Should My Crabs Be Hiding All Day?

[DinkDonk]

Hey everyone, it's me, your crab guy haha. So far I have had my crabs for about 5 days now, and they just kinda hide all day in the bowl hide I made them. I haven't seen them get out, and I saw one burying himself in the sub. There's another one that's just camping on top of him, and I moved my other guy in there as well since he's just hiding in his shell too. I haven't seen them go out to eat or bathe in the pools, not even at night! Is this behavior expected from news crabs? Thanks all!

[Hermiesguardian]

Welcome! Yes, totally normal. They are getting used to their new enviornment. If they bury it could be to destress or molt. They also bury for fun or sleep but probably not at this point. If a buried one is molting, he could stay down for weeks or months. Never dig for them. How deep is the glass bowl hide? Can they easily get out? As long as your conditions are right, sub depth, consistancy, heat, humidity, diet, let them do their own thing. Keep feeding and changing water every week or so.

[DragonsFly]

Also, be aware that they are nocturnal, so often they won't be out during the day at all and may only be active during the darkest night hours (when humans are likely to be sleeping); plus they molt regularly, during which they are underground (as Hermiesguardian said) for weeks or months--my biggest one was down for 18 months a little over a year ago--and conditions need to be maintained even though they are not up and active (for their health and safety, and because you never know when they will come back up). Do you have deep enough substrate, at "sand castle" consistency, so that they can dig under and build a "cave" for de-stressing or to molt? A good rule of thumb to begin with is at least twice as deep as your biggest crab is tall.

[DinkDonk]

Good evening, actually, my ball hide is just a Chinese wonton soup bowl that is opaque and black, and it is about double of my crabs with. I have it about 1 through 2 cm into the substrate. My substrate follows the five to 1 play sand and coconut fiber rule. It is also of the Sandcastle consistency, and it is 6 in. And yes, I do suppose that they do distressed inside the hide. I seen my crabs come out to eat sometimes in the evening, and I haven't seen them take a dip and any of the water bowls yet, but I'm sure that they are doing well hopefully. I just worry a lot about my little guys XD

[DinkDonk]

Good evening, actually, my ball hide is just a Chinese wonton soup bowl that is opaque and black, and it is about double of my crabs with. I have it about 1 through 2 cm into the substrate. My substrate follows the five to 1 play sand and coconut fiber rule. It is also of the Sandcastle consistency, and it is 6 in. And yes, I do suppose that they do distressed inside the hide. I seen my crabs come out to eat sometimes in the evening, and I haven't seen them take a dip and any of the water bowls yet, but I'm sure that they are doing well hopefully. I just worry a lot about my little guys XD