article on 3-D printed shells

[ukulele4you]

I found this article and thought other people might like to read it:
http://mashable.com/2013/08/07/3d-print ... mit-crabs/

Anyway, I know that clear shell/ let alone ones with skyscrapers on top are not a good option for your crabs. The artist work was clearly to make a point, and not actually function (though the point could be made that a crab could be photo shopped into a photo with the shells.) I found the message behind the work very moving and fell in love with the idea of taking your home with you- like a hermit crab.

What do you all think?

[aldebaron0626]

I saw these on pinterest but didn't realize that they were made on a 3D printer and not made of glass. I want one for my HCs.

[Hermit-Yote]

I wonder if we'll see normal turbo versions sale sometime. We'd have to make sure they're safe material and smooth, though first.

[khs12]

I'm not sure that those would be a good idea...From what I've read, the crabs will sometimes eat their shells, tiny bits of course, to get calcium, and I doubt that those offer any....

[ErikRasmussen]

There are some artists who do glass blow shells. The concerns i have seen with those are that they dont breathe properly, hold water properly, and may be to fragile. Someone once said that if you put glass shells in along with other good options and a crab chooses a glass shell over a turbo then it is the crabs choice.

But the 3-D printing shells is neat. Those printers are being used for so much and I am surprised the idea to 3-D print shells didn't enter the market sooner. My guess is that the same concerns will pop up. But I depending on the material it may work, who knows?

LOL Lego?? I guess they didn't notice the shell that the legos were built around.