Hermit crab body change?

[pearl29mi]

The hermit crab I have (Spike) has been in a D shaped shell for a while. Is it true that hermit crabs bodies will "change" depending on the shape of the shell? (I would add a picture but I don't know how )

[soilentgringa]

Many hermit crabs actually modify their shells to suit their needs. I may be wrong but I am going to say "no". Since they have a hard exoskeleton and their abdomens are soft and squishy, the abdomens wouldn't be permanently altered (I don't think) from a specific shell shape. I do know that if a hermit crab molts and is still soft and anything happens to their body while soft, and they harden that their legs and even pinchers can be misshapen. So maybe yes and no.
Sorry that wasn't very helpful, just observations.

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[ashleyandanimals]

I *think* I've read somewhere that the shape of the first shells that they have access to in the wild somewhat shape their growth and the shells they prefer later. That may be false. Or maybe I dreamed it. Haha!


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[wodesorel]

Ashley, I've read the same thing, but I have to wonder how true that is. Having watched really small crabs grow up, they change their opinion on what they like over time. Smaller crabs will try just about anything put in front of them, and then when they reach maturity they almost always choose turbos. Considering that native PP shells are a completely different shape, that sort of blows that theory out of the water.

[ashleyandanimals]

Hmm, true! I wonder if anything at all can change the shape of the abdomen to the point where they would only feel comfortable in a certain type of shell. And it is weird that PP's prefer turbos over native species. It's kinda odd isn't it? Weird crabbies!