Post
by soilentgringa » Mon Feb 20, 2017 1:49 am
I know this is an older topic, but:
Depending on which state you live in, it is illegal to import birgus latro. I've been told that it is a federal law that they cannot be imported into the U.S., however my google fu must be lacking as I cannot find specific citation of this tonight.
Some states require special permits to own exotic species, and birgus latro are considered to be invasive. I know that in Hawaii, owning one can earn you some jail time and a fine of around $200,000.
Last year, a German hermit crab vendor (who is banned from this group) sold a coconut crab to a teenage HCA member for 500 euro, after his father applied for a permit from their state. They waited for months for the crab to be shipped to them, and when he finally received it, he posted pics all over our FB pages. The crab in the photos was a purple pincher.
Considering the amount of space, size, and depth of substrate they would need to pull off successful molts, keeping a birgus latro in captivity would be, IMO, cruel and potentially dangerous. If a good size PP can break a pencil in half with it's claws, imagine the damage a coconut crab could do to your toes or other household pets.