Giant Coconut Crabs - availability?

[VolkswagenBug]

You misunderstood because the way I worded it was horrible lol I meant I have access to a greenhouse currently that I would buy if I could find some of the crabs.

Ah, I see.

There's no shortage of zoos with arthropod exhibits, not to mention aquariums with tons of crustaceans and other invertebrates. And crabs are some of the most socially acceptable arthropods besides butterflies- after all, people eat them in recognizable form.

I was mostly joking. Also, I don't think coconut crabs are very common for food here.

 

[basin79]

Obviously there will be the odd exception. But I'd make Coconut crabs available for zoological placements only.

They're a huge crab that require a huge set up.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

I was mostly joking. Also, I don't think coconut crabs are very common for food here.

Was referring to crabs in general.

Obviously there will be the odd exception. But I'd make Coconut crabs available for zoological placements only.

They're a huge crab that require a huge set up.

There's no shortage of people who privately own reptiles like pythons, tortoises, iguanas, tegus, monitors etc. that need a large setup... most of which are significantly larger than coconut crabs. What makes coconut crabs any different?

 

[basin79]

Was referring to crabs in general.



There's no shortage of people who privately own reptiles like pythons, tortoises, iguanas, tegus, monitors etc. that need a large setup... most of which are significantly larger than coconut crabs. What makes coconut crabs any different?

Reptiles can be given a "run out" for exercise. Now I'm not typing a coconut crab can't but I'd say they're not as suitable for having a wander.

 

[Emperor Scorp]

Imagine walking ur crab around on a leash lmaoooo
You cant tell me that ain't awesome

 

[VolkswagenBug]

Imagine walking ur crab around on a leash lmaoooo
You cant tell me that ain't awesome

True. Might annoy others in your neighborhood, though.

 

[Stugy]

I remember seeing coconut crabs (nicely sized ones too) for sale in this one fish market in Okinawa. I think it was in Naha. I remember seeing them for about 3-10k yen ($30-$100 if Yen rate was 100).I always wanted to buy one but my mom would never let me haha. Would absolutely love for these guys to be available in the U.S. Soon! One day! Unless I'm just plain stupid and someone is already selling them haha!

 

[VolkswagenBug]

I remember seeing coconut crabs (nicely sized ones too) for sale in this one fish market in Okinawa. I think it was in Naha. I remember seeing them for about 3-10k yen ($30-$100 if Yen rate was 100).I always wanted to buy one but my mom would never let me haha. Would absolutely love for these guys to be available in the U.S. Soon! One day! Unless I'm just plain stupid and someone is already selling them haha!

Yeah, it seems like the Japanese have less restrictions on arthropods. Stag and rhino beetles are also available a lot more there than in the US. Unfortunately, importing is very hard, both for the bugs and the humans!

 

[Emperor Scorp]

One day a big group need to get together and put an order in for some Coconut Crabs on Alibaba lol

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

Something to keep in mind is that coconut crabs start out as small hermit crabs that live in shells. Every year thousands of land hermit crabs are imported. While I don't think hermit crabs are usually collected from small islands (there's plenty of them on coastlines) and I'm pretty sure most of them are collected around the Caribbean, if by some chance a shipment of hermit crabs arrives from an island in the Pacific there's a chance that some juvenile coconut crabs could find their way into american pet stores.

 

[Defalt]

Something to keep in mind is that coconut crabs start out as small hermit crabs that live in shells. Every year thousands of land hermit crabs are imported. While I don't think hermit crabs are usually collected from small islands (there's plenty of them on coastlines) and I'm pretty sure most of them are collected around the Caribbean, if by some chance a shipment of hermit crabs arrives from an island in the Pacific there's a chance that some juvenile coconut crabs could find their way into american pet stores.

never thought of that before, but, since I live on an island in the Pacific, it is possible that they would receive more shipments from other pacific countries which might include some of these, I should get some since they would, after all, make rather interesting pets.

 

[Emperor Scorp]

You're telling me that with the internet and all of our reaches that nobody has ever tried to bring a coconut crab into the US? There was a store here claiming to sell then at some point.. it's not illegal. Can someone just send me some lol

 

[user 666]

I looked into it a few years ago.

