I found a whelk about four days ago on vacation, but put it in the ocean because it had a snail inside of it (the whelk). My mom was so angry that she guilt-tripped my boyfriend and I for the last three days of vacation, pressuring us to go seashell hunting with her each night and morning (I am ran down and tired!)

This morning, right before we left, we found two whelk shells on the beach (in the sand) that had hermit crabs inside of them. Because we are dumb*****, we decide to take them home in order to appease my mother. Plus, we figure, What they hey? Hermit crabs are easy pets, we will treat them well, and when they upgrade their shells my mom can have her whelk shells.

Now that I am home (twelve hours from the beach on which I found them) and have access to my computer, I have a sick feeling in my stomach because I do not think they are regular land hermits. In fact, I think that they are a marine hermit called “Thinstripe Hermit.”

I cannot return these guys to the ocean at this point (I wish I could and would if I could), but I am not willing to let them die a slow and painful death because of my stupidity. I need to know how to care for them. I cannot get to the pet store until tomorrow. Right now they have a sponge soaked in water to drink from and food to eat. How long can these guys survive out of the ocean? What can I do to make a good habitat for them? Please, please help!

This is what they look like: http://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=121470&stc=1&d=1142185238