Anybody know what this is?
By susieq223
@susieq223 (3742)
United States
July 6, 2007 11:58am CST
I think it is some species of crab, but I don't know for sure. The shell looks like a minature of those beautiful conch shells that are sometimes washed up on the beach.
He was struggling to get across a brick side walk. After I took pictures, I picked him up, (He scooted back into the shell, of course.) and put him on some nearby grass. After a bit he came out of the shell again and moved more easily. I hope I put him where he was going and not where he came from! lol!
4 people like this
8 responses
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
6 Jul 07
He was much more scared of me! I had to stay very still for a long time before he came out long enough to photograph. Thanks for your reply.
3 people like this
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
6 Jul 07
Don't think I would want him for a pet! He did look and walk like a crab, so you may be right. If he took an empty shell, I wonder what was in it before? Thanks for your reply.
2 people like this
@cloud_kicker_32 (4635)
• United States
18 Jul 07
Ohh I know what this is!! whoo hoooo!! Its deff a Hermit Crab!! my best friend that live next door just bought one..hes supposed to eat fungus and stuff in her fish tank..well it ended up killing it and eating her poor Bata Fish!!! crazy!!! i can find u her link cause she posted a pic of hers here..just a sec let me look..
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1204610.aspx
and u should read her escape story lol..too funny!!
but thats drff a hernit crab like hers:) have a wonderful; day!
2 people like this
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
24 Jul 07
You're right about the story being funny and about it being a hermit crab. At least that seems to be the consensus! Thanks for the link and the reply.
@shooie (4984)
• United States
25 Jun 08
Well from the angle of the picture I can't tell if it has claws or not. It has jointed legs like a hermit crab but did if have a big claw in the front and a small one? Now as far as the comment below about crabs have bodys connected to them not so with all crabs. Hermit crabs are not like the snow crabs with and attached body. Hermit crabs make their home is discarded shells and have made their homes in bottle caps and bottles and discarded other items. As for a type of musscle that some one mentioned as well have never seen one with legs. If it didn't have claws maybe it is a confused spider...giggles but it sounds like a hermit they hide in their shells and come out if you stand there long enough still. I have 12 hermit crabs 2 varities purple claws and Ecuadorian hermit crabs.
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
25 Jun 08
Most of the votes were for hermit crabs. Thanks for the reply. Give your "pets" a wave from me.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
6 Jul 07
No--I don't think that's a crab..crabs have their own self=contained shell all around their body and have those pinchers....this looks more like from the mollusks family
3 people like this
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
6 Jul 07
I never did get to see the whole critter, just his legs.
2 people like this
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
6 Jul 07
That's two votes for hermit crab and two for hermit crab pets. Thanks for the reply.
2 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
16 Feb 08
I'd be willing to bet money that it is in fact a Hermit Crab. We had several for a year or two and they are fun to watch. As they grow they will look for a new bigger shell and move to it as soon as they find a suitable one. We used to leave the empty shells in the tank and they'd pick up a new one as they got bigger. We had special crab food we fed them. When we moved we gave them to a friend that still has them, I believe. They are very neat to watch and even I, who doesn't like icky things, loved to pick them up.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@liyan97 (2127)
• Northern Mariana Islands
25 Jul 07
I believe it is a hermit crab and we have tons of them around our island, most of the kids take them as pets, We feel them coconut.
It has a shell like a snail and roams around our streets in the hot heat, I don’t know if they are supposed to but I can tell you that we have never picked one off at the beach they are completely different. The one on the picture looks like the one we find on our roads, although I am not sure of the name, I believe it is a hermit crab.
1 person likes this
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
27 Jul 07
Yours is another vote for the hermit crab. He wasn't actually on the beach, but in the park across the road from the beach.
1 person likes this
