I have had my crabs for 6 months now, and they never change shells, one crab did once about 3 weeks ago, and it changed to a crapper shell thats really big on it and that used to belong to a giant sea snail in from my fish tank.
is it ok that my crabs never change shells? also i only ahve 1 extra shell for my jumbo crab as it needs an opening of 2.5 inches and i find it impossible to find shells that large. it is still in this really crappy thin shell with a broken edge it was in at the pet shop (which had 1/2 inch of gravel as the only substrate
never changing shells
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- Zygote
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 13 May 2008, 18:52
- Hermit crabs: 3
- Location: REDFERN!
never changing shells
Meet my crabz:
The jumbo: Trotsky
The medium twins: Pythagoras III & Hermes Endarkis
The jumbo: Trotsky
The medium twins: Pythagoras III & Hermes Endarkis
- emmac350
- Coenobita
- Posts: 1949
- Joined: 22 Sep 2008, 08:08
- Gender: Female
- Hermit crabs: 6
- Total gallons: 40
- Total tanks: 2
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Re: never changing shells
You should try ebay. You can buy 75+ shells of assorted sizes or 10-ish shells of the specific size you need. Crabs are very picky about their shells, so if they don't like any of the choices, they'll refuse to change until they have no choice.
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Rack, 23 Sep 08; Benny, 23 Sep 08; Slightly, 3 Jan 09; Nibs, 3 Jan 09; Curly, 3 Jan 09; Spaz, 5 Jul 09
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Mommy to:
Rack, 23 Sep 08; Benny, 23 Sep 08; Slightly, 3 Jan 09; Nibs, 3 Jan 09; Curly, 3 Jan 09; Spaz, 5 Jul 09
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- Wai
- Administrator
- Posts: 2892
- Joined: 01 Nov 2004, 14:12
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- Total gallons: 45
- Total tanks: 1
- Location: Victoria, Australia
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Re: never changing shells
Not changing shells isn't always a bad thing. Rather, it could be a good thing. If they're really happy with their shell, then they'd be reluctant to change.
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- Coenobita
- Posts: 1563
- Joined: 21 Jan 2006, 01:23
- Location: Missouri
Re: never changing shells
When they get uncomfortable or find a better shell that they like, then they'll switch. But Wai is right, it's not bad if they don't. The best thing to do is get a variety of shells and switch the shells out every once in a while. I add a few, take out a few, replace a few, etc 1-2 times a month.
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RIP:
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- ladybug15057
- Coenobita
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Re: never changing shells
I agree and sometimes by misting within the shells with ocean water might make the shell a little more interesting to the hermie too. Some hermies seem to prefer shells with openings that fit the torso of their bodies. PP's, indos, rugs, straws normally have the rounded torso's and seem to favor the rounded opening of the turbo style shells. Where as E's have a flatter type torso and some seem to prefer the more slit D type opening shells. Of course saying that, majority of our E's here are in the turbo style shells, but they seem to have a tad of an oval opening to them.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)
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