Shells for Land Hermit Crabs?

[lorianne621]

Does anyone know a good source for Shells for Land Hermit Crabs?

All my crabs are the Purple Pincher type that you commonly see at local pet stores.

I have been keeping them for about a year and started because my son wanted them for his 5 year old daughter (now 6) and when I did some research I found out just how hard to keep they would be for her (and him)

So I bought a 40 gallon breeder and did a proper set up. Here is the build

Anyway, months later we are very successful with our crabs and we have many molts and happy crabs to keep us convinced that they are doing well. We have 14 crabs in the tank. Each of my grandchildren comes in and chooses some they call their own!

Now we need shells! Every time they molt they get bigger! They have long outgrown the little shells they came in and I have bought shells at Jo-Ann's and at Michael's but the shells I can get there are not always is good condition and most are pretty small. They are the green turbo shells and they work just fine, but then all the crabs look very much alike. I would like to get some different shells but don't know where to get them.

Does anyone know where I can find shells online that don't cost an arm and a leg? Also the crabs are picky... It can't be just any kind of shell... It must be the right shape and size... smooth, no holes etc...


Funny they are so picky when I have seen photos of crabs wearing a broken beer bottle. hahaha

 

[Coradee]

Your crabs sound very happy
Ask at your Lfs as many will often have a selection of shells, especially Lfs that have marine tanks as most salty keepers have hermits as part of their cuc & need spare shells for them

 

[lorianne621]

This is a good idea... I have looked at the LFS that has land hermits... and the supply of shells is so sadly lacking that it makes me want to tell them a thing or two... about selling hermits which are a pet aimed at little kids and then not keeping the things they need to care for them properly in stock.

Our local Petco sells Hermits in painted shells... my grandkids would love to have one of them but I refuse to buy them because I hate how they get them in the shells in the first place. I showed my granddaughter a youtube video of the Hermits being yanked out of their shells and shoved into painted shells and she changed her mind... though she thought it would be nice to buy a painted shell and see if one of hers might like it.
I will find a LFS that caters to the Salty folk and see if I can find a shell or two.

Thanks!

 

[Witchydesign]

I did a quick google search, theres a few places online you can get them. Thatpetplace has them, but you have to buy them individually.



There were a few other places but they didnt list shell size

 

[lorianne621]

I would like to find something where I have more control over what I buy... but I may try this anyway... the price doesn't seem to bad.

Thanks!

 

[Witchydesign]

Only other place i can think of is hobby stores, or if your near an ocean hit up the tourist seashell stores. Cost more but you can hand pick them.