P. hirsutiusculus are mainly scavengers. This means that these crabs will feed on anything that they can pick off the bottom. Their feed includes macroscopic pieces of animals, both living and dead, and detritus.

            Like other crabs P. hirsutiusculus uses it's chelipeds (claws), to eat. The hermit picks up bits of food with its chelipeds and, if necessary, will rip the food into smaller chunks before stuffing it in it's mouth.

Hermit crab reaching for finger food