HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello again, everyone. I still have questions about keeping hermit crabs, so I decided to make another post.
(In my country hardly anyone keeps hermit crabs as pets, so I didn't have much information...)
1. Is it normal that a larger hermit crab will sometimes attack a smaller crab? (I already did a post about this, but I'm still worried...). As I realized one of my crabs is not very social, so he is not interested in being friends with my other crab. The big crab doesn't try to pull the baby crab's shell off or anything, it just jumps forward and pushes it away with its claws. Is this crab more dominant or something? This problem started after the molt. The crabs molted at the same time and then the larger crab started to misbehave. Unfortunately, as I wrote before it is very hard to find hermit crabs for sale in my country, so I can't buy another one so that the small crab can socialize with someone.....
2. Is it normal that crabs do not change their shells for several months? I have put about 12-15 different shells in their terrarium, different sizes, but they have not decided to change their shells. They had a molt a week ago, so the crabs have grown a bit, but they don't change their shells. (There are no painted shells in my terrarium, just natural shells. So no worries).

3. Is there any way to leave the crabs alone at home for a week? I have no problem with water filtration and humidity in the terrarium, but I don't know what to do about food...
4. Can anyone tell me the name of the shells (I have attached a picture). My hermit crabs love these shells and don't want to change them, but I can't find the name of them to buy more of the same shells


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I can help with two of your questions....
Yes, it is very normal for crabs to stay in the same shell for a long time. And the larger they get, the less they will change shells.
I often leave my crabs for up to a week without having anyone come and look after them. I always leave dried foods only, no fresh. Even the dried ones will be moldy by the time you get back, but it isn't a big deal - the mold won't hurt them. Just take it out and replace with fresh as soon as you get back.

curlysister wrote:I can help with two of your questions....
Yes, it is very normal for crabs to stay in the same shell for a long time. And the larger they get, the less they will change shells.
I often leave my crabs for up to a week without having anyone come and look after them. I always leave dried foods only, no fresh. Even the dried ones will be moldy by the time you get back, but it isn't a big deal - the mold won't hurt them. Just take it out and replace with fresh as soon as you get back.

Thank you very much!


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1. Sounds like a dominance thing, some crabs just don’t tolerate others very well. So long as it’s just pushing they’ll be fine, just be sure they have a few different hideouts available so they can avoid each other if they want to

2. I don’t recognize that shell but looks like a nerite

Shell guide: viewtopic.php?t=92552


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