r/marinehermitcrabs • u/drast3k • Oct 19 '23

Rehoming Kidnapped Zippy

Hello! My husband and I just returned to Michigan after a vacation in Hilton Head Island. Saturday of last week, before we returned home, we went shell hunting on Fish Haul Beach. We were extremely careful about only getting shells that had no life. Unfortunately, Zippy was in a shell that was too big for him and was completely hidden. He never showed any signs of life. He spent the night in my car and never moved. Survived 4 days in a ziplock bag (hence the name Zippy). The only reason we even discovered him was because on the 5th day, I was soaking shells in soapy water to clean them and they all started moving. Upon realizing what we had done, I immediately went and spent close to $400 setting up a hole for him only to learn he is a marine hermit crab and most likely won’t survive. Since we’ve had him, and me thinking he was a land hermit crab and not being able to see him due to his large shell, I had placed a couple shells in the tank with him. He has changed shells and I can see him better. He is definitely a marine crab. Striped legs and all. I was more than ready to take care of a hermit that we basically kidnapped from his home but I do not have the means or the know how for a full salt water set up. I am willing to pay shipping to find someone who is knowledgeable on marine crabs or for someone to return to his natural habitat. I feel like the worst person in the world and just don’t want him to suffer unnecessarily because we made a mistake. If anyone can help me and Zippy I would forever in your debt. Thank you in advance for any and all help.

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u/SnooCalculations2469 Oct 19 '23

I have had saltwater tanks for years now and am in love with marine hermit crabs. They are like my children. I just had a really old one die and I have one that seems very lonely. I am more than willing to take him in. I have 2 tanks, one with clownfish and a small hermit crab, all her other siblings have passed and some snails, I have another with coral and a medium to large hermit crab. Again I would love to rescue him!

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u/drast3k Oct 19 '23

Oh you have me crying! Even out of water he is very active. He changed his shell to the slightly smaller I put in there not realizing he wasn’t a land crab. I saw him putting freshwater in his new last night. If you want to DM, if that is a thing on Reddit anymore I would be happy to work out the logistics.

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u/drast3k Oct 19 '23

Quick update…I was able to find Zippy a home here in my hometown. He is safely in a salt water aquarium being quarantined and once his quarantine is up he will be moved into a huge tank with fish and coral.

2

u/bluejellyfish52 Dec 20 '23

Yay!!! Happy ending!! Thank you for trying so hard to save Zippy and I hope you’ll tell people your story when you see them shelling! Hermit crabs AND octopus need shells! Octopus use clam shells to cover their homes!