This is where you discuss shells for your hermit crabs. Not for selling/swapping shells, use Classified Ads for that.
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CrabbyLover77
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- Location: PA
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by CrabbyLover77 » Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:15 am
Hi!
Here is an HCA care sheet on Aussie crabbies (it has small section about shells). Also, I think the shells you picked out are smaller than 1.5" inch openings. On a couple of the descriptions, it says the shell openings are a little over 3 cm, or appx 1 1/8" openings. Make sure you check the sizes of the openings and not just the size of the shells. Hope this helps!
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My Pets: 1 Pomeranian, 1 Russian tortoise, fishes/snails(40 gal freshwater aquarium), and 11 hermit crabs.
"Animals are my friends, and I don’t eat my friends".
-George Bernard Shaw
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CrabbyLover77
- Posts: 1978
- Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2019 11:30 pm
- Location: PA
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by CrabbyLover77 » Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:16 am
My Pets: 1 Pomeranian, 1 Russian tortoise, fishes/snails(40 gal freshwater aquarium), and 11 hermit crabs.
"Animals are my friends, and I don’t eat my friends".
-George Bernard Shaw
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Topic author
Meg'sAussieCrabitat
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:50 am
- Location: Australia
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by Meg'sAussieCrabitat » Tue Feb 11, 2020 4:18 pm
CrabbyLover77 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:15 am
Hi!
Here is an HCA care sheet on Aussie crabbies (it has small section about shells). Also, I think the shells you picked out are smaller than 1.5" inch openings. On a couple of the descriptions, it says the shell openings are a little over 3 cm, or appx 1 1/8" openings. Make sure you check the sizes of the openings and not just the size of the shells. Hope this helps!
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Hello! Thanks for the reply! I did check the size of the opening. What I'm wondering is if this type of shell is what Aussies prefer?
3rd year of crabbing with my 3 Aussies; Lily, Cocoa, Mr Pistachio in a 65-gallon crabitat.
3 beautiful Sussex chickens; Adelaide, Geoff and Marshmallow
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CrabbyLover77
- Posts: 1978
- Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2019 11:30 pm
- Location: PA
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by CrabbyLover77 » Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:25 pm
According to the HCA care sheet, it's says the Aussie crabs will also use turbo shells, so the ones you picked out should work.

Maybe @aussieJJDude can help out and give some more suggestions of what other shells they might use.
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
My Pets: 1 Pomeranian, 1 Russian tortoise, fishes/snails(40 gal freshwater aquarium), and 11 hermit crabs.
"Animals are my friends, and I don’t eat my friends".
-George Bernard Shaw
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aussieJJDude
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by aussieJJDude » Tue Feb 11, 2020 6:24 pm
Just saw your post.
My crabs hate turbo shells, I have a whole stack of them abd never seen one of my aussies change into one. They love oval shaped shells.
My crabs favourites:
- pheasant shells (firm favourite!)
- whale eyes (moon eyes)
- Ton shells
- land snail shells (this one here is a firm fav of my crabs!
https://simplyshells.com.au/shop/land-s ... rey-round/ - have also brought from this store, highly reccomend)
- Babylonian shells (as long as the opening isnt too narrow)
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|| Avid Aquarist Addict (2007) || Crazy Crabbing Connoisseur (2012) || Amateur Aroid Admirer (2014) ||
I've never had problems with 'Impulse Buying'... They're just animals/plants I forgot I had planned to purchase.
My babies ~crabs~fish~plants~shrimp~snails
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CrabbyLover77
- Posts: 1978
- Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2019 11:30 pm
- Location: PA
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by CrabbyLover77 » Tue Feb 11, 2020 7:35 pm
aussieJJDude wrote:Just saw your post.
My crabs hate turbo shells, I have a whole stack of them abd never seen one of my aussies change into one. They love oval shaped shells.
My crabs favourites:
- pheasant shells (firm favourite!)
- whale eyes (moon eyes)
- Ton shells
- land snail shells (this one here is a firm fav of my crabs!
https://simplyshells.com.au/shop/land-s ... rey-round/ - have also brought from this store, highly reccomend)
- Babylonian shells (as long as the opening isnt too narrow)
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Ah see, I knew you'd know!

