On Being Crabby

Hermit crab farming is nothing to laugh about. Very serious stuff.

First you need to find some shells. I go down to the reef and collect empty Whelks. You have to rinse them out first and check inside, you don't want to kill any snail or creature hiding in there.

Dump the shells out in an area you can see and reach easily but with some shade for protection. Making a corral by placing rocks in a circle is a good idea.

Add food like bread and coffee grounds.

Soon the crabs will start coming, you hear them rustling and scraping. Its as if they have a sixth sense about the shells. They will then take a lot of time to studiously examine a shell, turning it, reaching inside, until just the right moment when they will pull themselves out of the old shell, give a twist and slide into the new one. At this point they'll seem a little drunk as they walk off getting used to the weight and size of the new shell. As if the whole process tired them out and was just too exciting, they will find a place to hang out and just chill.

Do You See Them?

 The assortment of old shells that turn up discarded can be sorted. If they have holes in them, are ungainly, weak or will make the crab vulnerable , they can be tossed. 

Once I had a crab get out of his shell just as another crab got into the new one he'd chosen and another crab took his old one., Uh oh! I had to intervene and find him a shell to get into. The poor guy was in a tizzy. 

In time you can tell if a new shell is the right size and put a crab with that shell. They're grateful! 

Little Fella!