Please help identify

[Amelie]

The first pictures with a crab on a plastic lid are of our crab chocolate. I tried to get a front one but as soon as the red light points at him he turns away. I am wondering if it is normal that the last leg on the left looks a bit crippled and different to the one on the right? My second question is, the other photo of Tweedy in the painted shell, he's got a very orange colour and his body seems a bit different in general as well as his behaviour, could he be a different species? They are all bought in Perth, WA from the same shop but at different times. The crab that is up on the glass wall is Milo and looks very similar to Chocolate.

I think Tweedy might be C. variabilis and the other ones rug crabs? Any ideas?

[Amelie]

just wanted to add, Tweedy's legs look a lot slimmer than teh ones of the other 3 hermit crabs we've got.

[Wai]

The only species you can get in Australia are Coenobita variabilis, also known as the Australian land hermit crab or 'Aussie' for short. They will come in various shades, including orange, brown, grey or even pinkish red. Chocolate's leg looks damaged, but it can regenerate back to normal through several moults.

[Amelie]

Thanks heaps! I thought I read in another thread on here that you could get also rug crabs as they live on Christmas Island. Might have gotten something mixed up. Strange thing is that Tweedy has the exact same type of damage on the same leg, he's molting now again so hopefully will come out fine. By the way, the pics were taken when we first got them, have changed the substrate since then..

[Wai]

You are right, indos, straws and rugs can be found on Christmas Island. However, since it is illegal to remove wildlife from there, we aren't able to access those species. There are no Aussies on Christmas Island.

[aussieJJDude]

All very cute aussies!
And Your Chocolate looks like my barri when he came to me - damaged legs, sameish colours on the BP and legs and shell...
I hope the best for your moult

[Amelie]

Thanks aussieJJDude and thanks Wai for your reply & clarification. I know it's probably the wrong section for this answer, but Tweedy has now molted for the second time in the 4 months we've had him. One of his legs is now gone completely, the one that had a funny part. I'm contemplating putting him back in with the others, as I'm a bit worried he's a bit more vunerabel without the leg. Two others (Vanilla and Chocolate) are also now molting, which I think they have been desperate to do, so I've got Milo left, active and intact, and a leg-less Tweedy. btw I know these names are totally dorky, but that's what a 6 year old picks..haha

[aussieJJDude]

Tweedy will be fine with the other crabs...A leg wouldn't stop these lil guys
Plus, he enjoy spending a little time with his pals, as he will most likely go down for another moult to fix that leg...