My daughter got 2 hermit crabs as a birthday gift from her friends and quickly lost interest in them. I felt sorry for the little creatures so i adopted them but had know idea how to care for them. Then I found this great channel! I and especially my hermit crabs thank you for all the great information.
@@CrabCentralStation me to I Learned The hard Way I use to have 2 trutles But since I was young I didn't buy them a proper Tank So they lived in a fish bowl with No heater and No filter I'm a little bit More mature I think But I still feel bad about there life
Let me just say, I absolutely loveeeee your channel! It is so helpful and a great guide to new hermit crab owners like me! I clicked on this video 16 minutes ago not knowing anything about shells except to not get the varnished and painted ones and I learned a ton! You are a lifesaver thank you!
Mrs Darcy. Thank you so much for this video. This “shell jacking” just happened with my hermit crabs. I kept hearing a “hissing” and couldn’t figure out what was going on. I saw one hermit crab on the other but didn’t really pay attention. After a few days I separated them. I waited because I thought it was just natural. I never knew about three shells per hermit crab. Off to Amazon I go!!
I 2nd the Shell Store for Hermit shells. I was just at their Largo shop location a week ago and got a store tour. Very friendly and passionate about what they do.
Omg you just saved my hermits crabs life! I got a neon one and I’m getting new natural shells so yeah thank you so much I just can’t not believe how I didn’t think about this Bc I was a beginner and they weren’t active at all so thank you for helping me love your channel 🦀🥰😀😁😃 Happy New Years Eve :>
I just got two hermit crabs and I’m excited to care for them , thank you for your videos, they helped so much! I had no idea the painted shells were bad! I love my hermies and you guys help make their crabitat better thanks to your videos !
Another great video! Just a couple of hours ago I added about 6 shells to their enclosure, and already one changed! I just got them yesterday, and it was one of the painted shells that it left for a natural shell!! I am so excited!! Had I not watched these videos, that crab would still be it's in old shell and unhappy.
I had no idea how to measure and the different types of shells and which ones they would like and not like! Thanks for this amazing info!! You are such an amazing person Darcy!
I heard a story about a guy who saw that wild hermit crabs were living in pieces of trash, since humans remove shells from beaches and leave trash. So he started collecting trash and leaving shells. The way it was described implied that he offered appropriate shells to crabs that were living in plastic cups or something, and the crabs "moved houses" quickly enough for him to take away the trash that had just been moved out of. I have no idea if this is true or not, but it's nice to think about.
I would like to say thank you for putting out all this video. When I got my crabs I didn't know anything. I slowly started to learn. And than I found you. When I first got thes crabs they didn't move and didn't do much at all. Now oh may there all over the place and that wheel lol they do love it. Best buy. You talked about measuring crabs in there shells that tuck up in but my one crab never goes in and was a handful to measure. Sadly I dropped him not far but it has me up set he's moving around again but it scared me. Thank you so much.
I'm so glad our videos are helping you to help your hermit crabs have their best life! I love these kinds of stories. Some crabs will make shell measuring very challenging, that's for sure!
My friend took her kids on vacation and brought back three hermit crabs. I told her everything I learned from your channel and I sent her several videos on how the information out there is incorrect and told her to follow your directions. It's been about 2 months and two of three of the hermit crabs are dead 🤦😥. She obviously never bothered watching the videos. She kept all three in a little plastic keeper with a sponge, eating the worst food from the pet store. Ugh.
When offering new growth shells, do the openings of the new shell need to be exposed, facing up, for the crab to access them or will they turn the shells over, move them around, etc to access and find the one they want?
Thank you for making these kinds of videos! Unfortunately one of my rescued hermit crab past away two months ago, due to his painted shell. For some reason it took him longer than the other hermit crab to switch to a safe shell. I did what it’s suggested, and had to buy a hermit crab to keep the lonely hermit crab company (even though I don’t believe we should BUY hermit crabs) 🙂
I love that idea of putting a second enclosure upside down on top of another enclosure to create more 'upspace'! I may do that so that I can also hang a macrame shell shop in with my little ones.
@@CrabCentralStation was just wondering as i am 12 years old my mum has had Hermit crabs all her life since she was 6years old shes 28 now and ATM we have 3 Aussy's Land Hermit Crabs 2 females (Hermès and Juju2) and 1 male (Huncho) my mum has been watching you guys forever and we have had a little problem with finding shells here where we live we do have over 30 shells that are good none of witch have tried on but I was wondering where do yous get the Turtle Turbo shells... i would like to gift to my mum for her birthday soon 😆😇🐚🐚🐚
@@CrabCentralStation thank you so much also forgot to add shes got the 3 babies in a 3ft tank and I've heard mum many times say that although shes had hermits before computers xame out yous guys have taught her so much new things that she's been teaching us all of the stuff and i wanted to show her just how much I have been listening to her. Thank you thank you so much...😇😇😆😆💖✊✊#lovehermitcrabsforever
Oh my goodness! This comment warms my heart! Thank you so much! That is the sweetest comment ❤ Thank you for supporting our channel and making a great life for your hermit crabs, well done!
Hello! I am so glad I found your channel. I kept hermit crabs about 9 years ago and I had some idea on how to care for them. But your channel has taught me so much more. I recently rescued 4 hermit crabs from a beach store and set them up in our tank at home. I reluctantly got one in a painted shell for my daughter. She really wanted it and I thought I could go ahead and get it and then use it as a teaching opportunity for what a crab needs. It was in a painted turbo shell. I offered it several others in similar size and shape. But, finally, after a week, it changed to a babylonian shell. I immediately removed the painted shell. However, it does seem too big for the shell it chose and doesn't look very comfortable. I have ordered more shells that are coming very soon. Should I be concerned I might end up with a naked crab?
