Buy Cardisoma Armatum

[pinoccio]

Hi, I´ve had a cardisoma armatum for 7 years but he died during molting some weeks ago. : (
I´m from Sweden, and up here crabs is a very small hobby.
To buy a new one here seems very difficult, and I really want to have a new one. Where do you guys buy yours?
Are there anywhere I can order in Germany and get it shipped up to Sweden?
I´m looking for a juvinile to raise. Sex is not very important, but can I get a pair, I would buy them both.
I´ve heard roumors that females are hard to get. (I had a male)

I promise, an empty vivarium gives no joy at all....

[Ollie Mengedoht]

Welcome pinoccio,

nice to read from Sweden now! Sorry for Your loss although! On the other hand: 7 years is some time…


You can order here in Germany but I wouldn't know of any shop that would sent to Sweden. Although You might try to contact shops and ask if they do. But I think they won't do it because inside of Germany You can send Invertebrates without any problems since the paket is usually the next day delivered. I have no idea how long it takes to Sweden… Good packing provided a crab can take at least a week in such a paket… IF it is good packed AND if the weather is not too cold and not too warm.

Juveniles are the most prudent thing to raise of course – You can much longer take crae for juveniles than for adults who have grown up some years already. Though most C. armatum You see in the shops seem (!) to be some 2 to 4 years already. You can't tell the age for sure, but they are often not yet adult what You can see at least with the females from their immature pleon.

I'd say good luck in finding somebody sending You crabs or meeting someone here (or in the middle?) bringing You some! Or maybe we find a way in which it is possible by post delivery.

[pinoccio]

Hi! Thank you!
I really think we have to take the crab-hobby to Sweden.
The search for a new one lead me to this site, and believe me it have given me interest to start up more tanks with more spieces, but first I really need a new cardisoma armatum.

I have no idea how old he was when i got him, but he was only like 2 cm over his shell then.
Yes, 7 years gives a good friend and is really missed by me and my son now.
How old have they been, kept in vivarium?
He was really "a grumpy old man" at the end.

Probably I will go to Germany late summer to sail my old boat as is ported in Flensburg.
The problem is that I will fly there, and I guess they wount be very happy if I´ll try to take a crab with me at the plane.

[Ollie Mengedoht]

2 cm may be somewhere in betwenn 1 year and three years old. You can guess only unless surveyed by yourelf since the growth depends upon many factors and is not standardized.

7 years… yes, that gives a good friend… Hm, C. armatum can grow at least to 17,5 cm carapace width and probably some 20 years. The 17,5 cm at least are scientifically reported, no saying.

You might transport a crab in a box in Your hand baggage, they don't need a tank with water for transport. They shouldn't be transported too wet indeed but only moist. Like in a box with a wet kitchen paper, that would be fitting. Our co-admin Püffi (Hans-Jürgen) lives near Hamburg, maybe maybe You could arrange with him to get a crab for you and give it to You before You go home… Maybe he'll answer here but right now he's building a new house so he's in some stress here and there and does not read all new threads…

Good night to the north