HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi I got a new crab about 6 months ago, as soon as I got it it went for a molt for several months and its pretty big. its now causing trouble to another sizable hermit crab in the tank by latching on to it, they're both chirping loudly. All my hermit crabs are purple pinchers. should I separate the troublemaker in a seprate tank? I only have a citter keeper as a secondary home with no ability to warm it

I found a spare tank with a light so im going to use this. it doesnt have a glass top though, would parchment paper work as a good top sealer? it goes in over at 475 degrees no issues

I wouldn't use parchment paper. What kind of top does the tank have?

Are they fairly similar in size? Do you have plenty of other empty, quality shells available in that size?

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"Latching onto it" probably does mean that the attacker is trying to take the other one's shell. This can quickly be fatal, so getting enough, appropriately-sized, appropriate-type, shells in there is essential. But if somebody doesn't live near a shell shop, that may take a while (shells sold "for hermit crabs" at pet stores, from what I have seen, are ridiculous--they are often types they can't even use, and when they DO include one they could POSSIBLY use, it usually is packaged in with others that are no use at all). PP's prefer turbos--especially polished or semi-polished turbos--over everything else, and remember that it is not the size of the overall shell that is important, but the size of the OPENING (some shells can have the same size opening, but be quite different in overall size of the shell).

Anyway, until the shell situation can be remedied (and possibly a space issue as well, you don't say how big the tank is or anything else (filling out the emergency help template is ALWAYS a time-saver in posting an emergency), if you CAN separate them safely (providing good conditions for them both), that's a good solution until you can get the shell issue (and any other possibly contributing issues, like dietary, etc.) solved.

If your main tank is big enough, you can put the KK into the tank to "share conditions" while keeping him separate, for the time being.

Try dunking them both in the freshwater pool. That might be enough to get them to settle down. Otherwise yes, they do need separated unless you're there to keep an eye on them. Chirping is always a bad sign! The questions here will give us an idea of what's going on in your tank and what might be behind the problem: viewtopic.php?f=27&t=46102 If you can share photos, that is a huge help to us, too!

I came home from work today to the same issue! My one crab was on top of the other, causing the other to retreat far into its shell. He keeps chasing her (not sure of the gender, but we guess), and she has been making a loud noise when he comes after her. NEVER in 5 years that we have had them have we had this issue, and I cleaned the tank yesterday and added new sand, etc. Any thoughts? I currently have grounded him into a bowl for a few moments to settle him down while she tries to rest....HELP!

A clean tank screws up their territorial sense, and he probably thinks she's an invader. Try a bath for both and see what happens. Get them smelling neutral and they really do calm down quick almost all of the time.

Thank you, I will try to bathe them both in a bowl of dechlorinated water. Odd though, since I just bathe them Sunday when I cleaned their tank. He is still going at her today and pinches her every chance he gets I am new here so don't know how to post a video or pics of them

Since it hasn't worked, they should be separated for a while. He could end up hurting her and it's not likely to be shell related since it happened because of the cleaning. (Unless they had changed shells, too!) Some time apart and a gradual reintroduction may work, or they might need to have a molt before they calm down. Did you save any of their old substrate that you could put back in? They see their environment by smells as well as sight so while things may look the same now, they aren't smelling the same as before which can agitate them and reset any sense of colony or hierarchy they might have previously had.

How do I post pics on here for you guys?