Ok so i know that i had to hermit crabs then they dies... then we went to Florida got 3 healthy looking hermit crabs, we named them Sebastian, scuttle, squirt, now last night Sebastian was turning a shell then measuring it, then he jumped in it, then he noticed it was to small, and now i need help trying to find the right size of the perfect shell for him. P.S they came in natural shells :) and there is no shell jacking
The video you are commenting on is a great tool to teach you how to measure the shell and how to tell what type of shell your specie of hermit crab likes to wear. In the description of the video we have a link to our favorite online shell shop. The owner of that shop actually owns hermit crabs and knows how to size the shells for them properly. Just let him know you are looking for hermit crab shells and that CCS sent you over to him. He is great and will be glad to help you out.
Hey CCS! I just wanted to quickly thank you for this video! I was in desperate need of some new growth shells, so thank you for providing great resources! I just got the new shells today and the crab is already thinking of trying some on!
I rescued some hermit crabs a few weeks ago from a pet co that was cramped with like a 5 gallon tank and gravel and I find all my shells and just boil it then put it in when it’s cooled down
My philosopher crab (which I call until it has a name) has one of those awkward shells with the long bit on the end. I often find that one propped up somewhere diagonally just chilling with only the corners of the shell touching any surface. This is the crab that sits on top of the tunnelling sand just keeping watch when one of the other crabs has buried itself. I think this one may be an esoteric master of some kind. This is by far the most active crab in my crabitat.
This one used to have the pretty spikes on the shell but has removed them all. Maybe just offer the spikey shells anyway incase they like the interior and the opening because the spikes might be something they see as snacks they can carry around with them.
Sure, you can definitely offer them, and you are right, some crabs may take the shells. They are safe, as we said in the video, they just aren't commonly worn. So, if you want to offer them (and good point, they can eat them for extra calcium!), make sure you also offer several choices in shells that are more commonly accepted. This will help you avoid a crab going naked.
I am thinking about getting this little guys and I had some bu they had died fast. 2 years later and so then I found this great great channal thank you so much :)
I need help with the shells. I followed your video advice and now have ample supply of shells. Our one hermit crab is too big for his shell. He nibbles on other shells, as if he’s going to change into them, then loses interest. He can’t fully fit inside his current shell. We’ve offered both round and D opening shells. He’s in a magpie shell, we even shells just like the one he is in larger size. Still no interest in changing. What am I doing wrong?
Unfortunately there is no way to make hermit crabs change shells. Our job as their care takers is to make sure we are offering all of the resources they need. Then we just have to let them be crabs. We have a few crabs that like small shells and some that prefer big shells. Who knows why some choose one over the other? We just make sure to have enough shells in a variety of sizes at all times.
My small crab Hermie refuses to change shells. I thought after they molt he would. All June he stayed under in a temp tank. I had him for about 2 going on 3 months. I got the money together this month for a 20 gallon long. I brought a bigger hermit crab named Crabby Bill. It is so cute Hermie which is small follows him around and wants to be where ever he is. I had Crabby for a month and a half. When I got him 30 mins later he changed his shell. Hermie came in a gray rock-like shell. I got the right shells no paint etc but he just doesn't seem to be into moving into a new shell.
The good news is that he is in a natural shell, so there is nothing to worry about. Hermit crabs will change shells when they are ready. There is nothing we can do to make them change. Just make sure you have shells available in the correct shape and size, and then let them do their crabby things.
Where do you find small shells? I went everywhere to find small shells because the shells my new crabs are in are so tiny and I know they need slightly bigger , not way bigger.
My hermit crab changed out of its varnished shell in the salt water. It found one it liked I was using for then to stand on. How long should I let the new crab hang out in the salt water? I’m not sure if he knows how to get out. We got them from the beach about a month ago and this is the first time I’ve ever seen this one in the water
a sad fact on the "My crab wont change out of his painted shell" some pet stores and beach shops actually GLUE them into the painted "prettier" shells so they are more appealing then just throw natural shells in the display or leave a few in natural shells so it seems like the others picked the painted ones.
No, they don't have to be smooth. It's best to offer several different kinds in the correct shape and size. Your crab will pick the one they like best.
hi, I have 2 purple pincher hermit crabs and about a month ago the bigger one, Coral switched shells and the smaller one, hermy took Coral's old shell, so Coral's new shell was not like one of the native purple pincher shells (indian top shell) and he was in a whale eye shell. it seemed like it fit him well but he would sometimes switch into the big turbo shell then leave a few minutes later and go into the wayyy to small hermy's old shell he would then stay in that for a day or 2 then move back into the whale eye shell for about a week then the whole process begins again. so I guess he does not really like the whale eye shell but im pretty sure it fits him well. where do you get your hermit crab shells, cause he probably hates all those shells and I don't want him to get stressed. Thanks.
Ken Lipe from The Shell Store on etsy is awesome! He has hermit crabs and knows how to measure shells and what kind are liked by hermit crabs. Go to www.theshellstore.com
AWE MAN ... my daughter and i recently came back from Myrtle beach and we bought a hermit crab with everything the shop gave us...small "condo" came with a shell and sponge for water.. and a container of dried pellet "hermit crab food". This is my first time ever having a hermit crab and i just want to make sure im doing everything i can so he can survive and my daughter is happy. The shop told me to keep gravel in the tank... didn't mention anything about salt water... says no pools because they can drown... im just VERY CONFUSED... its been a week.. and i have tried to give him fresh zucchini and yellow pepper i hardly see him touch it... i do think i see him drink but i am not sure.. we bought only 1 SHELL so its obvious i need to grab more and some eco earth and set up his tank different... but i never got to purge him... i just got around to your channel and i guess im just looking for some help... he hardly walks around the tank and i think that is because of the pebbles or its not warm enough .. hes not happy.. hes stressed... looking for help! :)...
