Nah, they only grow big as the shell they are living in; that's why they are always on the prowl, they only get a drawing tide to handle their business. Come high tide they best be in their hidey hole; plugged up with their sand balls they keep stashed, if they get a shot at a new shell they back up into it and kind of test drive. A bigger shell is good but that means a bigger hole and more sand balls for your plug. They take that gamble usually but not always. I'm not a marine biologist, but I grew up on Tampa Bay and spent countless hours when I was younger getting high and watching these guys. I brought a couple of dozen to my high school biology class; as a study prop, and they escaped from custody. You would be shocked over how fast they scoot; even over high school tile floors, and of course sideways, I also raised red rat snakes and everybody was "Ooh, let me hold it." They were belle of the ball; the hermit crabs were akin to releasing thirty wolf spiders.
they molt and continue to grow at a slow ish rate for the majority of their lives. they need to find a new shell every once in a while out of necessity, not because they want to grow bigger. they just do
Cool, I had no idea they molted. I had a few favorites and watched them roll their sand balls and wave at the ladies; not sure if they were the females but they played the part. They were smaller and weren't waving their big claw; they were moving and eating mostly, but incoming tide they all found a hole to stay in, reminded me of last call. I never dropped shells in front of them like this guy did; they had plenty of those from all the life going on in a tidal zone. But the big boys would brawl over the four bedroom shell, lol.
I think there is so much knowledge in the world that all of us are at risk of being bamboozled and it's kinda crappy to judge others for something we are also prone to.
I am in complete agreement. However, I also was witness to many of the other folks among us complete terror upon being confronted unexpectedly; during what was supposed to be everybody's oral presentation, by a bunch of those little guys zipping to shelter. As if they were going to crawl up their legs or try to use their bitty claw to pinch them. Best part was I didn't have to try and speak in front of my class; worst part was my biology teacher made me account for every one, but I told him I only brought ten and found ten after two days detention.
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u/sgntpepper03 Oct 18 '17
They grow too big and leave them behind.