Of the shells typically sold in stores, certain ones are most preferred by the hermit crab community. Below is a brief description of each shell, listed in no particular order. Perhaps you will want to check-off each shell in this list as you make it available to your hermit crabs and note their reactions to it. The picture to the right shows examples of the best shells you can offer land hermit crabs.
TURBO - With rounded turns of the spire, the Turbo shell can be smooth or have channeled sutures. The shell can be mottled green, blue, or brown. Some are pearly white or have stripes. Turbo shells are best known for their circular aperture and lack of a canal. They are often a purple-pincher hermit crab's favorite.
MAGPIE - A solid shell of dark green and black with white marks and a white pearly interior, this shell is most often worn by hermit crabs in their native environment. With a circular aperture and thick walls, they are often found encrusted with a rock-like sediment. Like a Turbo shell, they do not have a canal.
MUREX - This ornate shell is white with pink, brown, or black hues. Murex shells have spiny ribs caused by phases in shell growth and a rosy-pink or white circular aperture.
TULIP - This shell combines the colors of tan, brown, and white and is smooth with threadlike, encircling brown stripes and an oval aperture.
AEROLATA - This lightweight white shell is spotted with large dark brown patches and has an oval aperture.
BABYLON - Similar to the Aerolata, this is a lightweight white shell with many small and large light brown patches. It has an oval aperture.
MOON - Similar in shape to a Shark or Tiger's Eye, the Moon shell is a favorite to Ecuadorian hermit crabs. The Moon shell is glossy smooth and appears nearly flattened and wide with its oval aperture. This shell is gray, tan, or brown in color with a white underside.
KING CROWN - This shell comes in a variety of colors and has many low, knob-like projections on the spire shoulders. This shell has an oval aperture.
FAIRY - With thin walls and stripes of brown and white, the Fairy shell has a lengthy spire and oval aperture.
TURBO - With rounded turns of the spire, the Turbo shell can be smooth or have channeled sutures. The shell can be mottled green, blue, or brown. Some are pearly white or have stripes. Turbo shells are best known for their circular aperture and lack of a canal. They are often a purple-pincher hermit crab's favorite.
MAGPIE - A solid shell of dark green and black with white marks and a white pearly interior, this shell is most often worn by hermit crabs in their native environment. With a circular aperture and thick walls, they are often found encrusted with a rock-like sediment. Like a Turbo shell, they do not have a canal.
MUREX - This ornate shell is white with pink, brown, or black hues. Murex shells have spiny ribs caused by phases in shell growth and a rosy-pink or white circular aperture.
TULIP - This shell combines the colors of tan, brown, and white and is smooth with threadlike, encircling brown stripes and an oval aperture.
AEROLATA - This lightweight white shell is spotted with large dark brown patches and has an oval aperture.
BABYLON - Similar to the Aerolata, this is a lightweight white shell with many small and large light brown patches. It has an oval aperture.
MOON - Similar in shape to a Shark or Tiger's Eye, the Moon shell is a favorite to Ecuadorian hermit crabs. The Moon shell is glossy smooth and appears nearly flattened and wide with its oval aperture. This shell is gray, tan, or brown in color with a white underside.
KING CROWN - This shell comes in a variety of colors and has many low, knob-like projections on the spire shoulders. This shell has an oval aperture.
FAIRY - With thin walls and stripes of brown and white, the Fairy shell has a lengthy spire and oval aperture.
These are some of the best shells you can offer hermit crabs. Front Row (left to right): Turbo, Murex, King Crown, Tulip. Back Row (left to right): Magpie, Fairy, Moon, Aerolata.