HI! So sorry for the late response, you can message us on instagram for direct help! New crabs often go through a period of de-stressing where they acclimate to their new surroundings. It is totally normal. We recommend doing the PPS Method (as seen in this video: th-cam.com/video/-Heriyvv2mo/w-d-xo.html) to acclimate hermit crabs to their new environment. It may take several different times feeding a food before they get comfortable with it. Hopefully he has eaten in the past two weeks. Let us know if there is anything else we can help with :)
Probably a good idea to keep him. Often times people release their unwanted hermit crabs. There are only a few places in the United States that hermit crabs are native to. Check out our videos for information on how to care for your new rescue!
Where do you get shells above 3.5 inches? I just ordered a 3-3/5 inch one cause I think my crab Hermit want to change shells. He is getting so big. I got some 2-2.7 inch shells butt they seemed too small for him. He did change into one then a minute later switched back. I believe the shell he has is a 2-2.5 inch one. So I ordered a 3-3/5 inch one off Amazon. However any bigger I seem to have a hard time finding. I have no idea when he will stop growing. He is a purple pincher I read full size is 4 inches. Do I need to only worry about one more shell 4-4.7 or will I need larger 5-6-7 etc?
And pay attention! If your crabs all start wearing the same style/size of shell, you will need to buy more growth shells for your shell shop. Keep updating! I ended up with a naked crab before I realized my mistake. (Yes, I used the CCS Mug Method to save him- see “Help, I have a Naked Crab!”)
I don’t know if you will answer but I really want to know if 3d printed shells would be ok because a friend really wants to make one but I’m not sure it’s safe :(
Hello! Although 3D printed shells would be cool and cheaper… they are not safe for crabs. Natural shells are porous and allow for a healthy oxygen exchange. 3d printed shells would not allow for this exchange.
at least a 20 gallon! 10 gallons per crab! We would suggest having at least three crabs though. They are extremely social, and it would negatively effect the health of a crab if it only friend were to disappear for a molt! for three crabs we suggest 30 gallons!
Hello! I have a hermit crab molting. I am getting a new tank and I don’t know if I should move my other hermit crabs to my new tank. What would you recommend??
Hi! You can move your other crabs to the new tank, but never dig up a molting crab unless there is an emergency! You can move him over when he comes back up. Or, if you don’t want to keep up with two tanks you can leave the other crabs in there until he comes up. You’ll also have plenty of time to get the new tank set up correctly and how you want it!
Am I crazy for wanting to build a crabatat that’s 4x4x8 and have two decent sized ponds in it and use reef rock in the saltwater pond and lace rock for the fresh water
Crazy????? Yes! Crazy COOL! We have 10 gallon pools in our build. Keep in mind though, that we do not advise any other live animals to be housed with hermit crabs. We tried fresh water fish and it did not go well.... for the fish. Turns out crabs are good fishers! We do have live rock, live sand, coral, in our tanks.
Yes I was wondering if anyone wants to get together and do a shell exchange? I have many smaller shells i do not need anymore that my hermies have outgrown and would be willing to swap them out with someone else for larger ones. Kind of do what the hermies do in nature.
Help me, my family brought home some shells from are beach trip and when going through them we found a hermit crab. We will take care care of him but what do we do to make sure he will survive?
It’s most likely a salt water hermit crab, one that needs to live in the ocean. We only know about land hermit crabs! If it’s a land hermit crab we can help you! Feel free to send us a picture through direct messages on Instagram or Facebook
I have three Australian hermit crabs. They have a selection of 15 spare natural shells to chage into and the biggest two crabs have changed multiple times during the two years that i have had them. The smallest crab has molted once but not changed shell in two years. Should i be conserned about him not changing shell or is he just taking his time?
We have found some at craft stores and even Walmart. They usually come in multi- packs though. Some of the shells will be usable and some will not. Sometimes you can find them on FB market too.
I looked at the Shell Store website for shells and I absolutely hate it! It's like a 1990's HTML website! They say that they the hermit crab portion of the website is under construction and to go to their Etsy/Ebay sites. No real variety right now. Either tiny shells or super huge ones. Hoping that there is a better selection when they get the hermit crab portion up and running.
I bought mine from a pet store. The pet store had NO idea what type of crab they were. I have no idea either. I keep the tank at 80 degrees F and just added filters and bubbler's to the water pools. They are just no very active. I even feed them fresh veggies and shrimp every night. What should I do? IK at least 3 are below the sand either molting or hiding all at the same time. There were no fish smells or anything yet.
Hi! There aren’t any ways to safely decorate the shell yourself, but some retailers sell carved shells that are safe. No paint or decor is safe for hermit crabs
Do you have other shells in the tank for them? Are they the correct type of shell and the right size for your crabs? If not, they will fight over the shells they have.
I just got my e’s and they changed immediatel, their shells were Waaaaay to small for them, afterwards I looked inside and the shell didn’t have a spiral! That carved the entire inside out🤣
Thankyou for your amazing achievements how incredible. Do you know where the shells are collected from? and what has happened to the creatures who lived in them?
My hermit crabs didn’t come with painted shells but they were selling a bunch of painted shells at the shopAnd they had very few natural shells but I got the most natural ones I could find
Hi!! I love your videos so much they have definitely helped me step up my hermit crab care!! They are so happy but I do have a bit of a problem i have some very large hermit crabs. I can never find shells that are big enough, that isn't 50$, or they have some type of varnish on it! they really like the d sized opening i can always find turbo shells but I've offered them turbo shells and they never have enough room for their hole body I've looked everywhere ebay, etsy, Amazon, theshellshop, petsmart, petco, chewy, and Facebook market place. The opening has to be about 2 1/4 and have a d sized opening that has alot of space for the rest of there body. If anyone has any ideas or websites I can order from that might have something I'm looking for let me know!! Thank u!
