Reliable place to buy crabs?

[crabnewb]

Where do you get your crabs? I'm a little hesitant about scouting out a nearby petco or petsmart. I would like to be able to overnight my first crabs from a reliable source. Is that possible? What's the best option? what do you prefer? I looked around for some websites but they only thing I found was livehermitcrabsdotcom and i dont particularly care for what ive seen in that thread.

[CallaLily]

I always like to recommend adopting, if it's an option for you. Check out the Adoptions section here (or the HCA Facebook page) for crabs in need of a home in your area. Craigslist or similar sites are another option when looking for crabs in need.

[wodesorel]

All hermits are coming from the exact same places and sources, so no matter where you were to buy them from, they're all going to have been through the same treatment. And this time of year - unless you're in a very warm place and ordering from a somewhat local company - it's not safe to ship because of the winter temps. Heat packs can fail (if the company even uses them! many won't) and cold damage to hermits is almost always fatal.

I second what Calla says - adoption is a great way to get hermit crabs. If you're adopting from a good keeper then you'll have good healthy crabs to start with, and if you're rescuing unwanted hermits off of places like craigslist then it's the same risk as if you were to purchase them yourself from an online or a local store since there is no way to know if the crab you've chosen is healthy and able to adapt to captivity until it molts.

[crabnewb]

All hermits are coming from the exact same places and sources, so no matter where you were to buy them from, they're all going to have been through the same treatment. And this time of year - unless you're in a very warm place and ordering from a somewhat local company - it's not safe to ship because of the winter temps. Heat packs can fail (if the company even uses them! many won't) and cold damage to hermits is almost always fatal.

I second what Calla says - adoption is a great way to get hermit crabs. If you're adopting from a good keeper then you'll have good healthy crabs to start with, and if you're rescuing unwanted hermits off of places like craigslist then it's the same risk as if you were to purchase them yourself from an online or a local store since there is no way to know if the crab you've chosen is healthy and able to adapt to captivity until it molts.

My only concern with adopting is that the only listings ive ever seen are crabs in prolonged majorly improper care. I am going to be a first time crabber when I get my setup going here soon. and I would like the crabs to be as healthy as possible via proper shipping in the summer time or my last resort would've been to find a nearby pet store that takes half decent care and find out what days they get shipments in and get them day of. Any crab that I will be able to find here has been shipped at some point. It's my hope that If i can obtain seemingly healthy crabs to minimize new ownership mistakes. That and plenty of research of course.

[wodesorel]

Unfortunately, even seemingly healthy crabs will drop dead for no discernable reason. All hermit crabs are wild caught, so not only did they go through heck on the journey from the Caribbean to us, but they also have to try to adapt from living in the wild to living in captivity. Buying them online is not going to prevent injury during collection or transport, or make their adjustment into captivity any easier. It only saves them a couple of days in a store. This explains Post Purchase Syndrome in detail: http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 67&t=92531

[lessthansign3]

Whether you buy or adopt, there will be deaths. Adopting, though, you are at least giving a home to an unwanted hermit crab, and helping someone who can no longer care for it, whether they cared for it properly in the first place or not.

Otherwise, to be completely honest, you might as well take your pick of the pet stores out there, because the crabs are all coming from the same places. The only variations are going to be in the care they receive at the stores themselves. Some stores are better than others. If you find a store that treats the crabs decently and keeps them in proper conditions, you might consider supporting them by buying their crabs - or, if you really want to support them, buy your supplies there, because that's where these places really make their money.

Since you're just starting out, don't bother with LHC. They're for exotics, and only if you reeeeeally want those exotics. Start with PPs, and maybe even stick with PPs - you'll be happier

[CallaLily]

Adopting, though, you are at least giving a home to an unwanted hermit crab, and helping someone who can no longer care for it, whether they cared for it properly in the first place or not.

And you're also not supporting the collection of hermit crabs from the wild.

[soilentgringa]

I'm

Whether you buy or adopt, there will be deaths. Adopting, though, you are at least giving a home to an unwanted hermit crab, and helping someone who can no longer care for it, whether they cared for it properly in the first place or not.

Otherwise, to be completely honest, you might as well take your pick of the pet stores out there, because the crabs are all coming from the same places. The only variations are going to be in the care they receive at the stores themselves. Some stores are better than others. If you find a store that treats the crabs decently and keeps them in proper conditions, you might consider supporting them by buying their crabs - or, if you really want to support them, buy your supplies there, because that's where these places really make their money.

Since you're just starting out, don't bother with LHC. They're for exotics, and only if you reeeeeally want those exotics. Start with PPs, and maybe even stick with PPs - you'll be happier

I also feel that people should have some experience under their belt before getting exotic crabs. They have more specific requirements and can be more sensitive. I read in another thread that straws don't live as long in captivity and no one has really found a concrete reason. I think pp's and e's are the most common, and while violas and blueberrys and all the other crabs are amazing, I've ended up adopting 4 pp's this month alone because people couldn't care for them properly.

All we did was post an ad on CL saying "Hey if you got hermit crabs and didn't realize what you were getting into, we can adopt X amount and here are pics of our setup." Not only have we gotten 4 new buddies, but around $150 dollars worth of free supplies/tanks/heating mats.

We've lost 2 out of 12 in the last 7 months due to PPS. One may not have made it through a molt, he's been down for a while.

The two that died came from stores, one from the seawall in Galveston and one from less than 15 minutes from our house. I would be terrified of having them sent through the mail; I can just imagine the handling the package receives.

[KellyCrabbieLove]

The two that died came from stores, one from the seawall in Galveston and one from less than 15 minutes from our house. I would be terrified of having them sent through the mail; I can just imagine the handling the package receives.

My mom surprised me with ordering me 2 larges from reptilecity.com when they arrived through shipping they were super healthy, never dug down to destress and we're perfect. I still have both and they are so social. They both just went down to molt, one of which for the second time months after getting them. Not all shipping is awful if the companies know what they are doing things turn out better.

I love my hermits from reptile city and they are so personable. I think they keep them through a molt before sending them on. They both looked freshly molted and weren't afraid of people at all.

[crabnewb]

My mom surprised me with ordering me 2 larges from reptilecity.com when they arrived through shipping they were super healthy, never dug down to destress and we're perfect. I still have both and they are so social. They both just went down to molt, one of which for the second time months after getting them. Not all shipping is awful if the companies know what they are doing things turn out better.

I love my hermits from reptile city and they are so personable. I think they keep them through a molt before sending them on. They both looked freshly molted and weren't afraid of people at all.

great to hear more good reviews, I found this website yesterday and definitely plan on ordering from here.

[soilentgringa]

My mom surprised me with ordering me 2 larges from reptilecity.com when they arrived through shipping they were super healthy, never dug down to destress and we're perfect. I still have both and they are so social. They both just went down to molt, one of which for the second time months after getting them. Not all shipping is awful if the companies know what they are doing things turn out better.

I love my hermits from reptile city and they are so personable. I think they keep them through a molt before sending them on. They both looked freshly molted and weren't afraid of people at all.

That's good to hear! I'm glad that they take such care with the crobs.

[soilentgringa]

My mom surprised me with ordering me 2 larges from reptilecity.com when they arrived through shipping they were super healthy, never dug down to destress and we're perfect. I still have both and they are so social. They both just went down to molt, one of which for the second time months after getting them. Not all shipping is awful if the companies know what they are doing things turn out better.

I love my hermits from reptile city and they are so personable. I think they keep them through a molt before sending them on. They both looked freshly molted and weren't afraid of people at all.

That's good to hear! I'm glad that they take such care with the crobs.