HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Two of my crab have changed into much bigger shells and suddenly they seem so much more confident. They are out and about more and eating and playing more. Perhaps the bigger shells are just a symptom of them feeling more at home, but for those of you that have had crabs for a lot longer... do they tend to get an ego boost when they move into a bigger shell? I am mostly just curious. Our third crab, Hermy is still dug down. We aren't sure if she's molting or suffering from PPS. Perhaps a bigger shell would cheer her up once she surface.

Technically speaking a larger shell offers more protection because its thicker and heavier and therefor harder for a sea bird to pick up and carry off.lolThere are only a handful of known hermitcrabs species that will readily take on shells that are heavy and cumbersome including the PP or Purple Pincher which is North America's only native species reaching as far north as Miami Fl.Strawberry hermitcrabs, Ruggies and Indos will take on shells that are very heavy for the added protection which is very uncommon for most of the other species especially the E or Ecuadorian and the Blueberry which tend to be very weak in comparison and so can not handle very heavy or large shells.You have to look at the weight of the shell as a burden that the crab has to deal with so its not really that the crab is being given as sense of confidence just that it feels better protected.Most captive hermitcrabs will opt for lighter better fitting shells because the biological need for extra protection tends wane the longer the crab is in captivity so you'll typically notice crabs fresh from their natural habitat making shell choices that the other older crabs in your tank haven't made in a very very long time.

Crabby paddy went to a bigger shell cause he hated his other one , it was way to small, he hung out of it. As far giving him an ego trip..He has always been the bully/ leader of the pack. He is the first crab Kyle got and then left here at home for me to care for.Crabs will CHANGE only when they want to , they don't think oh this makes me a bad ( bleep) lol!!!