@@rayleneshaffer8997yes if you take sand paper and sand it all off u will be able to get all the varnish off just boil it in prime water after your done about 3 times to make sure u got everything off!
@@rayleneshaffer8997I bought a shell from a beach shop for about 3 dollars took it home used sand paper to get it all off and boiled it in prime and it came out great! I've done it with a couple shells now also works with painted shells too but the paint takes longer to get off because sometimes they will put the paint in the back of the shells so u have to throw it away or take alot of time to make sure u get it all out of the shell!
Crab Central Station ok! Thank you so much! Also fun fact one of the shells had a exoskeleton barely hanging on to it! It looked so cool so we have it as decoration!
This is a great and informative video. Now what I want to know is are there any hermit crab species that specifically look for shells that are too large for them? I read the Ecuadorian Hermit Crabs favor shells that are too small for them, because they favor mobility over protection. So are there any species that favor shells that offer protection over mobility? Also do certain hermit crab species favor shells that once belonged to predatory snails (like the cone snail), because then they are less likely to be attacked by predators, cause they won't bother them? Also do mating and/or rivalry determine what shells are chosen? Like would a crab choose a greener shell, if its potential mate favors greener shells over brown, or white shells for Example? Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you soon :)
These are very interesting questions! I wish I knew the answer to them, but I would have to study them in their natural environment, and be able to track specific crabs over a period of time. It would be fascinating work for sure!
No, you need a natural shell. Even though the varnish may seem to come off it may not all come off. The inside of the shell is also varnished and would be difficult to get off as well. It would take too much work and we couldn’t guarantee that it would be safe after removal. It’s best to just purchase shells you know are safe. 😊
My daughter got 2 hermit crabs as a birthday gift from her friends and quickly lost interest in them. I felt sorry for the little creatures so i adopted them but had know idea how to care for them. Then I found this great channel! I and especially my hermit crabs thank you for all the great information.
R they still alive?
@@Daesgamingroom I don't understand how people Get pets randomly And Not know how to take care of them
It's true research should be done ahead of time, we learned that the hard way. We trusted the store selling the pet.... lesson learned.
@@CrabCentralStation me to I Learned The hard Way I use to have 2 trutles But since I was young I didn't buy them a proper Tank So they lived in a fish bowl with No heater and No filter I'm a little bit More mature I think But I still feel bad about there life
I would love to care for a tortoise one day 🥰... doing my research ahead of time this time though!
Let me just say, I absolutely loveeeee your channel! It is so helpful and a great guide to new hermit crab owners like me! I clicked on this video 16 minutes ago not knowing anything about shells except to not get the varnished and painted ones and I learned a ton! You are a lifesaver thank you!
Thank you so much! Sorry for the late reply, for some reason TH-cam held your comment as spam! It should be fixed now. :)
11:00 *in the tank to the left* "oh why hello there nice to see you"
where?
Mrs Darcy. Thank you so much for this video. This “shell jacking” just happened with my hermit crabs. I kept hearing a “hissing” and couldn’t figure out what was going on. I saw one hermit crab on the other but didn’t really pay attention. After a few days I separated them. I waited because I thought it was just natural. I never knew about three shells per hermit crab. Off to Amazon I go!!
I'm so glad this video helped you! Thank you for watching, learning, and loving you hermit crabs!
I 2nd the Shell Store for Hermit shells. I was just at their Largo shop location a week ago and got a store tour. Very friendly and passionate about what they do.
Omg you just saved my hermits crabs life! I got a neon one and I’m getting new natural shells so yeah thank you so much I just can’t not believe how I didn’t think about this Bc I was a beginner and they weren’t active at all so thank you for helping me love your channel 🦀🥰😀😁😃 Happy New Years Eve :>
We are so glad we could help!
you really have a video for everything haha youre saving me at every turn
I just got two hermit crabs and I’m excited to care for them , thank you for your videos, they helped so much! I had no idea the painted shells were bad! I love my hermies and you guys help make their crabitat better thanks to your videos !
Yay! Thank you so much for joining us at CCS! We're so glad our videos are helping you and your crabbies!
Another great video! Just a couple of hours ago I added about 6 shells to their enclosure, and already one changed! I just got them yesterday, and it was one of the painted shells that it left for a natural shell!! I am so excited!! Had I not watched these videos, that crab would still be it's in old shell and unhappy.
Wonderful!!! We are so glad our videos are helping you on your hermie journey!
I had no idea how to measure and the different types of shells and which ones they would like and not like! Thanks for this amazing info!! You are such an amazing person Darcy!
Thank you so much! You are too kind! Glad we I could help! -Darcy
Thank you for all your videos if it wasn’t for y’all my crabs wouldnt have changed shells and have molted perfectly! Thank you!!!!!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching
Great stuff!
I heard a story about a guy who saw that wild hermit crabs were living in pieces of trash, since humans remove shells from beaches and leave trash. So he started collecting trash and leaving shells. The way it was described implied that he offered appropriate shells to crabs that were living in plastic cups or something, and the crabs "moved houses" quickly enough for him to take away the trash that had just been moved out of. I have no idea if this is true or not, but it's nice to think about.
thank you so much for these awesome vids for helping my hermit crabs!! i love them so much and i want them to be comfortble in there new home:)
Thanks for watching!
I would like to say thank you for putting out all this video. When I got my crabs I didn't know anything. I slowly started to learn. And than I found you. When I first got thes crabs they didn't move and didn't do much at all. Now oh may there all over the place and that wheel lol they do love it. Best buy. You talked about measuring crabs in there shells that tuck up in but my one crab never goes in and was a handful to measure. Sadly I dropped him not far but it has me up set he's moving around again but it scared me. Thank you so much.
