Is It Okay To Leave Old Shell in the Tank?????

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 10:15 pm

I put a new shell in there for him to check out, and at night while we slept he changed into his new "bigger" shell. Is it okay to leave his old one in the tank? What if he goes back in his old one? Do they know "not" to go in one that is too small? I wanted to leave it in the tank just in case the other crab gets interested....Please let me know what you think!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 10:52 pm

I'd rinse it out in some clean water in case there's any gunk in it.

I leave my crab's old shells in there all the time. Sometimes, they're changing just to "try it out" or because they're bored, or... want a chance in housewear. One crab I has constantly switches between two shells. He has a full array of shells (I have over 60+ hermit crab shells, all in different sizes...) And he just wants to play with those two. It's like people and shoes. Some people stick with one pair for years, some people like a few options.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 11:30 pm

I also keep many shells in my crabitate. They like moveing them around. One of my smallest crabs likes to put his hole shell and himself into a big shell. Like he is dreaming someday this one will be mine. I also agree with washing any shells that one crab may have left and then i would put in back in the tank. I have this log with holes in in that the crabs like to go in or under being there size. Anyway I know that a couple of my crabs just changed shells so it could go check out the log. In there old shells there wernt abel to get threw the holes. Now they can. They think they are pretty clever. Also i had a crab change from a bigger shell were all his body can fit in it move into a smaller shell. Well his legs can't even contract all the way up in the shell anymore. I guess he must feel there is no thret in the crabitate. After all him and his gilrfriend both do this. I think they like one anouther anyway. They are about the same size and they seem to always hang out with one anouther and yesturday i cought them feeling each other with there feelers for a long time.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 8:13 am

It is actually best that you do leave the old shell in there, even if it's to big or too small. Like Kamira said, sometimes they just like changing shells when theit bored. My new one, blue, his original shell is WAY to small, and when he came home, he immediately switched shells, but it wasnt comfortable to him and he switched right back to his old one. If they dont like the new shell, find something wrong with it, cant walk in it, etc, they will change back to their old ones untill they find a better one.