HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello, I have a large PP that we've had for a couple months and two other PPs that have both molted with no problems. The large hasn't molted (I could tell he had just freshly molted when we bought him from the long black tips on his legs) and he won't change his shell out of his little old piece of junk shell (not painted thank goodness). He hardly fits in it, all his legs and both pinchers are completely exposed when he is all the way in so it just hides his eyes and antenna really. I have appropriately sized shells in there though they aren't turbos (I know PPs like turbos) My other two are in a green turbo and a babylonia. The only ones I could get for him were a "Rapana rapiformus" and something similar to a moon snail shell. the moon snail shell seems to be painted white as it is perfectly white like a pearl, if it is it's flawless and the paint goes deep into the shell. I'm no shell expert but I think it may have been bleached. anyway, do you know why? the conditions are good (follows all the basics of crab care). do you think it's PPS and it just needs to molt? I don't handle him much as I know you shouldn't before their first molt. Any advice would be appreciated :D

My hermit crab wouldn't change out of his shell either. I'm not really sure why they do that, but you cant very well take him out, just be sure to offer a wide variety of shells so he can feel free to change when he wants to.

Good luck,
Bonnie

Of all the pictures of crabs I've seen and from personal expeirience I've only seen one crab in a snail shell. If possible I would get some turbos or babylon. Other than that give him time. It tends to be that we "know" when a crab is "suppose to" change shells or molt. I'm guilty they'll change on their time. That's what I have to say hope this helps

The problem is I'm not able to get any turbos right now (I don't think). I'm gonna try to at least Now that you assured me that they really don't like those shells, thanks dc :D

Well we bought him two turbos, one with an opening the same size as the length of his pincher and one 1/4" larger (mostly because that was all we could get). It costed a fortune though

Hope the expensive shells work out! One of my PPs actually moved into a murex, which i thought was VERY weird.. Its best to offer a good variety. I bought a 10pack from hermitcrabpatch for what i believed was not a fortune.
Ehhh you might want to join the shell swap club. They have a pretty good thing going, and a flat rate box (US only) is $6 i think? There's a whole thread on it, but they cant add new recipients until everyone gets a turn first


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Shell swap? that sounds interesting. If you're able to find the thread (because i'm kinda clueless) I'd appreciate it!

hermitcrabdc wrote:Of all the pictures of crabs I've seen and from personal expeirience I've only seen one crab in a snail shell.

Oops I meant I've only ever seen a purple pincher in a snail shell.
And here is the link to the shell swap club http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 12&t=99860

Thanks!

My largest crab (now in a 1.5" opening shell) is very picky about which shells he will change into. He hung on to a 1 1/8" opening mexican turbo for about a year and a half until he couldn't even pull his eyes into the shell. That being said it's really important to offer appropriate shell choices, especially for the bigger crabs. Their shells are heavier and more bulky than the smaller crabs so they are less likely to accept a shell that is ill fitting or odd shaped since it will cause even greater issues with them navigating around their environment. Remember that a shell is not just a shell. Each shell is unique. That's why it's so important to offer more than one of each type in each size. One green turbo, for instance, may have a wider opening but be shorter front to back and not feel as comfortable as another shell that is slightly narrower but longer overall. For less expensive larger sized turbos you might want to try ordering on line from deltonaseashells.com.

Well yesterday I realized he can fit pretty decently in it with only his big pincher and one and a half legs sticking out. I just think his shell is really ugly (its slightly transparent, grey and solid colored)

It doesn't matter if we like their shells. What matters is that they like their shells. Remember they don't choose their shells like fashion accessories, but rather more like a comfortable pair of tennis shoes or sweat pants lol.

yea I guess that's true lol

Mine usually pick godawful looking shells, but if they like it, I guess I can be seen in public with them. :b

LOL so true