Sad crab - even sadder crabber

[Not2crabby]

Okay so.. I need some help. 1st thing, gus Gus, my very shy ️️pp basically... Hates me. And this makes me so sad, I have the whole crabitat set up so nice and did everything I was suppose to, I feed dinner with tons of variety of fresh fruits , honey , popcorn , almonds, walnuts ( and coconut! ) but they are so picky really only the popcorn get eaten and honestly they need more than popcorn for their diet so I put calcium shavings from a bone that you give to birds basically I shave it off and put it on their unhealthy food so it's somewhat heathy. Anyways.. I feel like I do all this for her an she just hates me! Like every time I even go near him he runs away and hides or he plays dead in his shell. I've had him about 1 months now and the other crabs are so easy going to me and sometimes I scare them on accident but I think they are getting use to their new home, overall I just want my gus Gus to be happy.

[YYWW]

Crabs are not domestic animals, they are wild animals plucked from nature and placed into a tank in your living room. That means hiding or running from a human being is a healthy and natural thing to do. Just respect that natural instinct and maybe one day it will learn to tolerate you.
If you do end up with a social crab just keep in mind that that crab would have been dead long ago from natural selection, and enjoy that little miracle that has been destined to be in your care. Good luck! Happy crabbing!


Crabbers unite!!!

Edit: O YES! You should also try to offer more variety when feeding. These natural scavengers depend on tasting many interesting things in order to thrive. Check out the nutrition guide (viewtopic.php?t=92554) and safe foods list (viewtopic.php?t=92557) for some ideas!

[thermidor]

Took about eight months before my crabs would not hide or run every single time they caught sight of me. Takes TIME, lots of it.

[rainbow_crab]

YYWW has a huge point, to the crab you could be a potential predator waiting to eat him, (in his crabby mind) they are wild and it takes a long time to build there trust. Not all crabs are like that though. He is just playing it safe because he's not sure what you are, and what you want. I have been there many times though. Like when I upgraded my tanks so they would have more room, bought them fancy foods and treats, and built a second level for them,and some still wanted absolutely nothing to do with me, or even the awesome things I got or built them. I have crabs that I have had for a couple years and they still hide from me, and then I have adopted crabs that had no problems wandering over my hands. Just be patient and do your best. Everyone and crab is different, some are just shy, others are adventurous.