HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I want to add a second level to my crabitat for more space to move around in. Getting in a shipment of new shells so maybe have my shell shop up there instead of just in the corner on the sub. I was thinking those white plastic kitchen shelves wrapped in twine with some ramps. My tree would make a good on-ramp too. Would love some other suggestions. I want it to blend in with the tank and look as natural as possible.

This is what I was thinking.

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I don't know, I'm no expert but it seems like a hazard having the shell shop above ground level. Crabs will push the shells around, some shells will fall, and could injure crabs on the ground. I guess it depends somewhat on the size of the shells/crabs, but they will get larger as the months pass...

I would say it might be less than ideal for the reasons crabacodo mentioned. BUT! I know of people who use the plastic shower corner caddies with suction cups for shell shops You can find them cheap on amazon.

https://www.google.com/shopping/product ... aign=10046

Something similar to this.

edit: Maybe something more solid though so that crabby legs don't get stuck.

I have small dollar store containers zip tied to the top of a sheet of egg crate in my 55 gal. I put a lot of shells in those containers, and the crabbies love sleeping between them. I find an occasional shell on the ground that they've shoved out, but no injuries that I've ever noticed. I like keeping the shells off of the sand so that they don't get buried as easily. I like the shelf you have a pic of. Wrapping that up in twine would make a nice climbable 2nd level.

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Thank you for your helpful comments everyone!

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Second level shell shops are fine and a vast majority of crabbers use them to help minimise shells being buried and to keep them clean. Shells are inevitably pushed off regardless if you have sides or not, and no, crabs do not get injured from falling off or falling shells. In the wild, they climb trees, and yes can fall off them (they have terrible depth perception to boot), so a fall from a couple of inches or a falling object of a couple inches on a robust shell is not an issue.

I also second the shower caddy idea previously mentioned, another good idea is to make something out of eggcrate (I see your background is) and cover it with the coconut fibre matting, the plastic plant mats or the like.