So far as I could tell it was illegal to import them into the US.

 

[lizardminion]

If my memory serves me currectly, they are a protected species and illegal to import in most countries.

 

[TylerFishman5675]

I've noted hat the hermit crab keeping hobby has died down in recent years, probally due to overshadowing by other hobbies, or their finicky breeding and young rearing requirements, very few people keep the family of coenobitidae aside from novelty cages on the board walk, which is unprofessional and cruel in my opinion, Maybe if the hobby was more popular you'd have acess to the plethora of beutiful species in the family, its not too far fetched I mean you can own a deadly tarantula with urticating setae from south america, but not a over sized hermit crab?

 

[user 666]

I've noted hat the hermit crab keeping hobby has died down in recent years, probally due to overshadowing by other hobbies, or their finicky breeding and young rearing requirements, very few people keep the family of coenobitidae aside from novelty cages on the board walk, which is unprofessional and cruel in my opinion, Maybe if the hobby was more popular you'd have acess to the plethora of beutiful species in the family, its not too far fetched I mean you can own a deadly tarantula with urticating setae from south america, but not a over sized hermit crab?

Popularity has nothing to do with it; supply is what is keeping the industry from becoming popular.

First of all, there's always been a shortage of importers, and strict export restrictions in many countries. Also, in the past couple years several importers got out of the business because the money wasn't that great for the work involved.

Hermit crabs are _really_ hard to keep and virtually impossible to breed in captivity. So while T hobbyists can wait for a domestic supply, hermit crab aficionados have to keep going back to the wild population.

To make matters worse, those wild populations are where the irresponsible pet stores are getting their hermies as well. They'r depleting the native population, leading to countries blocking exports so they can protect their native wildlife.

 

[TylerFishman5675]

Popularity has nothing to do with it; supply is what is keeping the industry from becoming popular.

First of all, there's always been a shortage of importers, and strict export restrictions in many countries. Also, in the past couple years several importers got out of the business because the money wasn't that great for the work involved.

Hermit crabs are _really_ hard to keep and virtually impossible to breed in captivity. So while T hobbyists can wait for a domestic supply, hermit crab aficionados have to keep going back to the wild population.

To make matters worse, those wild populations are where the irresponsible pet stores are getting their hermies as well. They'r depleting the native population, leading to countries blocking exports so they can protect their native wildlife.

They are not impossible to breed, its been done, The Hermit Crab Assosiaction has threads that explain how they've bred them, mass breeding for consumers is hardly feesible but not impossible, still however they're are still two species that are being supplied at markatable rate C. clypeatus and C. compressus, at least this is the case in the U.S. I feel as though in a few years as wild populstions dwindle keeping hermit crabs will fade into obscurity.

 

[user 666]

They are not impossible to breed, its been done, The Hermit Crab Assosiaction has threads that explain how they've bred them, mass breeding for consumers is hardly feesible but not impossible, still however they're are still two species that are being supplied at markatable rate C. clypeatus and C. compressus, at least this is the case in the U.S. I feel as though in a few years as wild populstions dwindle keeping hermit crabs will fade into obscurity.

I didn't say it was impossible, you nitwit.

Here's a fun fact that will convey just how difficult it is to breed hermit crabs: The number of people who have contributed to this thread is greater than the number of people who have successfully bred hermies.

Here's another: more people have accidentally bred Ts than have successfully bred hermies.

So when I say it is _virtually_ impossible, that is not a stretch.

 

[TylerFishman5675]

I didn't say it was impossible, you nitwit.

Here's a fun fact that will convey just how difficult it is to breed hermit crabs: The number of people who have contributed to this thread is greater than the number of people who have successfully bred hermies.

Here's another: more people have accidentally bred Ts than have successfully bred hermies.

So when I say it is _virtually_ impossible, that is not a stretch.

Tarantulas are not to difficult to breed honestly, usually its an issue of cannabalism, I dont understand how you can accidentally breed a tarantula and I do not prefer to be called a "nitwit" thank you very much

 

[VolkswagenBug]

Per @user 666. Although the nitwit remark was a bit unnecessary.