Hermit Crab Exchange

Yesterday was Chris's last day and fortunately was a beach day. While she and Gerry got some exercise I sat patiently on the beach trying to catch a hermit crab shell exchange. Unfortunately I didn't capture it on my camera. I had just shut my camera off so there was no time - the little guy just flipped his back end out of one shell into another (one I had brought to the group). There was a lot of activity on the beach and I spent ages watching it. They were especially vigilant, every time I moved even just a fraction of an inch they yanked themselves back into their shells.

The thing on the right is a crab crammed into a broken piece of coral.

The same one is in the center of this collection of empty shells we had found. He rejected them all, even the one he spent many minutes inspecting. What an ingrate. I've spared you the boring video.

After taking an hour break I walked back to the exchange (with empty shells) and was surprised that not only was it ongoing but there were even more of them. The round white-shelled crab in this video came strutting down the beach, saw the action, walzed in and tried to take over.

The green-shelled crab with a hole, thoroughly examined a few shells but in the end rejected them all.