HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I live about 30 minutes from Richard's (formerly Deltona Seashells). I went to the store today and was NOT disappointed!





They are super friendly and helpful. They love getting orders for hermit shells and told me that there have been a few customers that brought their crabs into the store.

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Almost forgot this one!

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The spotted turbos are gorgeous! How nice to be able to examine shells in person for the right size and weight -- coming over all kinds of jealous here !

OH MY GOODNESS! That looks like absolute HEAVEN! I would almost make the trip to America *just* to go to that store!

Edit to Add: although I do wonder where they get all of the shells from...

Crabinski wrote:The spotted turbos are gorgeous! How nice to be able to examine shells in person for the right size and weight -- coming over all kinds of jealous here !

It was heaven! I was there almost an hour just looking thru everything. Richard appreciates all the hermit crab business and even asked me more about hermit crab care in regards to their shells. Prices were very fair as well!

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Bonk wrote:OH MY GOODNESS! That looks like absolute HEAVEN! I would almost make the trip to America *just* to go to that store!

Edit to Add: although I do wonder where they get all of the shells from...

It definitely was heaven for me! I'm so glad I went to visit and will definitely go back. I will ask about their supplier next time I go.

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Crabinski wrote:The spotted turbos are gorgeous! How nice to be able to examine shells in person for the right size and weight -- coming over all kinds of jealous here !

It was amazing! I've been to shell shops here in Florida that are on the coast but the quality was not up to par. I got dizzy at one point trying to make decisions! I love the spotted turbos too!

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Bonk wrote:Edit to Add: although I do wonder where they get all of the shells from...

I have those pangs of guilt, too, Bonk. Every time I buy pretty shells or see bins and bins of them in a store I think that for every well dressed hermit crab, there's a mollusk who was killed for the shell he built piece-by-piece with his own body. The fancier shells we all love to offer our babies aren't just found castoff on a beach somewhere. Divers go down in search of the best shells, harvesting the still living mollusks and killing them in painful ways in order to keep the shells in mint condition. It's a real dilemma for invertebrate lovers.

I ordered almost all of my shells from him! Like 75 or so. Was very very happy with them all!


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This is heaven!!! I want to go, maybe I can take the 2hr drive up there during break. I wanna get some pretty shells for my babies (:


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So envious! I would love to go there! I have always been happy with what I've ordered from them.

Man, if only I had a shop like that in town, conveniently.

mlakers wrote: I have those pangs of guilt, too, Bonk. Every time I buy pretty shells or see bins and bins of them in a store I think that for every well dressed hermit crab, there's a mollusk who was killed for the shell he built piece-by-piece with his own body. The fancier shells we all love to offer our babies aren't just found castoff on a beach somewhere. Divers go down in search of the best shells, harvesting the still living mollusks and killing them in painful ways in order to keep the shells in mint condition. It's a real dilemma for invertebrate lovers.

It is such a shame, I would love to believe that it was a happy world, but it really isn't. I think the least we can do is buy pre-loved shells. But us crab lovers are only doing what we think is right for our own colonies. That must count for something.

Well let's see...

Is this eviction and killing of these very pretty molluscs for shells in any way threatening the species?

Like, people in the past have threatened some species of elephants for the sake of their ivory tusks.

Lordhermitcrab wrote:Well let's see...

Is this eviction and killing of these very pretty molluscs for shells in any way threatening the species?

Like, people in the past have threatened some species of elephants for the sake of their ivory tusks.

So where do you purchase shells? Aren't all of these shells plucked from nature in one way or another? Jeez. I feel like I need to delete the photos since I'm the very first to share shell shops pics.

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