Hermit Crab Shells
Much like reptiles and other arthropods, hermit crabs will shed their exoskeleton or "skin" every so often as they grow and develop throughout their lives. The molting process of hermit crabs takes place as follows:
A hermit crabs shell is it's most prized possession! From the moment of birth, hermit crabs set out to find a suitable snug-fitting shell that offers them protection against predators and other danger, and serves as a water reservoir to keep them well-hydrated.
As your pet hermit crabs molt and grow bigger, they will begin to look for a new shell to live in. However, not all shells will fit right to a hermit crab and because of this, they can be very picky as to what shell they choose to settle down in.
This is why it is important to offer your hermit crabs several different shells to choose from when they are finished molting. Keep in mind that although some shells may look big enough or snug enough, it is up to the hermit crab to make the final decision!
When choosing a new shell to live in, hermit crabs will usually settle with something that meets the following criteria...
- The chosen shell is often one with an oval or round opening. The opening is usually big enough to get in and out of, while at the same time, small enough for the hermit crab to cover with its large claw as a means of security and protection.
- The chosen shell will often spiral inward, offering the hermit crab plenty of room to move around near the entrance, yet more tight and restricting as it spirals in, giving the crab greater control and agility.
- The chosen shell will often spiral upward in such a way that it can hold a decent supply of water to keep the hermit crab hydrated.
In the wild, hermit crabs have the entire ocean to look for a suitable new shell to live in. Often, land hermit crabs will actually go into sea, and "steal" shells from their ocean hermit crab relatives! Because hermit crabs don't exactly have this luxury in captivity, it is up to you to supply them with several decent sized shells to choose from.
But before your hermit crabs can start shopping for a new shell, you'll have to do a little shopping or finding of your own. If you choose to use shells that you find on the beach, be sure to set them in boiling water for about ten to fifteen minutes to kill any bacteria.
If however, you choose to shop for your hermit crab shells, I recommend you check out ebay and do a search for "hermit crab shells". You'll always find a a wide variety of shells to choose from here.