HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi my fellow shell baby Moms and Dads!
I have my three hermit crabs. I determined Malibu's gender while she was changing shells she has pleopods! YAY! I wanted her to be a girl! But my two PPs who I named to be female, are starting to seem as if they are male. They are darker in color and have bigger BPs than Mal. Cappuccino is not the problem. It's Mocha, he/she is climbing on top of Mal and I try to separate them and it doesn't work! He/she goes right back to her! :roll: By how I am describing my two PPs, do you think they are male? And if so, are they breeding? And while I am at it, if you guys do think that Mocha or both are boys do you have any name suggestions?
Thanks guys!
Sophia

I don't know much about breeding but I do know the only way to tell for sure the gender is that females have gonopores and pleopods. Size and coloring cannot be used due to the fact that each crab molts and different paces and their age is unknown when bought from pet store or adopted. The only way to tell if your crabs have bred is the presence of eggs in the pleopods shell.

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http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... p?t=112724

Here is a link to the most recent successful breeding.

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Are they on top of the shell? I guess I cannot picture what you are describing.

It sounds like a shell fight, which can be serious. Do you have 4-5 shells for each crab?

I've had some luck intervening in dominance squabbles by tapping the aggressive crab's shell on the back a few times. I usually use a chop stick. This makes the aggressive crab think it's being attacked back and they usually stop being aggressive.

GotButterflies wrote:Are they on top of the shell? I guess I cannot picture what you are describing.

Yes they are. It is not a shell fight because Mocha just changed into a perfect shell for him/her.

Well guys I have decided that I will just rename them unisex names. I am thinking Rolo for Mocha and Curlz for Cappuccino? What do u guys think

mool wrote:It sounds like a shell fight, which can be serious. Do you have 4-5 shells for each crab?

I've had some luck intervening in dominance squabbles by tapping the aggressive crab's shell on the back a few times. I usually use a chop stick. This makes the aggressive crab think it's being attacked back and they usually stop being aggressive.

That's hilarious mool! I can totally picture that!


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GB--It really works!

Original Poster--the perfect shell in your opinion might not be the perfect shell in the crab's opinion. I wouldn't totally disregard the behavior as not a shell fight.

mool wrote:GB--It really works!

Original Poster--the perfect shell in your opinion might not be the perfect shell in the crab's opinion. I wouldn't totally disregard the behavior as not a shell fight.

They have not been doing it and I am very happy. What it was: Mocha ( Now known as the gender neutral name Rolo) would climb on top of Mal when she was in a corner either burrowing or just sitting there. Really weird!! But now it hasn't happened recently so maybe they were getting to know each other?Idk but now they seem like the best of friends! Thanks for all of your help!