I'm totally clueless when it comes to Aussie crabbies lol. Thank you!
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
My Pets: 1 Pomeranian, 1 Russian tortoise, fishes/snails(40 gal freshwater aquarium), and 11 hermit crabs.
"Animals are my friends, and I don’t eat my friends".
-George Bernard Shaw
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Topic author
Meg'sAussieCrabitat
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:50 am
- Location: Australia
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by Meg'sAussieCrabitat » Wed Feb 12, 2020 1:57 am
aussieJJDude wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2020 6:24 pm
Just saw your post.
My crabs hate turbo shells, I have a whole stack of them abd never seen one of my aussies change into one. They love oval shaped shells.
My crabs favourites:
- pheasant shells (firm favourite!)
- whale eyes (moon eyes)
- Ton shells
- land snail shells (this one here is a firm fav of my crabs!
https://simplyshells.com.au/shop/land-s ... rey-round/ - have also brought from this store, highly reccomend)
- Babylonian shells (as long as the opening isnt too narrow)
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Thank you! I think I'm going to get some land snail shells, Babylonians and some Japanese land snail shells (Do you think these are okay?)
3rd year of crabbing with my 3 Aussies; Lily, Cocoa, Mr Pistachio in a 65-gallon crabitat.
3 beautiful Sussex chickens; Adelaide, Geoff and Marshmallow
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aussieJJDude
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by aussieJJDude » Wed Feb 12, 2020 7:38 am
Meg'sAussieCrabitat wrote:
Thank you! I think I'm going to get some land snail shells, Babylonians and some Japanese land snail shells (Do you think these are okay?)
They may not go after the Jap snails shells, but worth the try. Some crabbers say their crabs love them, so who knows really! Best to give them a wide variety to chose from.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
|| Avid Aquarist Addict (2007) || Crazy Crabbing Connoisseur (2012) || Amateur Aroid Admirer (2014) ||
I've never had problems with 'Impulse Buying'... They're just animals/plants I forgot I had planned to purchase.
My babies ~crabs~fish~plants~shrimp~snails
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Topic author
Meg'sAussieCrabitat
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:50 am
- Location: Australia
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by Meg'sAussieCrabitat » Wed Feb 19, 2020 3:55 am
Shells arrived today, everything is great, perfect size, etc. Definitely recommend this shop

3rd year of crabbing with my 3 Aussies; Lily, Cocoa, Mr Pistachio in a 65-gallon crabitat.
3 beautiful Sussex chickens; Adelaide, Geoff and Marshmallow
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aussieJJDude
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- Posts: 4703
- Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 8:12 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
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by aussieJJDude » Wed Feb 19, 2020 5:15 am
Meg'sAussieCrabitat wrote:Shells arrived today, everything is great, perfect size, etc. Definitely recommend this shop

Did you get it from the store I suggested?
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
|| Avid Aquarist Addict (2007) || Crazy Crabbing Connoisseur (2012) || Amateur Aroid Admirer (2014) ||
I've never had problems with 'Impulse Buying'... They're just animals/plants I forgot I had planned to purchase.
My babies ~crabs~fish~plants~shrimp~snails
-
Topic author
Meg'sAussieCrabitat
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:50 am
- Location: Australia
Post
by Meg'sAussieCrabitat » Wed Feb 19, 2020 3:26 pm
I ended up using the eBay seller because I wanted some of the Babylonians and jap snail shells. She even gave me different looking shells so I could tell the crabs apart when they wear them! I will definitely try out The shop you recommended next time I look for shells

I've already had a try-on of a Babylonian, and a full-on move into the Japanese snail shell, which is awesome!
3rd year of crabbing with my 3 Aussies; Lily, Cocoa, Mr Pistachio in a 65-gallon crabitat.
3 beautiful Sussex chickens; Adelaide, Geoff and Marshmallow