Hermit Crab update

from this post

Lacey is out of the sand! Woo-Hoooo!! It took her about five weeks but she is completely molted, and is out of the sand playing with her sibling. It is so cool cause she is *considerably* bigger than what she was, much moreso than JC (Jackie Chan). Neither of them have changed shells yet, that's what we're looking for. JC's shell is starting to show wear, but at the same time, it can still pull completely inside its shell. Lacey however, is so big it cannot pull its legs inside its shell. I'm wondering if it doesn't like the shells we've placed in there and if we need to get some more. From what I understand hermit crabs are quite dedicated to their shells and can be picky in choosing one. I found this site that has very reasonably priced, beautiful, natural shells that are the same shape (snail like) Lacey is now, the ones we have differ a bit from her shell now.

We've learned so much about these creatures, they're very interesting! Someone mentioned the other night how hermit crabs "die so quickly", to which I didn't say much about cause I didn't know. I do know these hermit crabs have been in Jackson's presence for about a year, they're medium sized, and they can live thirty+ years if cared for properly. WOW!

If anyone is thinking about a "low maintenance" pet for their children, I highly recommend hermit crabs, but PLEASE, PLEASE! do not purchase one until you have FULL done the research needed to understand what they require. Yes, they're low maintenance, but they do have care requirements, and it can be somewhat pricey to start up. Just don't go into it with your eyes closed and little knowledge, and don't rely on the pet stores for your information!