The 1 U shop isnt close. I have updated the page one the moment i got a phone call from the retail manager. The shop is still in Rainforest section of 1U, take the evelator down to B1. Limited crabs now, so far only medium large ones left.

Carrefour in Midvalley do sell it. Though the size of the crabs is slightly big but make sure the tank is big enough for them to move around freely.

The digging means they are in the hunt for the most cooling spot for a proper molting. Also, yes, they come out of the hiding spot usually for food and water then goes back in. Sometimes it carry the food along to the spot even and dont worry, they finish everything left in the hole before coming out.

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Added on July 20, 2008, 8:22 pm+1.

Additional info : Suggested height for sand substrate is your crab height + 2 inches = the amount needed. The standard height is 5 inches minimum while 8 inches is the highest you can go. Some went for 10 inches and you will find your crab hide in the sand more than on the surface.

Also, sand give good humidity control to the crabitat and it ensures the crab in a comfortable environment. It do give a natural feeling to the crab and serve and an exercise tool as the crabs will go digging around till kingdom come

Choice of sand : fine / refined sand, filtered beach sand. Do not use coarse riverbed sand as those will hurt the crabs abdomen. Colored sand is best to avoid at the moment.

Tip : You can mix other substrate with sand. For instance, sand with crushed corals, that will make the crabs "feel at home". Make sure the corals is well washed as the crabs usually pinch those for their minor calcium supplements.

This post has been edited by onscreen: Jul 20 2008, 08:22 PM

The shop at 1Utama only sells shells ( 50 cents ~ RM5++ ) and corals. The sand, you have to go somewhere else for it. Considering you are staying within PJ, you can try :
-Sunway Pyramid's Pet Lovers Center
-Ikano Power Center's Pet Safari
-Pet Family at Taman Megah

note : ( Pet Family is a sub retail of Pet Safari. This means what you get in Pet Family will be available in Pet Safari as well ).

bee002, its best to get the portion where the wave hits. Sand near the land tends to be polluted as most of us know how "clean" is PD beaches.

IF better go slightly inner to the sea, those sand is cleaner.

One of my crab who is undergoing molting couldnt make it as the weather these days is beyond their limits.

On usual days, my thermometer report 27 ~ 29c but this month it never stay below 29 as sometimes it goes 30 ~ 32c.

Still, its really sad to see it go as for past one week, this active crab turned really inactive as it just burrow itself into the sand and judging from the exo-skeleton color and the blurry eyes it have, it shows symptom of molting. I cannot blame those in me family who always turn off my crab fan during these hot season.

RIP to the crab.. you are free now..

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Added on August 16, 2008, 10:52 pmSad to say this but Betta Discovery in 1Utama MAY stop bringing in hermit crab. After i talked to the shop assistant, he said there is still no news about new stock on the hermit crabs and he did hit that it may not come anymore.

This post has been edited by onscreen: Aug 16 2008, 10:52 PM

These hermit crab live on land 90% and rely on water just to wet their gills and drinking.

It is easy to take care of them as long as you follow the procedure. Over all the expenses spent on them isnt alot compare to most pets.

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Added on August 21, 2008, 9:50 pmYa, do post some pics, though i am not into large ones but i am into medium, small and micro ones. Looking forward for the pics

This post has been edited by onscreen: Aug 21 2008, 09:50 PM

That isnt large, that is jumbo! I got a very bad pinch from the medium crab and that is why i dare not opt for large / jumbo ones.

The blue black mark has yet to heal :(

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Added on September 1, 2008, 9:19 pmUpdate, Fish shop in 1U no longer sell crabs. I have to see if midvalley's carrefour still sell crabs.

This post has been edited by onscreen: Sep 1 2008, 09:19 PM

Its in Midvalley's carrefour. If i am not mistaken, it is on the next row where they sell car accessories. In the middle you can see a small section on small pets like hermit crab, hamsters. Then on the next row is the equipments and the pets food. See if i can get the permission to take photo in carrefour, i will take the pics of the location.

Sadly to say yes, 1U one is closed and chances for us crab lovers will have limited joy. So far only spot for us is Midvalley and if they stop selling, its going to be a very bad news for us.

Ya, i got used to the shell knocking sound during the night, its like a symphony. Sometimes my crab chirping in respond to the shell knocking.. haha cute.

This post has been edited by onscreen: Sep 2 2008, 05:23 PM

Not yet, i was sick for the whole of last week anyway, i will be going there this Thursday and will update as i progress.

How can it escape? Sad to tell you this but escaped hermit crab is really hard to find. They jump into any hole they find or crawl on any edge they can reach.

My small hermit crab is struggling through to survive now . But i find many symptoms of molting around him, hopefully its a successful one.. else it is going to be a hard time for me to hunt on where to buy hermit crabs now as many shops in PJ stopped selling hermit crabs.