I'm so glad our videos are helping you to help your hermit crabs have their best life! I love these kinds of stories. Some crabs will make shell measuring very challenging, that's for sure!
My friend took her kids on vacation and brought back three hermit crabs. I told her everything I learned from your channel and I sent her several videos on how the information out there is incorrect and told her to follow your directions. It's been about 2 months and two of three of the hermit crabs are dead 🤦😥. She obviously never bothered watching the videos. She kept all three in a little plastic keeper with a sponge, eating the worst food from the pet store. Ugh.
You did your best to save them! Thank you for trying!
Thank you so much for all these helpful tips!❤
I think the shell measuring stuff was super helpful!!
Yay so glad to hear that!
Sorry I’ve been busy for a few days but thanks for the video! It was helpful
Hello past me....
When offering new growth shells, do the openings of the new shell need to be exposed, facing up, for the crab to access them or will they turn the shells over, move them around, etc to access and find the one they want?
Thank you for making these kinds of videos! Unfortunately one of my rescued hermit crab past away two months ago, due to his painted shell. For some reason it took him longer than the other hermit crab to switch to a safe shell. I did what it’s suggested, and had to buy a hermit crab to keep the lonely hermit crab company (even though I don’t believe we should BUY hermit crabs) 🙂
Thanks for sharing! We also, sadly, had this problem as well. Hopefully one day, the industry can be overturned!
I love that idea of putting a second enclosure upside down on top of another enclosure to create more 'upspace'! I may do that so that I can also hang a macrame shell shop in with my little ones.
They will LOVE it!
Could you please make a video explaining more about the prime
The four shell openings are:
“O”
“D”
“()”
And slit openings “|”
Thanks for letting us know! We wanted to Focus on the two types that hermit crabs typically enjoy 😊
@@CrabCentralStation was just wondering as i am 12 years old my mum has had Hermit crabs all her life since she was 6years old shes 28 now and ATM we have 3 Aussy's Land Hermit Crabs 2 females (Hermès and Juju2) and 1 male (Huncho) my mum has been watching you guys forever and we have had a little problem with finding shells here where we live we do have over 30 shells that are good none of witch have tried on but I was wondering where do yous get the Turtle Turbo shells... i would like to gift to my mum for her birthday soon 😆😇🐚🐚🐚
What a wonderful birthday gift idea! I'm sure she will be absolutely delighted! We get our shells from this website
www.theshellstore.com
@@CrabCentralStation thank you so much also forgot to add shes got the 3 babies in a 3ft tank and I've heard mum many times say that although shes had hermits before computers xame out yous guys have taught her so much new things that she's been teaching us all of the stuff and i wanted to show her just how much I have been listening to her. Thank you thank you so much...😇😇😆😆💖✊✊#lovehermitcrabsforever
Oh my goodness! This comment warms my heart! Thank you so much! That is the sweetest comment ❤ Thank you for supporting our channel and making a great life for your hermit crabs, well done!
Hello! I am so glad I found your channel. I kept hermit crabs about 9 years ago and I had some idea on how to care for them. But your channel has taught me so much more.
I recently rescued 4 hermit crabs from a beach store and set them up in our tank at home. I reluctantly got one in a painted shell for my daughter. She really wanted it and I thought I could go ahead and get it and then use it as a teaching opportunity for what a crab needs.
It was in a painted turbo shell. I offered it several others in similar size and shape. But, finally, after a week, it changed to a babylonian shell. I immediately removed the painted shell. However, it does seem too big for the shell it chose and doesn't look very comfortable. I have ordered more shells that are coming very soon. Should I be concerned I might end up with a naked crab?
I’m sorry I missed your comment! How are things going now?
I need shells and a buddy for mine. So thank u so much for helping me with shells. I have to go get some.
Thank you!! This explanation was very thorough and easy to understand. ♥️
Thank you!
I want to save 3 or more from their painted shellls in petco😊 thanks for ur channel! It’s hard to find people that care about them as good as you 3!!
Ok so i know that i had to hermit crabs then they dies... then we went to Florida got 3 healthy looking hermit crabs, we named them Sebastian, scuttle, squirt, now last night Sebastian was turning a shell then measuring it, then he jumped in it, then he noticed it was to small, and now i need help trying to find the right size of the perfect shell for him. P.S they came in natural shells :) and there is no shell jacking
The video you are commenting on is a great tool to teach you how to measure the shell and how to tell what type of shell your specie of hermit crab likes to wear. In the description of the video we have a link to our favorite online shell shop. The owner of that shop actually owns hermit crabs and knows how to size the shells for them properly. Just let him know you are looking for hermit crab shells and that CCS sent you over to him. He is great and will be glad to help you out.
Hey CCS! I just wanted to quickly thank you for this video! I was in desperate need of some new growth shells, so thank you for providing great resources! I just got the new shells today and the crab is already thinking of trying some on!
Yay! Awesome!!! Let’s go little buddy, find some new pants!!!
There is sooo much more to hermit crabs than meets the eye! Thank you!
We never in our wildest dreams imagined the type of care they required.
I rescued some hermit crabs a few weeks ago from a pet co that was cramped with like a 5 gallon tank and gravel and I find all my shells and just boil it then put it in when it’s cooled down
I rescued a crab his name is Elmo the pet of hade a 15 gallon though
Elmo, cute!
My philosopher crab (which I call until it has a name) has one of those awkward shells with the long bit on the end. I often find that one propped up somewhere diagonally just chilling with only the corners of the shell touching any surface. This is the crab that sits on top of the tunnelling sand just keeping watch when one of the other crabs has buried itself. I think this one may be an esoteric master of some kind. This is by far the most active crab in my crabitat.
