Exotic Land Hermit Crab Paradise for Crabs

[SebbyCrab]

I think the downfall to the new species thread was the fact that pictoral evidence is lacking, admittedly you cannot post side by side comparisons to prove it since it is a "retail" website.


I would like to be able to see the facilities and tour as well, or talk to bob and share knowledge, as I am sure all of us here are constantly looking to improve our habitats. Could I manage it I would dedicate a greenhouse to my hermies.


Sue I would like to know what knowledge he shared with you about Indo's as I'm sure you know I've been interested in them but holding off until I get a definite answer on co-habitation or now.

[suebee]

Bob is not a website professional. The site was created to help the many phone calls about what different species look like and where can they become the owner of one. He has many documentations about his work and the different species. Really he wanted to share the new species out of excitement for people like me that are so excited to know of more species. I really dont think he thought anyone would start to question him and demand documentation. He does have DNA testing and years of documentation about the new species. He has also made sure that it was not just one crab but yes species that has been out there but yet to be found and documented.

His home for the crabs is way more then a green house.. One reason not to allow visitors is due to competition of competitors wanting to know how he is able to do things and wanting his years of research without doing the work them self. Another is because some would want to find a easy way to steal or rob from him not just ideas but materials and crabs.

As for indos.. Om gosh they are so smart and so sweet, the most friendly crab in my tanks. They need to be kept separate from Violas due to the fact that they molt under logs or other items on a very shallow burro.
All crabs burro and have the burros that they return to during the day other then digging deep into a molting burro but the indos as well as the pink indos do not dig deep to molt they molt in shallow burros. Violas are known to dig for molters and eat them or the exo. They also hurt the crabs by disturbing the molts. Some young violas might not but as they get a bit bigger they will. Bob is a advocate of the mineral supplement at hermit crab patch for all the crabs as well as the worm castings, both are needed by indos. crushed oyster shell should be offered daily too.

One other think ive been thinking of posting but i keep forgetting is about shells. Some shells have sharp edges or the inside spiral broken out. If you go through your shells check them all for this and get rid of any that are like that. They can cut the belly of the crabs and make it so that the crabs can not recover. Most crabs that become hurt will go to the water dish to try to wash and heal. That is a reason so many find the crabs without shells near the water.

Im still having camera issues but hope to post photos of my new babies soon.

[MacandHunter]

He has many documentations about his work and the different species. He does have DNA testing and years of documentation about the new species. He has also made sure that it was not just one crab but yes species that has been out there but yet to be found and documented.

Are these documents published anywhere so we can read/learn more about them? Or does this fall into the afraid that competitors will steal information? I hope not, because I don't think Bob needs to be too worried about competition. Who else sells live hermit crabs? The Hermit Crab patch still isn't selling exotics, to the best of my knowledge, and Hermit Crab Vendor, and live hermit crabs...I've read positive and negative points about both of these places. But I don't think they are thieves. Then there is the actual pet stores, who can't even get a simple crabitat right, let alone the crab heaven Bob has, which I wish you would post some pictures of because if it's as good as you make it sound I know no one, including me, could find any fault in it. Nobody is going to talk down to his tank, for sure. Does he even keep the crabs in a tank? It must be some huge structure if a human could molt in it!

Bob sounds like a very knowledgeable guy, and I'm frustrated that his knowledge, studies and research isn't easily shared or available online, or in any books. Unless anyone knows of any, I'd love to read them. Or at least get him on the HCA!

[SebbyCrab]

So would the indo's be ok with things like PP's and such, or do they really need species specific housing? I would love to have some, and want to ensure that I can cover their needs 100%.

I kind of figured that blueberries would need to be kept alone. I've no interest in Aussies, I prefer to be able to mix species, but I do kinda want the pink indo. It's the only thing in my life I've ever truly wanted that is pink!

[Guest]

it is not a tank or even many tanks I think of as an interactive zoo exhibit. Whatever someone comes up with or discovers there will be another that tries to take it for their own that is the nature of people. Honestly, I believe the fear is that misguided kids would break in and do harm.
The research, since he does have scientist that track down DNA and such, I am sure they have been made aware of the findings. It takes a very long time to get those things published and part of everyday knowledge. Besides do you think we have access to every scientific discovery that has been made? I am sure there are gads of reports that would be very interesting on all species. But those things are often for scientists and biologists only, not pet owners.

[MacandHunter]

This is his house, right? I don't think any kids would be able to find him and break in and do something as you suggested...I understand that he is weary of who he lets in, I think he should be. If pictures were taken and Bob says it's ok to post them, I think they should be posted.

Bob has been researching - someone said for 20 years? I'm sure by now there would be something avalible to the public. I think the notion that reports on DNA, or any other reports, even general observations Bob has made on specific species, should and are meant to be kept away from pet owns is silly. Is Bob a biologist by profession?

As crab owners we need to be on a constant hunt for information, and not assume that such information is only for the superiors of the animal world, like scientists, and should not be shared with the common public, including us pet owners. What use is knowledge if it is not shared? Personally, I don't want to make excuses, I just want to hunt down this information because it doesn't hurt anyone to learn.

