Although B. latro is a derived type of hermit crab, only the juveniles use salvaged snail shells to protect their soft abdomens, and adolescents sometimes use broken coconut shells for that purpose.
Iako Birgus latro potječe od rakova samaca, samo maloljetni koriste spašene puževe kućice da bi zaštitili svoje mekane abdomene, i adolescenti nekada koriste slomljene kokosove kore za to.