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Added on September 15, 2008, 6:46 amSmall crab just died Think i am going to resume my RES hobby.. i feel really sad each time a crab dies..

This post has been edited by onscreen: Sep 15 2008, 06:46 AM

haha glad that you found back Hershey.

Right now i have 1 crab left, Pinch, a rather large crab hope he can last till i find a spot for hermit crab purchase

1U shop did not close down. If you take your time to refer the first post in this thread, you will know the location of the new shop.

Anyway, i am sorry to say all major listed shops no longer sells hermit crabs. The life in captivity is really short. In the wild, 30 yrs, in captivity, 1~3 years. Mine survived for 1.5 years and 2 years.

Formerly, 1U shop is famous for mini hermit and medium ones until they died too fast during sales. So they have stock on medium large ones, same thing, died even the moist and temperature suits them. The last batch of crabs just died a week i bought from them and i did told them that their time is about time, some of the crabs have bubble at its modified gill.

Mid Valley's Carrefour one is through an agent who specialized in small pets. Same thing happen to the crabs, 20 of them died almost in the same month. I went to Mid Valley today and saw only empty shells and i was told about it.


So, i may lock this thread if there is no new hermit crab selling spot and activity for the next 6 months.

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Added on September 21, 2008, 3:30 amUpdated first page : http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=14912397

It is going to be a bad news for all of us

This post has been edited by onscreen: Sep 21 2008, 03:30 AM

Sweet!! i am 5 mins walking distance from them.. sure going to pay them a visit.

Will update the front page tomorrow

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Added on September 29, 2008, 12:02 amYap Strawberry land hermit crab. RM18 each. Last counted, 9 of them and yes, all of the decoration and sand have arrived. It is so well decorated that all the crabs hug the drift wood and did uno stacko .

I went through all of it today and none of it pinched me when i let them walk around my palm. Most of them were freshly molted and 2 is about to enter molting process as their eyes is cloudy with faded strawberry red color around its exo.

First page updated! Enjoy while it last

This post has been edited by onscreen: Sep 29 2008, 12:11 AM

Last counted is 9 left.. maybe i miss out some which was hidden behind the driftwood.

Dont worry on the stock, the time i went there have alot of people around but none even took a peep into the hermit crab tank..

Ah.. those sand.. you wash it and the dirt will float. Later, you a unwanted frying pan or sacrifice a frying pan just for sand cooking.

Pour the sand onto the pan and heat it. Took me 2 hours.

The purpose to "cook" the sand is to heat up the sand to kill bad bacterias and its the fastest way to dry up the washed sand. Putting in the sun is possible but longer time to dry and also chances of getting wet again

Driftwood, you can get cheap large driftwood from any pet shop. Make sure you soak it with hot water before using it.

Best to put salt water and fresh water together, usually, the crabs love to soak in salt water and drink fresh water. For the sand theres many types to use, avoid colored sand and coarse sands. Best sand to use is playsand from toy'r'us or the sand bee002 mentioned. Refer to the pics he posted, you get to have a glimpse on how fine the sand is.

Anyway, i am itching to buy 2 strawberries >.<

Red Sea Salt is the best brand you can go for.

It comes in bottle form or pack form. It is sold in any pet shop / fish shop since its one of the widely used brand.

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Added on October 6, 2008, 5:46 pm@bee002, i started to notice the TINY Ecuadorian behind the giant strawberries It is sooooo cute in the size contrast. Particularly the first pic.. hehe

This post has been edited by onscreen: Oct 6 2008, 05:46 PM

Yes, 1Utama petshop still sell shells. 3 tupperware worth of shells. From small to jumbo.

Currently i have only 1 hermit crab and it will be going to be another 2 more months until i expand the tank to fit in the strawberries. Gone through 2 session of molt and eats alot too..

Wow.. time to update the front page! Lots of locations on hermit crabs.. YAY!

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Added on November 22, 2008, 11:42 pmYes they sell hermit crabs. Strawberry Hermit Crab. Medium to large @ RM18. They have restocked and shifted to a better place for the crabs. It is now located beside the fish food section.

This post has been edited by onscreen: Nov 22 2008, 11:42 PM

Forgetful me forgot to share a damn funny joke about my crabs.

It all started when i have this obsession on hermit crabs and my girlfriend realized that too. Upon my first purchase of hermit crabs in 1U and accompanied by her.

Forgotten what is that call, my girlfriend just blah out "Dear, your helmet crab looks super cute with their shell on it"

I go like.. what?!! helmet crab?? It is call hermit crab

See, they are wearing a shell on the head, its a helmet. She responded.

Since then, my girlfriend called my crabs helmet crabs instead hermit.



Edit : front page updated. Long live the hermit crabs! Ole!

This post has been edited by onscreen: Nov 28 2008, 09:43 PM