrange climbing walls, tension rods and hanging retreats to give your habitat a little more character.

A hermit crab climbing a wooden playpen attraction.

See the world on little legs.

Set up a temporary playpen, then take control of a crab. Climb, explore and meet a neighbor, with a camera toggle for first-person or third-person adventures.

Four natural shell models viewed from several angles.

Every shell has a shape of its own.

Explore top shells, nerites and turban forms with distinct openings and coils. Match a shell to your crab’s size, or bring a little imagination to its colors and patterns.

Paints and accessories are virtual cosmetics.

Fruit trees and vegetable beds in the Coconut House backyard.

A garden worth getting curious about.

Follow the Coconut House path into the backyard. Pick ripe fruit, pull a carrot, and keep the harvest in a basket for a little in-game snack.

The Coconut House and its garden are playful fantasy spaces.

A sandy beach with palm trees and shell-digging spots.

There might be treasure underfoot.

Continue along the boardwalk to Shellfind Beach. Dig in glimmering sand for shells and earned credits, including rare blue and pearlescent designs to try at the house mirror.

A crab visiting the turquoise in-game Shellwash.

A fresh shine, just for fun.

Sandy adventures can leave a shell looking a little dusty. Add a Shellwash to the habitat and invite a crab over for a bubbly cosmetic refresh.

A fantasy attraction, not a real animal-care practice.

Watch them grow.

Babies grow through protected molts and begin looking for a shell that fits. Quiet time underground is part of their story.

Get to know the neighbors.

Notice individual food and shell preferences, familiar companions, and the little routines that make each crab feel distinct.

Create. Care. Earn.

Earn game credits through Club projects and optional client design commissions. Spend them on new furnishings, shells and habitat upgrades.

Keep a few little worlds.

Three local save slots keep separate habitats, residents and designs. Come back when you like: time away creates no care debt.

Curiosity is part of the care

Get to know
the lives behind
the little shells.

Crabs! is being made to help kids and grown-ups get curious about hermit crabs and the homes they need.

Notice the little things: a quiet moment, a shell that's getting snug, a companion worth spending time with. Care-inspired systems and optional lessons help turn those observations into understanding.

Explore real hermit crab care

The game blends simplified care with imagination. Use specialist guidance when caring for real animals.

A little more curious?

Good questions.
Small answers.

When can I play?

Crabs! is currently being built and playtested. Release information and a store link will appear here when they're ready.

What platforms is it being made for?

Linux is the first target. Other platforms haven't been announced.

Can I go at my own pace?

Yes. The game is designed around gentle progress, optional commissions, and room to enjoy the small moments. You can arrange, observe, create, or head out for a little adventure.

Is this a guide to keeping real hermit crabs?

It's an introduction through play. Game need bars, timelines, painted shells, and fantasy spaces are simplified or imaginary. For real animals, start with the Land Hermit Crab Owners Society's care standards.

Currently growing

Good things
take a little time.

We're building a small world with a lot of heart.
Thanks for stopping by while it finds its feet.

Say hello again