Rolling around with empty shell?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:29 am

I just put two empty shells in with my freshly molted crab. He noticed them and now he is fighting with one of them. Is that the shell shopping I've heard about or does he not like the shell?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:34 am

Is he rolling the shells around and then sticking his claws and/or legs down inside them? If so, then yes he is shell shopping. I think they roll it around to get a nice good look at it and they put they're claws in it to check out the inside. You know make sure it's big enough and empty.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:36 am

Yeah, he's rolling it around and sticking his legs in it. He went inside it for a moment or two and now he's back in his original shell. I guess he didn't like the new one...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 2:54 am

I've been watching him, and he's moved back and forth from the new shell to the old one several times. Is this a normal part of shell shopping or not? What is this silly crab doing with this shell?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:19 am

Yes, it's perfectlly normal. Crabs are picky about their shells.

Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs · Post by **Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:23 am

I have seen this more numerous times and I compare it to women trying on a dress over and over and still being unsure about it.