This one used to have the pretty spikes on the shell but has removed them all. Maybe just offer the spikey shells anyway incase they like the interior and the opening because the spikes might be something they see as snacks they can carry around with them.
Sure, you can definitely offer them, and you are right, some crabs may take the shells. They are safe, as we said in the video, they just aren't commonly worn. So, if you want to offer them (and good point, they can eat them for extra calcium!), make sure you also offer several choices in shells that are more commonly accepted. This will help you avoid a crab going naked.
Good editing guys! Yay what a great vid!
Can I use some from the beach? 🐚 I used to clllect then and I thought they would love those! ❤😊
If you take shells from the beach you may potentially be leaving another Kermit to have to live in a piece of plastic. Don't you get it?
Great job as always and so helpful!!
Thanks!!
Omg I’m early why. Was it private at first
We had an issue with the first version and had to reupload! Thanks for being patient with us! 😊
The real reason why it’s called turbo is because it comes from a turban snail that makes these shells for hermit crabs
Yes! Isn't it so cool?!
Thank you so very much you may have just saved there lives.
Awe! Thank you! We’re trying really hard to get the right information out there!
Thank you for this video. Very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
This video gave really great information thanks for sharing 💯✌️👍😊
GREAT! I'm so glad our channel was able to help you on your journey! Thanks for joining us!
I am thinking about getting this little guys and I had some bu they had died fast. 2 years later and so then I found this great great channal thank you so much :)
I'm so glad our videos are helping you!
I just received hermit crab shells. Is it necessary to add chlorine to the water while boiling, or is the water enough?
ILY!
I need help with the shells. I followed your video advice and now have ample supply of shells. Our one hermit crab is too big for his shell. He nibbles on other shells, as if he’s going to change into them, then loses interest. He can’t fully fit inside his current shell. We’ve offered both round and D opening shells. He’s in a magpie shell, we even shells just like the one he is in larger size. Still no interest in changing. What am I doing wrong?
Unfortunately there is no way to make hermit crabs change shells. Our job as their care takers is to make sure we are offering all of the resources they need. Then we just have to let them be crabs. We have a few crabs that like small shells and some that prefer big shells. Who knows why some choose one over the other? We just make sure to have enough shells in a variety of sizes at all times.
My small crab Hermie refuses to change shells. I thought after they molt he would. All June he stayed under in a temp tank. I had him for about 2 going on 3 months. I got the money together this month for a 20 gallon long. I brought a bigger hermit crab named Crabby Bill. It is so cute Hermie which is small follows him around and wants to be where ever he is. I had Crabby for a month and a half. When I got him 30 mins later he changed his shell. Hermie came in a gray rock-like shell. I got the right shells no paint etc but he just doesn't seem to be into moving into a new shell.
The good news is that he is in a natural shell, so there is nothing to worry about. Hermit crabs will change shells when they are ready. There is nothing we can do to make them change. Just make sure you have shells available in the correct shape and size, and then let them do their crabby things.
Where do you find small shells? I went everywhere to find small shells because the shells my new crabs are in are so tiny and I know they need slightly bigger , not way bigger.
theshellstore.com/
My hermit crab changed out of its varnished shell in the salt water. It found one it liked I was using for then to stand on. How long should I let the new crab hang out in the salt water? I’m not sure if he knows how to get out. We got them from the beach about a month ago and this is the first time I’ve ever seen this one in the water
I have not seen that old cartoon show in a long time, if I remember correctly that cartoon was a hanna barbeara who made it.
We love strawberry shortcake! Such a nostalgic show for us
a sad fact on the "My crab wont change out of his painted shell" some pet stores and beach shops actually GLUE them into the painted "prettier" shells so they are more appealing then just throw natural shells in the display or leave a few in natural shells so it seems like the others picked the painted ones.
Right! It’s so sad :( I hope one day our world can do better for its animals
I have a small hermit crab it just picked up and I was told not to get shells that are pointy do they have to be completely round and smooth
No, they don't have to be smooth. It's best to offer several different kinds in the correct shape and size. Your crab will pick the one they like best.
Thanks for the advise
😁😀😀😊😊☺☺
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this information.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
You guys helped us
AWESOME! we're so glad our videos have been helpful! Thanks for watching, we appreciate you!
hi, I have 2 purple pincher hermit crabs and about a month ago the bigger one, Coral switched shells and the smaller one, hermy took Coral's old shell, so Coral's new shell was not like one of the native purple pincher shells (indian top shell) and he was in a whale eye shell. it seemed like it fit him well but he would sometimes switch into the big turbo shell then leave a few minutes later and go into the wayyy to small hermy's old shell he would then stay in that for a day or 2 then move back into the whale eye shell for about a week then the whole process begins again. so I guess he does not really like the whale eye shell but im pretty sure it fits him well. where do you get your hermit crab shells, cause he probably hates all those shells and I don't want him to get stressed. Thanks.
Ken Lipe from The Shell Store on etsy is awesome! He has hermit crabs and knows how to measure shells and what kind are liked by hermit crabs. Go to www.theshellstore.com
@@CrabCentralStation thank you so much i will check him out right now!
Where can I find large shells I've looked everywhere I need them a little bigger then a half dollar
You can try Hermit Harbor on Etsy. They are GREAT!
Can you please tell me when you get the shell hammocks? The one behind you over your right shoulder.
