Hermit Crabs in Delphinia shells

Delphinia shells are consider ‘unwearable’ and ‘undesirable’ as shells for hermit crabs. I have assumed that given no other options for shells in the wild, that a hermit crab would take one of these shells. If they will wear a broken bottle why not a bad fitting shell? This Sunday I took these pictures of hermit crabs at Earthbound (St Louis Mills mall) wearing Delph shells. There were no empty non painted shells in the cages so there was not alot for them to pick from. The empty painted shells I did see were much too large.



There is another shell I photographed that is on the ‘no’ list typically, yet here is a crab wearing one. These shells are varnished with a clear coat. I’m wondering if these crabs were forced into these shells the same as they are forced into the painted shells. Earthbound only sells hermit crabs in painted/varnished shells.


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