[Guest]

Well Mac, to answer some of your questions... as I believe I mentioned in an earlier response, it is not a big tank. More like an ecosystem.

And Bob has been researching crabs for more than 20 years but why would you think that his information would be readily available to the public? As I also said in an earlier post he is not a scientist by trade, nor does he receive any public funding or a salary for doing his research. He is simply a person who loves these animals and has put a lot of his personal time and effort into understanding them. As such, he has also built a business around them and has poured his knowledge and passion into it. Nothing more, nothing less.

[MacandHunter]

Thanks Crabola. I would think some of his 20 years of information would be available for the public because of the same reason why I think all the information we have right now was made available to the public.

[SebbyCrab]

Not to seem as if I am attacking, but what does he gain from keeping his information from those of us who want to learn how to better care for our pets, those very pets being something that he has happened to learn a great deal about and study?

One would assume that sharing such information with us "crabbers" would be beneficial. I seriously doubt that other crab retailers out there would steal his secrets for the simple fact that they are in it for the money, and his set up sounds so time consuming and expensive to start they would lose money by doing such.


I think that I can Mac's point of view in this one. As people who care for hermit crabs one would be safe in saying that him sharing this info would be better for the coenobita. Ensuring them a better life in captivity.

[Guest]

Bob is a nice person. If you are truly interested in hermit crabs call him up on the phone and talk to him about them, he loves to talk crabs! Maybe then you will have a better understanding of his knowledge on the subject which has been his life's work.

To give you what I feel is sort of a parallel, I know a lot about dogs. I studied for an advanced degree in animal behavior and while I suppose some industrious person could dig up my thesis, other than that there is no published information available to the public on my work with canines. Why would Bob's data be any different?

[suebee]

His interactions with crabs made him love them, having them as pets made him love them even more. Loving them he studied them and found how they live on different islands. He mirrored what he found and has had such success with them that he fell more in love with them. He has trained them and found that they can learn. This made him want to stop people from eating them, killing them and importing them as through away pets. He was not out to do studies for the purpose of us all to learn about the crabs but to better the life of the crabs. His research took him all over the world. He has made a big difference in the treatment of crabs in many countries. He began to share the different species with other crab lovers. The reason his web site was set up was to help others obtain and learn to love different species. We are lucky to have him share his knowledge and findings. With age some of us find that everything we want is not always just given to us. He has his notes and hopefully in time we will all be able to some day read about all his findings. He is not done yet. He is still doing studies and still finding many new things to share with those that want to learn. Its a blessings to have him on the side of the crabs. Im honored to of met him. Even more honored to call him my friend. Blessings, Suebee

He has nothing to hide. He is hiding nothing. Anyone can call him and he will talk to you and teach you. I have never felt judged by him and ive asked some really stupid questions..

[MacandHunter]

He has nothing to hide. He is hiding nothing. Anyone can call him and he will talk to you and teach you. I have never felt judged by him and ive asked some really stupid questions..

It's great that he shares info like this...but in reality, every interested party, and everyone who would benefit from Bob's knowledge would not be able to call him, and he would not be able to answer all those calls. Imagine if everyone on the HCA called Bob?

My point is this. Bob has great information, and he shares that information. I think the fact that the sharing of that information is limited to phone/in person conversions makes the entire process less efficient. If he was just able to put some of his findings on a website, or come and post here, he would be able to reach a much larger amount of people in a much quicker period of time. I hope he would take that into consideration.

[suebee]

For now I would not want him to slow down his research to make it reading ready for laymen. Its not his job to educate us, we just have been lucky enough to of found him. He spent 12 hours with us so that we can share what we learned because he doesnt have the time to be online or writing a book. It takes more then 12 hours a day to care for his crabs, he was up many hours before we even got to his home. What ever you want to know ask and we will find out the answer if we dont know. He took Sara and I in for us to help him spread the word. Seeing it written down will not change it. You dont have to believe what he says, he is a humble man that is not interested in bragging at all ever. We want in with our own and questions of others, learned what we could and brought the information to the HCA. Bob didnt have to do that for us and we did not have to bring information to the HCA. All of us love the crabs and are doing it for the crabs and the people who love them.
Seeing research in writing is not going to change things. Its just nit picking to look for things to disagree with. Some here are so grateful for the information we have brought and will continue to bring if its appreciated. If it comes to a point where we feel that we just need to continue to stand up for Bob then the information is not wanted then we wont post the unwanted information. For those that would like the information you can message me for my email and i will stay in touch with any who would like it. I believe many here understand my point.

[CallaLily]

Being able to go there is not something anyone can do.

Well that stinks. I wonder if he were to sell some crabs to a nearby crabber if he would be willing to arrange for them to be picked up rather than shipped? I imagine it would be easier on the crabs to skip that....no tour needed.

[Spiral]

Please post pics of your brunneus !!

I need to determine the identity of some of my crabs...