I'm sorry.... I really don't remember 🤔🤪
AWE MAN ... my daughter and i recently came back from Myrtle beach and we bought a hermit crab with everything the shop gave us...small "condo" came with a shell and sponge for water.. and a container of dried pellet "hermit crab food". This is my first time ever having a hermit crab and i just want to make sure im doing everything i can so he can survive and my daughter is happy. The shop told me to keep gravel in the tank... didn't mention anything about salt water... says no pools because they can drown... im just VERY CONFUSED... its been a week.. and i have tried to give him fresh zucchini and yellow pepper i hardly see him touch it... i do think i see him drink but i am not sure.. we bought only 1 SHELL so its obvious i need to grab more and some eco earth and set up his tank different... but i never got to purge him... i just got around to your channel and i guess im just looking for some help... he hardly walks around the tank and i think that is because of the pebbles or its not warm enough .. hes not happy.. hes stressed... looking for help! :)...
HI! So sorry for the late response, you can message us on instagram for direct help! New crabs often go through a period of de-stressing where they acclimate to their new surroundings. It is totally normal. We recommend doing the PPS Method (as seen in this video: th-cam.com/video/-Heriyvv2mo/w-d-xo.html) to acclimate hermit crabs to their new environment. It may take several different times feeding a food before they get comfortable with it. Hopefully he has eaten in the past two weeks. Let us know if there is anything else we can help with :)
Hey C.C.S! I’ve got a question for you! I found my little dude on the side of the road. Should I release him? Or is it okay for me to keep him?
Probably a good idea to keep him. Often times people release their unwanted hermit crabs. There are only a few places in the United States that hermit crabs are native to. Check out our videos for information on how to care for your new rescue!
Where do you get shells above 3.5 inches? I just ordered a 3-3/5 inch one cause I think my crab Hermit want to change shells. He is getting so big. I got some 2-2.7 inch shells butt they seemed too small for him. He did change into one then a minute later switched back. I believe the shell he has is a 2-2.5 inch one. So I ordered a 3-3/5 inch one off Amazon. However any bigger I seem to have a hard time finding. I have no idea when he will stop growing. He is a purple pincher I read full size is 4 inches. Do I need to only worry about one more shell 4-4.7 or will I need larger 5-6-7 etc?
Try www.theshellstore.com
My late crab Missisipi used the white and brown d shells,she was a purple pincher.She was a weirdo tho lol
And pay attention! If your crabs all start wearing the same style/size of shell, you will need to buy more growth shells for your shell shop. Keep updating! I ended up with a naked crab before I realized my mistake. (Yes, I used the CCS Mug Method to save him- see “Help, I have a Naked Crab!”)
Great point!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
wow. you just unearthed a deeply buried memory of strawberry shortcake from my 80’s baby brain 😅
We love strawberry shortcake!!
I don’t know if you will answer but I really want to know if 3d printed shells would be ok because a friend really wants to make one but I’m not sure it’s safe :(
Hello! Although 3D printed shells would be cool and cheaper… they are not safe for crabs. Natural shells are porous and allow for a healthy oxygen exchange. 3d printed shells would not allow for this exchange.
@@CrabCentralStation thank you!
And where do u buy your shells
We shop at www.theshellstore.com
My friend is giving away her hermit crabs so im taking yes i have done my research but what size tank might i need for two meideum crabs??
at least a 20 gallon! 10 gallons per crab! We would suggest having at least three crabs though. They are extremely social, and it would negatively effect the health of a crab if it only friend were to disappear for a molt! for three crabs we suggest 30 gallons!
I think you misread the ruler. The shell looked to be 1-5/8, not 1-3/4.
Very informative! I have been measuring D shaped opening shells in the wrong direction 😅
Yay! Glad to help 😊
One of mine is in a painted shell and he is too big for it how would I Measure that one without hurting him
You just gently ace the ruler across his legs. Because he is soooo big for that shell, you might want to go up a half size.
@@CrabCentralStation ok ty so much
Do I add prime before boiling water or during? Does it matter???
Either is fine … before or after.
Hello! I have a hermit crab molting. I am getting a new tank and I don’t know if I should move my other hermit crabs to my new tank. What would you recommend??
Hi! You can move your other crabs to the new tank, but never dig up a molting crab unless there is an emergency! You can move him over when he comes back up. Or, if you don’t want to keep up with two tanks you can leave the other crabs in there until he comes up. You’ll also have plenty of time to get the new tank set up correctly and how you want it!
Crab Central Station thank you so much!
Am I crazy for wanting to build a crabatat that’s 4x4x8 and have two decent sized ponds in it and use reef rock in the saltwater pond and lace rock for the fresh water
Crazy????? Yes! Crazy COOL! We have 10 gallon pools in our build. Keep in mind though, that we do not advise any other live animals to be housed with hermit crabs. We tried fresh water fish and it did not go well.... for the fish. Turns out crabs are good fishers! We do have live rock, live sand, coral, in our tanks.
@crab central station do you know any other places I can get good/safe hermit crab shells?
We love to use theshellstore.com
Yes I was wondering if anyone wants to get together and do a shell exchange? I have many smaller shells i do not need anymore that my hermies have outgrown and would be willing to swap them out with someone else for larger ones. Kind of do what the hermies do in nature.
That's a great idea! There is a sell and swap group associated with The Land Hermit Crabs Owners Society on Facebook.
Are shell that have a shiny metal looking inside bad for hermit crabs
Nope, that is a natural shell (if I’m picturing the kind you are referring to).
Help me, my family brought home some shells from are beach trip and when going through them we found a hermit crab. We will take care care of him but what do we do to make sure he will survive?
It’s most likely a salt water hermit crab, one that needs to live in the ocean. We only know about land hermit crabs! If it’s a land hermit crab we can help you! Feel free to send us a picture through direct messages on Instagram or Facebook
I have three Australian hermit crabs. They have a selection of 15 spare natural shells to chage into and the biggest two crabs have changed multiple times during the two years that i have had them. The smallest crab has molted once but not changed shell in two years. Should i be conserned about him not changing shell or is he just taking his time?
