My crabs are afraid of me? :(

[CryotheCrab]

I love my two little guys to pieces, and I love watching them move around, eat, etc. One is usually burrowed down and I barely ever see them, but the other likes to move around a lot. (On that note, do you think I should get a third, or is a pair alright?)

Every time I get near the terrarium, she stops moving and usually hides in her coconut hut. I have to be really sneaky just to get close without spooking her. I know in nature they are instinctively skittish, but the weird thing is that she is actually really good with handling- comes right out, crawls around, and never pinches. I don't handle her often at all, I try to just let her do her own thing. She just can't seem to stand being watched.

Do you have any advice on this? I really like observing their behavior, but I so rarely get the chance because they run and hide whenever I or anyone else gets even a little bit close. Their set-up is in a separate room, by the way.

[UVA2002]

Hi
Mine were the same until I started messing with them a lot. I pick them up move them around play with them rearrange their stuff, now they've got to where I open their crabitat to change food and water the come running like feeding cattle or something. I'm sure it's natural for them to run and hide no matter what that's how they survived for millions of years and when I quit trying to sneak a peak at them and just went for it that's when they were more chill. I have mine in a separate room as well I think that plays a lot into them not being used to activity. Hope this helps take care


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[Asheka]

For me, when I had hermies last, I just did a lot in the room they were in (when in a separate room). Nothing big and noisy, just everyday stuff. They will eventually get use to you.