HCA: Hermit Crab Association®

[Texas]

http://www.inhabitat.com/2006/04/07/prefab-fridays-prefab-for-hermit-crabs/
What do you think of this newest kind of artificial shell? Good idea or bad? Thoughts please![/url]

[mmslogic]

I do not like the idea.

25% of the crabs chose to change to these plastic "homes"? I'd like to know if these were freshly purchased from a store or were put in shells that didn't fit them in the first place.

Now, if these plastic homes were offered next to properly fitting shells and the crabs STILL chose the plastic, i would be intrigued. But my instinct says this 25% resulting study was biased in favor of the plastic.

Besides, we all know how picky our crabs are, what about the D shaped openings, round, thicker shells (heavier), and the thin shells that they never choose because they offer poor protection in the wild?

I say drop the idea. No government will allow tons of plastics intentionally dumped on the natural beaches as a substitute for shells.

[wodesorel]

I wish there would be a more natural way of helping, but if it's as popular with the crabs as she says (25% approval) then it might be worth it in the long run. If they're going to be using garbage anyways because of a shell shortage, at least give them something they'll like!

Of course, Nike branded crabs makes me wanna cringe.....
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26 PP (the ones with names) and 10 E (The Children of the Corn)

[meldamiriel]

I left this comment - I hope they let it through.

[wodesorel]

They aren't meant to be sold to people. I doubt we would ever be able to buy one. They're meant to be left on beaches were hermits are already inhabiting junk like lids and bottles because there aren't enough available shells.

http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/13/demaray.php

Here's another article on the topic that delves into a little more detail on why fake shells are needed.

Also, the articles are five years old - so the whole idea may have gone bust.
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Proud mama to 33 cats, 1 tubby hammie, 3 betta, 1 gourami, 3 clown pleco, and my 13 kuhli loaches!
26 PP (the ones with names) and 10 E (The Children of the Corn)

[suebee]

As a person who has a crab who cant stand any of the shells i find for him and goes naked from time to time trying out shells I would probably let him try one. I so wish i could get some large turbos he would like. I just posted some photos of him naked. He had a shell he liked but his molt sack wont fit in it and he has been going crazy looking for one he likes. Currently he is in a land snail shell but i know its to light for him and he is a PP and it has a D shaped hole. Id do just about anything to make him comfortable.
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Owner of 8 species I would only buy from ELHC or HCP email me at suebeebuzz@verizon.net for information on my 8/17/10 visit to ELHC
They wont remember what you said or what you did, only how you made them feel.

[Mr.Krabs]

I don't like the way they we're designed :/ they need better designs. and a type of plastic that crabs can't cihp, if thats possible.

really though..

they need to be more curved, different opening, weights, etc..
they should almost make them like shells.. but give then some significance so that people won't take them very often.
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-The noble.
(700+ Eggs later, that title is MINE!)

[Starfish]

The design could be improved, but the idea behind it isn't bad. Crabs have been found in the wild wearing all kinds of weird things because they couldn't find a decent shell.

My big guy, Cthulhu, couldn't find a comfortable shell for the longest time, either. I think he went through about fifteen before I finally found him a polished jade turbo in a bag from AC Moore that worked. If a plastic shell had turned out to be what he needed, I wouldn't have protested.
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8 PP's - Seance, Starfish, Terra Nova Cain, Scylla, Hawthorne (all tinies/smalls,) Charybdis (medium, but just barely,) and Cthulhu and Dagon (both large)
7 E's - Calypso, Electra, Anna Miranda, Seadreamer, Cascade, August Derelith and HP Lovecraft
5 successful molts!

"Dark as the night comes to share, with stars in her hair..."

[burnin4Christ]

i think in theory this is a wonderful idea because of the shortage plus i think this would provide a little more protection against predators than old garbage laying on the beach. however i do think the design needs to be redone and testing should be done both with crabs that are in garbage as well as those in comfortable shells. althouhg if you start making them look too much like shells then we end up in the same place with people taking them as souviners.

[wolfnipplechips]

Introducing MORE plastic into the natural environment? How is that a good idea? We have enough garbage floating around in the ocean. I think it would help the crabs more if instead of producing more plastic, they should go to a beach and pick some up.
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[tlivs]

[lstanley25]

Hermit crabs need a natural environment. I could see maybe if there was some kind of serious "lack of shell" crisis going on or something, but these are just silly. Hermies need a natural shell, nothing plastic, nothing painted. Just my take on it.

Also, I agree with meldamiriel on the chipping factor. eek!

[suebee]

unfortunately, there IS a shell crisis. But i still think the glass shells are more environmentally friendly. They would break down back to sand.
_________________
Owner of 8 species I would only buy from ELHC or HCP email me at suebeebuzz@verizon.net for information on my 8/17/10 visit to ELHC
They wont remember what you said or what you did, only how you made them feel.

[lstanley25]

This is true suebee. I agree.

[Vasliki]

I have to disagree about the idea of glass shells instead of plastic. The thought of introducing more plastic to a natural environment is not idea, but there are forms of plastic now that are made from corn that are biodegradable (and I've heard reports of humans eating it, but I would be curious to see what is in it. I believe it's a resin created from corn, but I'd have to delve a little deeper to find out exactly). In this case this suggestion is brought in to help the wild population where shells are difficult to find. I'm sure the export of hermit crabs as pets doesn't help that situation either (each crab has a shell, uneducated people buy crab, crab dies, useful shell gets thrown out. Or shell is painted and rendered useless).

I could see how this could resolve some of the issues, but I could also see how it would add to problems as well. I think if the design was better with no undercut edges (smooth inside) and the concept had various designs it could serve a better application. However, when I imagine glass shells, all I can think of is the fact that if they get stepped on, they can really do some damage. Yes, plastic does too, but glass splinters and turns razor sharp.

The idea of adding shells to help is well intended, but it would be very difficult to correctly apply. There will always be several sides to the situation, unfortunately.

I'd personally enjoy seeing a shell recycling program. Increase awareness of the shell crisis and ask for people to mail in their extra shells to a specific outlet and have them redistribute the shells to needy beaches. You'd have to get permission from local biologists of course and discuss the environmental impact, but overall I'd rather see natural shells go to an area than adding more man-made junk. Can you imagine how many shells get thrown out each year to garbage dumps simply because someone 'didn't need it anymore'?