Maybe wash the shells? Try a few new options? They definitely should be changing shells and growing.
Does anyone know where to get shells in the Dallas Texas area? I would prefer to buy in person and not to order online.
We have found some at craft stores and even Walmart. They usually come in multi- packs though. Some of the shells will be usable and some will not. Sometimes you can find them on FB market too.
I looked at the Shell Store website for shells and I absolutely hate it! It's like a 1990's HTML website! They say that they the hermit crab portion of the website is under construction and to go to their Etsy/Ebay sites. No real variety right now. Either tiny shells or super huge ones. Hoping that there is a better selection when they get the hermit crab portion up and running.
Try this shop….
www.hermitharbor.com
What kind of shells would crazy crabs (coenobita variabilis ) need?
They mostly prefer D shaped openings.
Crab Central Station thanks!
I bought mine from a pet store. The pet store had NO idea what type of crab they were. I have no idea either. I keep the tank at 80 degrees F and just added filters and bubbler's to the water pools. They are just no very active. I even feed them fresh veggies and shrimp every night. What should I do? IK at least 3 are below the sand either molting or hiding all at the same time. There were no fish smells or anything yet.
Hello Link! As you crabs acclimate to your tank conditions they will become more active!
Nice the vid was very helpfull
Are there any paints or color materials that are safe for crab shells? If you want to personally decorate them
Hi! There aren’t any ways to safely decorate the shell yourself, but some retailers sell carved shells that are safe. No paint or decor is safe for hermit crabs
do you have a meet and great?
In person? Or online?
My question is that my two hermit crabs traded their shells so can you explain why? Please
Do you have other shells in the tank for them? Are they the correct type of shell and the right size for your crabs? If not, they will fight over the shells they have.
Are y’all going to make more videos? Y’all content is the best.
Yes! More videos on the way. Our next video is taking us a while to edit since it’s 30 minutes of footage! Trying to get it out ASAP
Yay!!!!
Hi I loved this video oh and first
I just got my e’s and they changed immediatel, their shells were Waaaaay to small for them, afterwards I looked inside and the shell didn’t have a spiral! That carved the entire inside out🤣
Oh wow! Hermit crabs do really love to modify their shells to fit their needs 😊
Can you use a tape measure to measure the shell
Yes
Can hermit crabs feel it if you pet their shells
Can you safely take the paint off of a shelf that you bought with the crab
No, unfortunately the paint seeps into the pours of the shells and keeps the natural oxygen exchange from occurring, which hermit crabs need.
Thankyou for your amazing achievements how incredible.
Do you know where the shells are collected from? and what has happened to the creatures who lived in them?
Most of the shells sold for crafts and hermit crabs come from the food industry.
My hermit crabs didn’t come with painted shells but they were selling a bunch of painted shells at the shopAnd they had very few natural shells but I got the most natural ones I could find
Good to hear! theshellstore.org has some great natural shell options.
Hi!! I love your videos so much they have definitely helped me step up my hermit crab care!! They are so happy but I do have a bit of a problem i have some very large hermit crabs. I can never find shells that are big enough, that isn't 50$, or they have some type of varnish on it! they really like the d sized opening i can always find turbo shells but I've offered them turbo shells and they never have enough room for their hole body I've looked everywhere ebay, etsy, Amazon, theshellshop, petsmart, petco, chewy, and Facebook market place. The opening has to be about 2 1/4 and have a d sized opening that has alot of space for the rest of there body. If anyone has any ideas or websites I can order from that might have something I'm looking for let me know!! Thank u!
Wow! Those are some big crab babies! You could…. Get the varnished shells and use a sander to get the varnish off. Just a thought.
@@CrabCentralStation thanks so much I have a big shell that is varnished so I'll give it a shot! Hopefully it works!
@@thetoastyferretsdid it work?
@@rayleneshaffer8997yes if you take sand paper and sand it all off u will be able to get all the varnish off just boil it in prime water after your done about 3 times to make sure u got everything off!
@@rayleneshaffer8997I bought a shell from a beach shop for about 3 dollars took it home used sand paper to get it all off and boiled it in prime and it came out great! I've done it with a couple shells now also works with painted shells too but the paint takes longer to get off because sometimes they will put the paint in the back of the shells so u have to throw it away or take alot of time to make sure u get it all out of the shell!
What if you have shells that have been collected from years, like a shell collection in a house, can I boil those and give them to my crabs?
Yes! You totally can, as long as they don’t have any holes, sharp edges, and are the right type.
Crab Central Station ok! Thank you so much! Also fun fact one of the shells had a exoskeleton barely hanging on to it! It looked so cool so we have it as decoration!
Cool
Thanks!
This is a great and informative video. Now what I want to know is are there any hermit crab species that specifically look for shells that are too large for them? I read the Ecuadorian Hermit Crabs favor shells that are too small for them, because they favor mobility over protection. So are there any species that favor shells that offer protection over mobility? Also do certain hermit crab species favor shells that once belonged to predatory snails (like the cone snail), because then they are less likely to be attacked by predators, cause they won't bother them? Also do mating and/or rivalry determine what shells are chosen? Like would a crab choose a greener shell, if its potential mate favors greener shells over brown, or white shells for Example? Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you soon :)
These are very interesting questions! I wish I knew the answer to them, but I would have to study them in their natural environment, and be able to track specific crabs over a period of time. It would be fascinating work for sure!
You should do a crab room tour!!
We have one in the works ;)
Thanks
is it possible to take off the varnishing on the shell?
No, you need a natural shell. Even though the varnish may seem to come off it may not all come off. The inside of the shell is also varnished and would be difficult to get off as well. It would take too much work and we couldn’t guarantee that it would be safe after removal. It’s best to just purchase shells you know are safe. 😊