HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Are turbos typically dramatically bigger per shell opening than various snail shells?

I ordered 1 1/4- 1 1//2 turbos and magpie, and 1 3/4-2 turbos. What i received are all bigger than described, but man they are proportionately huge anyway. Here's my poor crabbie in a 1.5 inch opening mountain snail, next to the two turbos that were supposed to be 1 3/4 inch openings

A 1 3/4 snail next to the turbos

Top view same shells


A 1.25 mountain snail next to the turbos that were supposed to be 1.25-1.5 (but are actually bigger.)

Am i measuring wrong. I think this is 1.75



This is almost 2.5, not 1.75-2, right?

I'm having such a hard time finding anything other than snail shells in 1.25!!! My big guys should be able to use the shells I ordered for my little guys, but I am so hopeful the little guys will move out of their painted shells! They've shown no interest in the bare snail shells (I have 4 varieties), only in grabbing other painted shells their friends leave behind. So, should I be ordereing 1-1.25 inch turbos since they seem so much bigger than snail shells with comparable size openings?

How are you measuring the shells?

1.5" is going to be 1.5" no matter what kind of shell it is. The opening shape may be different, which would affect the fit.

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http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=92552

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soilentgringa wrote:How are you measuring the shells?

1.5" is going to be 1.5" no matter what kind of shell it is. The opening shape may be different, which would affect the fit.

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I am measuring the largest diameter of any kind/shape shell. The shells i ordered all are about 1/2 inch or more wider at the opening. The turbos seem dramatically bigger and heavier than the mountain snail, moon snail or pica shells, even for a similar size. If you can see my pictures, I have a measuring tape across the opening.


So part of my question is whether a turbo shell with a 1.5 inch opening is normally twice as big as a pica or snail shell with the same opening.

My other question is whether measuring flat across the opening at the largest diameter is right. That's what I read to do. Is the seller somehow measuring deeper into the opening to send me such larger shells?

You don't measure the diameter of the entire shell for crab sizing. You want to measure across the aperture (opening).

Hold on I'll post a pic.

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Thank you! So a turbo of the same size is a bigger total shell than a d shaped snail shell.

And I'm measuring wrong. The chart I looked at said measure the longest diameter of the oval.

So my 1.5 inch d shaped shell crabs would want a 1.25-1.5 turbo, if they even like a turbo!

Hollym2247 wrote:Thank you! So a turbo of the same size is a bigger total shell than a d shaped snail shell.

And I'm measuring wrong. The chart I looked at said measure the longest diameter of the oval.

So my 1.5 inch d shaped shell crabs would want a 1.25-1.5 turbo, if they even like a turbo!

What species are they?

The most popular shells with my PP's have been tapestry and Mexican turbos but they don't come as large as I need for my big guys.

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2 Pcs White and Green Jade Pearl Turbo Shell Hermit Crab 3 1/2" - 4"

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com ... L1500_.jpg (stock picture, not actual)

The white one is so huge!

They are! I also got one as well, from Naples, that my crab was not nearly large enough for. It was $12!

Richards shells online will make sure to get your sizes correct. Just shoot them an email and tell them specifically what opening sizes you need.

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Well, my 2 bigger guys both moved into new shells last night, one in a turbo with the opening size I ordered for the smaller crabs and one in the magpie/pica. The one in the turbo which is so huge still can't retract all the way in. But the shell looks so heavy and big. Maybe he'll want the gigantic one? I think it's the one from the brown shell, because he's up in the moss hammock in this gigantic shell, which is where brownie hung out every day.

This is how I was measuring. Longest part of the opening. From Naples Seashells. Not right?

Hollym2247 wrote:Are turbos typically dramatically bigger per shell opening than various snail shells?

I ordered 1 1/4- 1 1//2 turbos and magpie, and 1 3/4-2 turbos. What i received are all bigger than described, but man they are proportionately huge anyway. Here's my poor crabbie in a 1.5 inch opening mountain snail, next to the two turbos that were supposed to be 1 3/4 inch openings

A 1 3/4 snail next to the turbos

Top view same shells


A 1.25 mountain snail next to the turbos that were supposed to be 1.25-1.5 (but are actually bigger.)

Am i measuring wrong. I think this is 1.75



This is almost 2.5, not 1.75-2, right?

I'm having such a hard time finding anything other than snail shells in 1.25!!! My big guys should be able to use the shells I ordered for my little guys, but I am so hopeful the little guys will move out of their painted shells! They've shown no interest in the bare snail shells (I have 4 varieties), only in grabbing other painted shells their friends leave behind. So, should I be ordereing 1-1.25 inch turbos since they seem so much bigger than snail shells with comparable size openings?

I would invest in a caliper we use them all the time at my job (i work in a machine shop as an operator ). Their pretty handy for getting exact measurements of the shells i suggest a digital one just make sure you select inches not mm.

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