Shell Shopping!

Recently Happenings:

As you probably know, my three crabbies have painted shells. Even worse, their shells have stuff glued on, like googly eyes, and for Batman, Mickey Mouse ears!

Batman's shell is supposed to be Micky Mouse.

I feel really bad for the little guys. With all the crap sticking off their shells, it's very hard for them to squeeze around anything! So, naturally, I've been shell shopping for them.

I know that Ecuadorian crabs are VERY picky when it comes to switching shells. I hope that in my crabs' minds, anything is better than what they have now. I know that's my opinion.

I've been doing my shopping at http://www.hermitcrabpatch.com. They have a great selection of not only shells, but all things hermit crabs. Their food and supplements are superb! From what I've read on many sights, a general rule of thumb with shell changing is as follows:

1. try to get a rough measurement of your current crab's shell opening
2. have three shells for each crab: one a size smaller than their current shell (1/8" smaller), and one or two one size up (1/8" bigger)
3. one bigger and one the same size works too

My cart looks like this: 

• 3 Babylonia Areolata shells with 7/8", 1", and 1 1/8" openings
• 3 Shark Eye shells with 7/8", 1", and 1 1/8" openings
• 2 Crown Conch shells with 7/8" and 1" openings.
• 1 Japanese Land Snail shell with 1 1/8" opening

Sadly, the Babylonia Areolata shells with 1" and 1 1/8" openings are currently sold out. I'm waiting for them to be in stock again, but I have a bad feeling that when they are, one or more of the other shells I want to buy will be sold out. I waiting to hear back from the owners if they could hold the shells I want that are currently in stock for me until the 2 types of Babylonia Areolata shells are back in stock.

Crabby Activity:

Woke up today to find there had been a lot of crab traffic last night. I had put in more Crab Island™ Jungle Bed® (a mix of Forest Bed®, Coconut bark, Calci-Sand, and Pumice) onto the surface of the sand and this morning it had been mixed in.

I also put a little crumb of peanut butter cookie into the food dish. I broke off a tiny crumble and put it by each of them. Amy ate in right away on the log. I'm pretty sure Bazooka ate most of his while he was in the coconut hut, and there was just a few bits left where Batman ate his.

It looks like Batman is trying to climb the sealant in the tank, without much success. Now he's digging down in the sand. I'm wondering if its too cold, though my thermometer says the temperature is about 77°F. I'm worried that he's trying to molt. There isn't enough substrate for him to bury himself. I pushed the sand over so there's more around him, so if he wanted he could at least be covered in sand. I need to go out and buy more, but I don't know if I'll be allowed to, with all my money gone.

Pretty lackadaisical day today other than the digging and me worrying my head off.