HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I was wondering where I could get some little little hermies? And if I do get some do they require anything special? Will they get along with my larger crabs?


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The smallest many have seen are around the size of a dime. Any smaller, they either dont choose to capture them or there are restrictions in size that they can capture.
They require the same care, at most ensure that they still have access to water, food, shells ect even at their smaller size. They grow quickly, and it's not uncommon for them to double or triple in size in a few months.

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i (sad to say) found mine at petco. he was a teeny (now small ) the only things i did differently for my little Gary (previously Herman) was adding ground food. he honestly didnt need it but did enjoy it; as i was offering whole food and saw him eating it. i added more teeny hermit approved ways in and out of the water pools. the thing i paid the most attention to was giving him hiding spots only he could get into and none of the larger crabs could move/get into.

why are you looking for a teeny? just curious.

I found one at Petsmart. I didn't like supporting the industry...but I always scope out the hermit cages and talk to employees or management when I go into stores if it's necessary. Anyway...my son spotted the teeny...and well...we both fell in love. That was around 9 months ago - Let me tell you - I stuck him in my large tank, we blinked, and the next thing we knew is he's huge! I still have a separate shell in there for him, but he's not very small anymore It's definitely a short lived experience.

GotButterflies wrote: I found one at Petsmart. I didn't like supporting the industry...but I always scope out the hermit cages and talk to employees or management when I go into stores if it's necessary. Anyway...my son spotted the teeny...and well...we both fell in love. That was around 9 months ago - Let me tell you - I stuck him in my large tank, we blinked, and the next thing we knew is he's huge! I still have a separate shell in there for him, but he's not very small anymore It's definitely a short lived experience.

I think the optimal conditions help/support that. The exact same happened to me with both the crabs i got.

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The tiniest hermits I ever found - smaller than a dime with shell, claw smaller than the end of a tiny safety pin - disappeared in my big tank. I never found them again, I never even found their shells and I sifted the substrate when I emptied it, but given that the other crabs ate the spare teeny tiny shells I put in for them, I have a pretty good idea what happened. That's what lead me to do a second 10 gallon teeny tank because I no longer trusted my monsters with anything they could crack open.

I really love watching things grow. Don’t get me wrong I love my other two hermits but I really want a “baby” that I can watch grow. The only thing I’m really really concerned about is finding shells for them and where to find one. I visited my local pet stores recently and they only had medium and large crabs.


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NeWbE123 wrote:I really love watching things grow. Don’t get me wrong I love my other two hermits but I really want a “baby” that I can watch grow. The only thing I’m really really concerned about is finding shells for them and where to find one. I visited my local pet stores recently and they only had medium and large crabs.


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I agree. Id been looking for one male since i lost one in the move. [Believe it or not he ran away] the only place in my area was petco and when i saw there they had medium and small crabs. I asked when they camr in and it was all the same batch and three weeks ago. So I asked to look at both tanks [i knew i wanted a medium in my larger two girls sizes. Without Uu they started to get a little fisty.] When i was looking in the small tank i saw a teeny that i just fell in love with and my roommate agreed it woukdnt be a selfish buy. Hes already a small!

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I GOT MY BABY!
no clue what to name him.


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NeWbE123 wrote:

I GOT MY BABY!
no clue what to name him.


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Awww yay! Is he an E?

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Just Jay wrote:

NeWbE123 wrote:

I GOT MY BABY!
no clue what to name him.


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Awww yay! Is he an E?

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Yesssss he’s so freaking cute


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NeWbE123 wrote:

Just Jay wrote:

NeWbE123 wrote:

I GOT MY BABY!
no clue what to name him.


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Awww yay! Is he an E?

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Yesssss he’s so freaking cute


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Awwww. Super cute. Should name him digger!

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Just Jay wrote:

NeWbE123 wrote:

Just Jay wrote:Awww yay! Is he an E?

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Yesssss he’s so freaking cute


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Awwww. Super cute. Should name him digger!

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I was thinking Hercules


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NeWbE123 wrote:

Just Jay wrote:

NeWbE123 wrote: Yesssss he’s so freaking cute


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Awwww. Super cute. Should name him digger!

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I was thinking Hercules


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He is so handsome. Hercules also has more thought than Digger for a crab who likes digging lol

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Just Jay wrote:

NeWbE123 wrote:

Just Jay wrote:Awwww. Super cute. Should name him digger!

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I was thinking Hercules


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He is so handsome. Hercules also has more thought than Digger for a crab who likes digging lol

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He’s already making friends with mischievous. I love him already!



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