HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I got hermit crabs for my birthday a few days ago and I’m so happy. They are all about the same size but the biggest is the one who will pinch easily and his name is Thunder. The middle one is the shy one and her name is Ruby. And my smallest is very energetic and named Blue.

I love them so much already and am going to do whatever I can to keep them healthy and happy. Any advice for someone who is new?

Info: I have 3 very small PP hermit crabs in a 10 gallon tank. I have less than 6 inches of substrate but am going to fix that. I have a heating pad on the side of my tank and a heat lamp and a reptifogger. My temperature stays between 75 and 82 and my humidity between 70 and 80. I give them salt water and fresh water and hermit crab food along with fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Any other advice or suggestions?

Sounds like you’re on the right track to me. I try to keep my temp and humidity at or above 80. Sometimes at night it will fall below 80 especially during winter. I only have purple pinchers as well. Use salt that is used for saltwater aquariums like instant ocean for the saltwater pool. Offer plenty of protein and calcium. Review the safe food list and nutrition guide.

Review the care sheets over and over, I still do.

Good luck!

Congrats. I know this is kinda silly but how much does a hermit crab pinch hurt. I have never been pinched by mine and I am wondering if it’s like a bee sting or something like that. For some reason I have always wondered that lol


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Hermielover121 wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 15, 2020 10:56 am

Congrats. I know this is kinda silly but how much does a hermit crab pinch hurt. I have never been pinched by mine and I am wondering if it’s like a bee sting or something like that. For some reason I have always wondered that lol


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It’s like pinching your finger with a clothespin unless they get the fold of skin between your thumb and palm then it hurts worse.

HermitofHermitCrabs wrote: It’s like pinching your finger with a clothespin unless they get the fold of skin between your thumb and palm then it hurts worse.

Oh really I thought it would hurt much more but I guess not. Thanks


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Hermielover121 wrote:Congrats. I know this is kinda silly but how much does a hermit crab pinch hurt. I have never been pinched by mine and I am wondering if it’s like a bee sting or something like that. For some reason I have always wondered that lol


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It depends on the size of the crab but it doesn’t really hurt bad. It pinches and it will sometimes sting (not much) for a little while after but the sting is more annoying then painful and it doesn’t always sting after.

Thanks I have always herd that is supposed to hurt a lot but I guess that is more for jumbo crabs


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Hermielover121 wrote:Thanks I have always herd that is supposed to hurt a lot but I guess that is more for jumbo crabs


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Yes, my brother used to have a big crab and it pinched his finger and it left a bruise and scab. But that was also because my brother was young and had small fingers and the crab was able to pinch the whole finger.

Hermielover121 wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 15, 2020 12:41 pm

Oh really I thought it would hurt much more but I guess not. Thanks


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Don't go assuming it doesn't hurt! A jumbo crab can snap a pencil with minimal effort! It really depends on how hard the crab is trying to pinch you.

Yes I know I am sure if a jumbo crab was trying to pinch as hard as it could it would be VERY painful and probably draw blood but I was just wondering for small/medium crabs since that’s what I have right now but if they were to pinch me I’m pretty sure it would just be because they wanted something to grip onto


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I've gotten pinched by a large crab and it broke my skin. A medium crab pinched me when I moved it into a tank about 4 years ago and it hurt like heck!

I've been pinched twice so far. I'd say both my fault for not holding them better. 2nd time slightest pressure and I moved away.

1st pinch was from my shy crab. It was in shell on my fingers and grabbed my finger. Now I know better to place on palm until they come out of shell and watch for pinchers. Felt like you pinching your thumb and index finger together as hard as you possibly could. Drew blood and nice welt and did so for about 10 seconds as I bit my lip trying to no drop the crab. It hurt very much. I dont recommend it...

Sounds like you have all the basics. Do you have hides? Sometimes they need space from each other or humans.

Do they have several things to climb and multiple ways to traverse the crabitat? Like a branch resting on a hide makes a small hide in the concave, multiple ways to climb and as they love so much a way to climb upside down.

Oh, is it strange that none of my crabs have ever pinched me?


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asiankanye wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 25, 2020 1:30 pm

Oh, is it strange that none of my crabs have ever pinched me?


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I have 5 pps. 1 nip and 1 pinch both from my largest which are medium size. Crabs have big personalities in little bodies. Hermits from my understanding arnt very aggressive by nature which is why they are pets.

My biggest is borderline large size. It's a big scardy cat. Hides in shell lots. Freaks out and pulls into shell sometimes comically doing a back ward summer salt down hills. When picked up regardless of if put in tank or on human will stay in shell at least 5 mins in defense curl continually pinching the air with big claw. When it pinshed me it was starting to come out of shell and probably got scared or trying to hold on.