My dolls LOVE pets! They have Coconut, Licorice, and their horse Sugar, but have been really wanting a new pet. Since it takes a lot to have a pet, they wanted one that they could have inside and take care of. So, guess what kind of pet they got?
...a Hermit Crab!!
This was a lot of fun to make! Do your dolls want a hermit crab too?
The supplies you need are:
- Small Shells (Conch shells look the best, you can buy them at craft stores)
- Tan or brown pipecleaners
- Small googy eyes
- Scissors
- Glue (or Hot-Glue if you have it!)
- And, a parent/guardian to help you!
Here are the super easy steps:
1) Pick what shell you want your hermit crab to live in
2) Cut a pipecleaner into 4, 1 inch pipecleaners to be the legs. Fold or adjust them to fit in the opening of the shell and glue.
3) Get two googly eyes and glue them on the top of the shell, the swirl part of the shell being the back of the crab.
To make your doll's Hermit Crab a house, use an old American Girl box. Cut tan construction paper to be the sand and use green tissue paper to be lettuce for your doll's crab. For the water, use a plastic water bottle cap and put blue tissue paper in it. Then, decorate your crab's house with other shells. Don't forget to add another big shell, in case your doll's crab gets tired of its current shell.
I hope your doll has fun with her new pet...hermit crabs would make a good first pet if your doll isn't ready to own a cat or dog yet. :)
If you make one for your doll, I would love to see it! Feel free to email me a picture at email@americangirlfan.com. (I can even post it!)
I'm wondering...do you and your doll have any pets? If you could have any pet what would it be?
That's so cute! Thanks for sharing it!
Posted by: Dakota | May 24, 2012 at 03:16 PM
I love it! My doll Elizabeth has a Yorkie named Sugar, my doll Kit has a basset hound named Grace, my doll Emily has a dog named Yank, my doll Kanani has her dog named Barksee, and McKenna hopes to get Cooper soon. My doll Bella shares her golden retriever named Honey with her best friend, Alex, who is my sister's doll. What is your dolls' hermit crab's name?
Posted by: Sarah (Elizabeth, Emily,Bella, Mia, Kanani, Kit, and McKenna) | May 24, 2012 at 03:28 PM
That is so cute!
Posted by: Emma | May 24, 2012 at 04:19 PM
that is a great idea samantha loves cookie (her crab)
Posted by: nine dolls and counting | May 24, 2012 at 04:46 PM
Seriously? That is the cutest thing I have seen!! What a great craft.
Posted by: Char | May 24, 2012 at 05:39 PM
Hi Girls! Thanks so much for your comments, I love hearing from you! :)
Sarah-Wow, your dolls have a lot of pets! They sound super cute! ;)
My dolls' hermit crab actually doesn't have a name yet...do any of you have suggestions?
Hope you all have a great day!
~Liz~
Posted by: Liz (An American Girl Fan) | May 24, 2012 at 06:23 PM
HERMY!!!!!!! Well, that is what I named mine.... ;)
I made just a few changes to your craft, they were: Using glue dots instead of hot glue; using two tiny paper squares instead of googly eyes; and using blue tinfoil for the water. I was fresh out of hot glue, googly eyes and blue tissue paper! Oh! here are some other cute names:
Tom
Shells
Shelly
Bob (inside joke with me and my friend)
Coke
Any name of a brand or
Hermy!
Gotta love names!
MEG
Posted by: Meg | May 24, 2012 at 07:06 PM
Hey Liz!
I do have a suggestion for your hermit crab's name! I think Hermie,Hilda,Herman,Crabby,Crabsly,HermieCrab & Crabla are cools names for a hermit crab! (by the way, i made pretty much all of the names up!)
Thanks so much Liz!
~Emma<3
Posted by: Emma <3 | May 24, 2012 at 07:41 PM
That is sooooo cute! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Posted by: Annika | May 25, 2012 at 09:59 AM
Cool! THat is so cute! :)
~ Jess
myagdollstory14.blogspot.com
P.S. I love your website! :)
Posted by: Jess | May 25, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Adorable! You should call your hermit crab "Crabcake!" Even though most people don't eat hermit crabs. ;)
~Jael
Posted by: Jael | May 25, 2012 at 02:41 PM
So cute! I think I will try that craft soon... anyway, here's my ideas for names:
Shelby
Pinches
LC (stands for Little Crab)
Claws
Herb
Tiny
Crabcake
Ok, this is not a name, I am saying bye!
Posted by: Mattie | May 25, 2012 at 06:47 PM
Hey, Liz!
I think Hermie would be a nice name! Something with an 'H' or a 'C' I think would sound nice. I just got a new doll yeterday! She's an early present for my birthday which is on Monday. MAG #39! She is from the 1860s. Her name is Caroline Martha Montague.
Posted by: Sarah (with Elizabeth, Emily, Bella, Mia, Kanani, Kit, and McKenna) | May 26, 2012 at 12:42 PM
The hermit crabs are so cute!!!
Posted by: An American Girl Doll Story by Elizabeth | June 06, 2012 at 03:32 PM
I LOVE IT!!! I am TOTALLY GONNA MAKE THAT TODAY!!!
My dolls already have 4 pets! But...they can handle one more!:) But the have a American girl yorkie named Suger,another small dog named Noto,a horse named Penny,and a fish named Guppie!I may send a pic after I make it though!
Posted by: Cerenity | July 18, 2012 at 07:32 PM
Awwww.... I used to have 2 hermit crabs. My brother did too. I think he had like 5- lol! We had to get rid of them a couple years ago.They were fun to stare at and see what they would do! I think I named mine Aurora and Sandy. I might have had one named Snow White but I don't remember! After awhile I forgot their names! LOL! I'd had them since I was like 3 or 4! I think I might want to make one of these for my dolls to have :)
Posted by: Jaclynn (Bitty Beanies) | September 14, 2012 at 07:48 PM
OMG! One of my favs from 2012!
Posted by: Jeanne | January 01, 2013 at 05:00 PM
I wonder what she will name it? Maybe Nikki if its a girl, Greg if its a boy!
Posted by: Jeanne | January 01, 2013 at 05:03 PM