Got to watch a hermit get a new home

RSully

I was walking by and noticed one of my blue legged hermit crabs spending a lot of time on an empty shell. Just constantly turning it over and over. He's in one of the cone shaped shells and that's what he moved into. I was going to take a video bu glad I didn't as the whole process took around 15 mins butt the actual shell change took about a half a second. It would constanly come almost all the way out of the shell and then dart back and start rotating the empty shell over and over until he finally made the jump. I assume he was just giving it a thorough check over? Also, he then spent another good 5 minutes right next to his old home doing what looked like little tests? He's come out a little ways, move just a bit and then dart back in. He'd do this from various postions of the shell opening refence to the sand. All in all, it was pretty cool to watch. He actually moved into the shell vacated by one of my other hermits that changed shells last weekend (still havent seen him or his new home in a few days. Is it pretty common to get to see this? Here's pictures of him in his new home next to his old. Pretty small upgrade but he seems happy.

It's the two shells in the center, he's in the left shell and the vacancy is on the right.

Reefing Madness

Oh yea, its common for them to just run out and find a new shell. In fact anytime they come across one they like they will hop out and give it a shot.

RSully

Guess that was temporary housing as he moved back to his old dwllings overnight, lol.

Reefing Madness

Prolly was looking for food.

evanlundberg4

Mine switch all the time. There's a couple larger ones that have even taken up residence in large snail shells I put in there for them. Actually even had a couple that have molted.
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RSully

I've had one molt. Dissappered for 4-5 days and finally appeared the other night.