Tag Archives: animal behavior

Trading plastic for shells by Shawn Miller

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How many times have you picked up an empty seashell and brought it home? Most people don’t realize that they are taking a potential mobile home. As hermit crabs grow larger they have to upgrade their mobile home. They are constantly searching for larger seashells. No shells, then the hermits will adapt with plastic twist tops, plugs, and even broken bottles. Over collecting seashells is a contributing factor.

Take trash not crab homes

” Trading Plastic for Shells ” Every hermit crab found adapting with trash receives a proper seashell home. They get a better home and I keep the plastic. So far I have a nice collection of plastic.

Shawn Miller - plastic collection
Trading plastic for shells collection


In 2020, Tony Choi ( hermit crab specialist ) recommended that I place empty seashells on the shorelines. He explained that Taiwan has the same issue with over-collecting. Tony sent me the first shell donation and after that more people starting making kind contributions. I engraved numbers on all the shells. Hopefully, this will prevent beachcombers and fishermen from taking the shells.

Carving with the Dremel tool by Shawn Miller
Trading plastic for shells

Below is a large land hermit crab ( Coenobita cavipes ) I found using a plastic PVC 90-degree elbow as a protective home. Yomitan Village, Okinawa.

How do I get the crabs to swap? I bring a bucket with an assortment of native shells with me on my beach hikes. The hermit crabs are placed in the bucket and make the switch on their own. They get a better home and I keep the plastic. #Maketheswitch4nature

The land hermit crab made the switch into a donated tapestry shell (Miller #23). Hermit crabs do not prefer plastic, they are just adapting to what is available.

If you would like to see video footage of the hermit crabs making the switch from plastic to seashell check out MakeTheSwitch4Nature

” Trading plastic for shells ” Before and after examples

  • Blue Thumbnail
  • Miller #45
  • Trumpet player
  • Miller #51
  • Jump rope
  • mts4n #29
  • Marshmallow
  • Miller #27


This post is not to make people sad, guilty, or lose hope, It is to bring awareness to the ongoing trash problem in our oceans and on our shorelines. Hopefully, these images will inspire people to change.

My Mission: To Protect and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands for Future Generations

If you would like to help me make a difference Please check out my Patreon Site https://www.patreon.com/MakeTheSwitch4Nature

Your donations will help worldwide conservation initiatives as well as bringing solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines.  Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.


Hermit crabs living in plastic tubes by Shawn Miller

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One of my favorite things to do is to go beachcombing after typhoons.  Over the years, I have seen a significant increase in the amount of marine debris washed ashore.  The trash is from all over the world, but the majority of it washes up from Korea, China, and Japan

The resourceful hermit crabs take full advantage of plastic tubes and twist top caps. They move into this valuable real estate and use it as a protective mobile home until they find a better option.

Hermit Crabs prefer to live in a natural seashell. Due to a decline in the number of seashells, the hermit crabs have to adapt with our trash to survive. Below are photographs of hermit crabs found naturally adapting with the plastic tubing.

Lucky was the first hermit crab I photographed adapting with plastic tubing. (2014)

The long plastic tubing slows down their movement. Not the ideal mobile home for a hermit crab.

Sometimes I find them living in clear plastic. Over time the plastic turns yellow and becomes brittle. Eventually, it will break up into microplastic.


Every hermit crab found adapting with our waste receives a new home (seashell). I bring a bucket with an assortment of shells with me on my beach hikes. The hermit crabs are placed in the bucket and make the switch. They get a better home and I keep the plastic.

Make the switch for nature

I was surprised to find this small blueberry hermit crab using a jump rope handle as a mobile home. The crab switched into a tapestry turban shell (mts4n #29) immediately.

The hermit crab is one of the few animals that can successfully adapt with our waste. If you would like to learn more about hermit crabs adapting with our waste please check out my post on “Crabs With Beach Trash Homes” by Shawn M Miller.

This post is not to make people sad, guilty, or lose hope, It is to bring awareness to the ongoing trash problem in our oceans and on our shorelines. Hopefully, these images will inspire people to change.

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands. – If you would like to join my journey, check out my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/MakeTheSwitch4Nature

Your donations will help worldwide conservation initiatives as well as bringing solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines.  Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.