HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I got a huge mixed back of turbos and oyster shells, but there was a fair few of these mixed in as well, I was wondering what kind they were, as well as if they were crab preferred or not. I'm leaning more towards not based on shape, but am open to second opinions.

Those look like trochus. Not a preferred shell for purple pinchers, but often found on small crabs in the wild. Here's what the shell guide had to say about them. See if the picture matches your shells:

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 24&t=92552

Excerpt below:
8.) Tectus conus, or any shell of the genus Trochus a.k.a. strawberry top, cone shell

These shells are very attractive and look somewhat like turbo shells. They often come in green and red, but other colors do exist. Some hermit crabs in the wild (especially the young ones) will sometimes wear these shells. But in captivity, they prefer other types, and will rarely go back to this genus if given the choice. The spiral goes up instead of to the side, and sticks out quite far. The shells are also very thick, heavy, the openings are small, and there are often ridges in the opening. The crabs will spend a lot of extra energy carrying this shell, only small ones will fit in the opening, and the ridges will prevent most crabs from changing into them.

I keep getting them with adoptees, and the former owners are, like, "they never change shells, but here, take them!"

I have a little row of them on my bookshelf now.

Hermias_mom wrote:Those look like trochus. Not a preferred shell for purple pinchers, but often found on small crabs in the wild. Here's what the shell guide had to say about them. See if the picture matches your shells:

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 24&t=92552

Excerpt below:
8.) Tectus conus, or any shell of the genus Trochus a.k.a. strawberry top, cone shell

These shells are very attractive and look somewhat like turbo shells. They often come in green and red, but other colors do exist. Some hermit crabs in the wild (especially the young ones) will sometimes wear these shells. But in captivity, they prefer other types, and will rarely go back to this genus if given the choice. The spiral goes up instead of to the side, and sticks out quite far. The shells are also very thick, heavy, the openings are small, and there are often ridges in the opening. The crabs will spend a lot of extra energy carrying this shell, only small ones will fit in the opening, and the ridges will prevent most crabs from changing into them.

That's them! I didn't realize there was a guide in shell types, but thank you for the information!


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LadyJinglyJones wrote:I keep getting them with adoptees, and the former owners are, like, "they never change shells, but here, take them!"

I have a little row of them on my bookshelf now.

Yeah, I didn't think they would like them, but I wanted to double check, the opening looks a little too small, even on the largest shell.


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LadyJinglyJones wrote:I keep getting them with adoptees, and the former owners are, like, "they never change shells, but here, take them!"

I have a little row of them on my bookshelf now.

I'm going to start making jewelry with unwearable shells. We get so many with adoptions...

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Those trochus though, they're like fancy rocks. Heavy and pointed. I think I'll start keeping a couple in the car to bust out my windshield in case I get trapped during an accident. Or maybe I'll build a trochus-covered mountain or rock-wall for the crabs to climb. I have at least 10 of them. Most of my trochus came in the mixed shell bags from the craft store when I was trying to buy green turbos. They are all 2-3" tall. Huge, rocklike paperweights, self defense objects for my purse, decorative flower-bed edging... Yeah, I don't know what to do with them.

I think I'll make windchimes. For the tornadoes. We get a lot of those here. That could work.

soilentgringa wrote:

LadyJinglyJones wrote:I keep getting them with adoptees, and the former owners are, like, "they never change shells, but here, take them!"

I have a little row of them on my bookshelf now.

I'm going to start making jewelry with unwearable shells. We get so many with adoptions...

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I used to crush them and use them as a calcium supplement.