frustrated with shell!

Mudflapsmomma · Post by **Mudflapsmomma** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:39 am

Help! New crabber (yes, I've been through the forums and read all the pinned posts)...

We rescued a PP from a pet store, and his name is Typhoeus. He's in a 10g with a smaller crab named Rocky. they've had some face-to-face time, and have taught each other "patty-cakes" quite a bit. The other night we saw them snugged in beside each other facing forward to us, which was funny. if only they needed blankies, it would have been perfect.

Typhoeus wears a conch shell that's driving me absolutely BATTY. It's hard for him to move around the tank to the point where he can't seem to hang a left, if you know what i mean. the long skinny end (which extends close to 2" out) bangs against the glass and freaks him out, and also makes it next to impossible for him to dig. We put in a magpie (zebra pica?) shell for him to try on. He did, but because those shells are relatively heavy, he swapped back to that darned conch overnight. now i'm stuck.

what are some suggestions for shells that aren't too heavy? i also have a couple tiger's eye shells in there with what i THINK are comparable in opening size to the darned thing he's wearing now, but he hasn't tried any of those on, at least that we can tell.

Also, when he DOES swap into something else....how soon can we yank that darned awful shell out of there? i don't want to yank it too soon in case he gets buyer's remorse again, but this stupid conch shell HAS GOT TO GOOOOO!!! Suggestions? Please??

Menders · Post by **Menders** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:39 am

I have a little guy who refuses to switch shells and as far as I can tell he has yet to explore the shell shop. He is to big for his shell. I am interested to find out when is too soon to remove an old shell. Because the day he switches will be a miracle! I just ordered some new shells. I have read somewhere on here that you may want to try to find the shells that are highly polished because they are lighter.

Menders
3 PPs, 1 cat exotic short hair, 2 children and a wonderful husband

Mudflapsmomma · Post by **Mudflapsmomma** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 5:14 am

Menders wrote:I have a little guy who refuses to switch shells and as far as I can tell he has yet to explore the shell shop. He is to big for his shell. I am interested to find out when is too soon to remove an old shell. Because the day he switches will be a miracle! I just ordered some new shells. I have read somewhere on here that you may want to try to find the shells that are highly polished because they are lighter

LMAO!! I'm thinking we may want to install a shell shop, seems they have not much room to move around. I wish I knew what to do here! Where be the pros?

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KayedeeLove<3 · Post by **KayedeeLove<3** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 6:28 am

Momma- 10 gal are relatively small but that is not necessarily bad as it is much easier to fill... If you add some drift wood, mopani, or cholla that will give them more than the floor space for moving about.

Shell's- I like naples only because i haven't seen the hermit crab patch's shell's yet... But typically try too get a couple polished or maybe some tapestry shells and set them conveniently on the sub until they switch. That's the easiest way in my experience, to sway them into choosing.

If they are in a painted shell i snatch it as soon as they drop it. If not, I'll leave said shell until I'm sure he doesn't want it. Then I remove the unwanted shell.... Im terrified that if i take a shell out to soon they'll run around in a naked panic and refuse to take a shell. A close friend of mine snatched a shell as soon as her E dropped it and he refused to put on another shell. She had to forfeit the shell (it was painted). He was fine but this is why i try to avoid it!

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Mudflapsmomma · Post by **Mudflapsmomma** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 5:33 pm

Thx, Kaydee...yeah, my #1 worry is a nakie crabby streaking around. I can't WAIT to get rid of this shell. Stupid pet store. Gah. On an aside, we also have a Repti-Hammock on a corner that adds real estate, and I'm thinking of giving them a shell shop so they'll have even more space!

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hprmom · Post by **hprmom** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:51 pm

Typhoeus, meet Junior:

Junior came home in this big old conch and I had all the same concerns you did. He was the noisiest crab in the tank, and you should have seen him squeeze into the kitchen-sponge-basket moss pit with that long spindle hanging out, lol. The funny thing is he was a shopaholic, constantly trying on new shells and kicking everyone out of the shop while he sat there all day decided whether to keep the new shell (he always went back to the conch). I even bought several more conchs in different sizes because I was worried he had outgrown his. Even after he molted, it took him another month to finally stick with a new shell, a beautiful polished magpie (they are much lighter when polished), the single most expensive shell we ever purchased, he has good taste, LOL. I was paranoid as well and left his old shell in; no one else has claimed it. It was four months before he changed for good! I hope it will be quicker for you!

Menders · Post by **Menders** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:54 pm

I have noticed that many other crabbers use those things you stick in the corner of your shower... I think the original purpose is to hold soap...maybe. They have suction cups and stick in a corner. Anyway they are shallow but deep enough to put shells in or moss. They use them to create more real-estate in their tanks. By basically creating new levels in the tank by building up instead of having everything cluttered the floor of the tank. I have been trying to find out where they find them. But can not seem to find any. So for now, I have been basically stalking Mr. Bubbles with the three empty shells I currently have. Basically I search for him and once I find him tucked into the substrate I take the three shells and sit them close to where he is in hopes that eventually, he will come up one night and say " oh snap! Those are some nice shells! I think I'll abandon this cracked, chipped, piece and get in a new ride!" So I basically stalk him with shells. No science behind it... Just stalking

I too have a 10 gallon. But It is ok for now. I am new to this and my crabs have not had their first molt. So, they are still at risk for PPS. I have had them for a few weeks. But I am learning new things constantly thanks to this group of amazing people. I researched and planned for over a year before getting my three crabs. But I found there is a lot of inaccurate care info out there. This is the best place to learn and everyone is so supportive.

Menders
3 PPs, 1 cat exotic short hair, 2 children and a wonderful husband

Rawrgeous · Post by **Rawrgeous** » Fri Jul 08, 2016 10:34 pm

I suggest turbos, my pp all prefer them, they have magpies and a few murex but they all are in turbos, mostly carved silver mouthed. However, craft stores like Joannes or Michaels will carry bags of shells with green turbos, and they seem to like those a lot too. Also, just an FYI this is a family site, which is why the forum does that, not trying to be a downer, just don't want to see anyone getting in trouble the mods.

Welcome to the HCA!

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Menders · Post by **Menders** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 6:17 am

Has you crab decided to switch shells yet!

pinklestine · Post by **pinklestine** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 3:14 pm

I have a crab that refuses to change as well! He came home in a murex and he is still in it!! I have bought him some nice polished turbos, a lovely polished magpie, and some green turbos as well. He will investigate any new shells I put in there for him, try them on for like 5 minutes, then promptly go back to the murex. I have some murex shells coming for him because I think perhaps he may prefer this kind of shell. He is a strange little PP!! :crabbigsmile:

Mudflapsmomma · Post by **Mudflapsmomma** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 4:05 am

Nope...no swap yet! I've borrowed a dremel and I'll try to grind down a magpie shell I have, to make it lighter, then we'll see. I gave them a shell shop that's up a level, but I haven't seen them shop yet!

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soilentgringa · Post by **soilentgringa** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 4:11 am

Mudflapsmomma wrote:Nope...no swap yet! I've borrowed a dremel and I'll try to grind down a magpie shell I have, to make it lighter, then we'll see. I gave them a shell shop that's up a level, but I haven't seen them shop yet!

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Some crabs are super stubborn. We have hundreds of premium shells, LOL that we have paid good money for, and we have one rescue in a barnacley old tank of a shell and they will just NOT take it off. It looks so cumbersome but he molted in it and he is hauling it around. Sometimes I wonder if he does it in memory of all the tank mates who were DOA with this adoption. (Whole other story.)

HCA: Hermit Crab Association