Selecting the Ideal Hermit Crab Shells
In order to understand why hermit crab shells are an integral part of the hermit crab’s life, it’s important to learn some of the natural and instinctual behaviors of the hermit crab.
The hermit crab’s instinct is to act somewhat as a scavenger, “borrowing” the shell of another creature to use as his home. When a hermit crab enters a shell, it protects the crab’s soft body and also helps regulate their moisture, allowing them to breathe properly through their gills. Unlike most all other crustaceans, the hermit crab’s use of another animal’s shell is a very unique feature specifically to the hermit crab.
How frequently the hermit crab changes from shell to shell and the type of preferred hermit crab shells varies from species to species of hermit crabs. For example, hermit crabs from the region of Ecuador will tend to reside in a single shell for a longer time period than say hermit crabs from the Caribbean.
Contrary to popular belief, hermit crabs do not always migrate to other hermit crab shells when they go through the natural process of molting.
You’ll want to provide your hermit crabs a variety of hermit crab shells in their cage, as hermit crabs can be pretty picky when selecting a new shell for their home. Different shapes, sizes, and even opening types is ideal because if your hermit crab can get stressed if he’s not comfortable in his current or prospective hermit crab shells.
Interestingly enough, hermit crabs may also fight over a specific hermit crab shell, which often lead to the death, so it is best to prevent territorial issues in the animal kingdom by providing many hermit crab shells to choose.
As previously mentioned, size, shell type, quantity, and size of opening should all be factors when populating your cage with new hermit crab shells. Purchase hermit crab shells with larger and smaller openings. If the shell is too large, your hermit crab won’t want to use it as a home. If the shell is too small the hermit crab won’t be able to enter or exit the hermit crab shell.
Hermit crab shells can have various openings such as round, oval, slit, or D-shaped. Until you know what kind of shell your hermit crab prefers, it’s best to give him a variety.
It’s best to select regular shells as opposed to painted or decorated shells, as sometimes the paint can flake off over time, and sometimes toxic paints are used to decorate the hermit crab shells. Paint also can interfere with your hermit crab’s ability to breathe properly.
Be sure to select shells that don’t have holes or cracks. Prior to giving your crabs the shells, be sure to boil them for 5 minutes to sanitize the hermit crab shells. Drain them and allow the hermit crab shells to dry completely.
You can usually find a larger selection of hermit crab shells on the Internet or from craft stores. Shopping on the Internet allows you to easily browse by size, shape, opening, etc. Follow these basic principles of hermit crab shells and your little guys will be moving from shell to shell right before your eyes!
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