HCA: Hermit Crab Association

My new Ecuadorian (by about a month) has left his suitable shell and disregarded the many better ones I offered and has decided to wear one of the decorations! He has been in it since I checked on him at six this morning. I had a good laugh at him but is this safe? I am concerned because there is a hole in the top that his abdomen will dry out. Is there a way to encourage him to move to another shell?

EmilyElizabeth wrote:My new Ecuadorian (by about a month) has left his suitable shell and disregarded the many better ones I offered and has decided to wear one of the decorations! He has been in it since I checked on him at six this morning. I had a good laugh at him but is this safe? I am concerned because there is a hole in the top that his abdomen will dry out. Is there a way to encourage him to move to another shell?

I'm sorry I can't help you at all with this, being new, not knowing anything about E's. But I had to say I got a good laugh too. Let him know we're not laughing at him, but with him. I understand the desire to be different. I have blue hair (which I change for the seasons) and most of my tattoos have been acquired in the last 5 years. I'm 55 yrs old and my husband is pretty conservative but puts up with me. I love that your crab chose the decoration but I understand your concern. I'm sure you'll get a lot of good advice here.

WHY DON'T WE HAVE A SLOW BLINK SMILIE?

I have officially seen everything, that crab wins the internet.

Seriously though. OMG. Can you see his abdomen through the hole?? You sure there isn't a shell stuck under there?

Do you have several shell options for him in various sizes? Because they modify their shells over time, when they go to size up they often make a jump to a much bigger shell in order for their abdomens to fit in one that still has an inner spiral. They like moon shells, tonna, tun, and lightweight turbos.

Wow!! I know they'll wear just about anything they can find in the wild due to the shell shortage or lack of finding proper shells. BUT I've never seen this in captivity! And if you didn't have a pic attached, I prob wouldn't have believed you. Wish I had answers for you... That's crazy tho!

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That's sooooooo cute!

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I haf... no words.

No, crab: that is not shell!

Only. Wear. Shells!

Omg. That’s the best thing I’ve seen in a long while (lol!) The picture is hilarious! Where are his eyes??? My eyesight sucks so I am sure I am totally missing them in the pic. I think anything covering his abd is better than nothing. Maybe changing out his shell selection a bit, giving them a quick dunk in the MSW pool to make them more enticing will help? He’s a cutie!


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Aww, he looks like he has a cute lil afro happening.... i love it.

Just offer a good selection and hope he changes into something a bit more suitable... is his old shell still free?

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Awe. So cute, and pitiful. I would boil the shells you have in dechlorinated fw- and then dip them in dechlorinated msw.


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That’s the craziest thing I’ve seen yet!
Hopefully you do manage to persuade him into a real “shell” soon!

This is my favorite post from 2017.

Hilarious and adorable.

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Is there an update on this lil one?

Well, it took five days but he has finally moved into an actual shell. I gave him many (freshly cleaned) to pick from and he tried several on, he seemed to attracted to the shiniest shells of all, and he made his choice of a silver turbo shell which was a little odd. I will be moving him from the isolation tank back into the larger terrarium with his friends today . Thanks for all your suggestions!

EmilyElizabeth wrote:Well, it took five days but he has finally moved into an actual shell. I gave him many (freshly cleaned) to pick from and he tried several on, he seemed to attracted to the shiniest shells of all, and he made his choice of a silver turbo shell which was a little odd. I will be moving him from the isolation tank back into the larger terrarium with his friends today . Thanks for all your suggestions!

EmilyElizabeth wrote:Well, it took five days but he has finally moved into an actual shell. I gave him many (freshly cleaned) to pick from and he tried several on, he seemed to attracted to the shiniest shells of all, and he made his choice of a silver turbo shell which was a little odd. I will be moving him from the isolation tank back into the larger terrarium with his friends today . Thanks for all your suggestions!

My Eccie also is in a turbo. A Mexican Turbo which I got for a great deal of 24 shells for $11.00