Crab On the Run!

[marandashermies]

OK so I wanted to share this story here, as everyone I know thinks I am a crazy crab person and just doesn't understand how amazing and fun these little creatures are.

Last night I was changing out food in my 55g and 125g. I walked into my room where my 55g tank is and there sitting in the middle of my floor was one of my medium PP's. He just stood there and stared at me, until I started walking toward him, then tucked into his shell. I literally screamed, when I saw him from the shock! How in the heck did this crab get out of the tank!! I felt like he heard me changing the food and he decided to come out from under the bed and check it out. He looked at me like "Hey Mom, here I am, I had a fun adventure but I am ready to head back in the tank now. Please don't be mad at me".

I quickly swooped him up and but him back in the warm tank. He immediately went under the platform and dug down. I just can not believe this little fella escaped! And that he only decided to come out when he knew I was messing with the tank. The fact that he stood literally in the middle of my room, so I couldn't miss him, was just crazy! These guys are so much smarter then they get credit for. I can not get the picture of him just sitting there out of my head. I laugh every time I think about it. Those cute little eyes staring at me like a lost puppy.

After he was back in, I took a flashlight and looked everywhere In my room to make sure he didn't have any friends out partying with him. I didn't find anyone else, or any trace of how this one escaped. I wish I would have gotten a picture, but I didn't think of it at the time.

Has anyone else had an crab escape stories?!

[landlubber]

I'm so glad you found him and he was so cooperative!

I keep hearing Paul McCartney's "Man on the Run" song, only in my head the lyrics have changed to "Crab on the Run." Ah, I amuse myself....

I had a small PP escape once, although I'm not sure you'd call it an escape, because I think what happened is that she was in a too big shell, and I went to rotate shells and rotated her right out of there (another reason I prefer bigger crabs-you have to be so careful with that sort of thing with the teenies). She was under the refrigerator. My cat altered me to her presence. She'd probably been out for several days, and I didn't even know it.

Another time one of my straws continuously tried to escape. And the little bugger would push the hood light up and grab onto the outside lip of the tank (because of course I would try to remove and her put her back so she'd hold on for dear life) and I would have to wait until she was good and ready to let go, and she'd hang on for HOURS. And I couldn't do much of anything until she decided to let go. She did this several times. I kept putting heavier and heavier things on top of that hood light until I finally got enough weight to hold it down and foil her plans for good.

[jclee]

I'm glad you've found the little one. I had a similar experience with a crab escape that terrified me, as I only found it in the middle of the night while going to the bathroom. I didn't even know it was out.

You're in good company. Most of us have the startling run in with an occasional escape artist. They are quite good at it.

[marandashermies]

I'm so glad you found him and he was so cooperative!

I keep hearing Paul McCartney's "Man on the Run" song, only in my head the lyrics have changed to "Crab on the Run." Ah, I amuse myself....

I had a small PP escape once, although I'm not sure you'd call it an escape, because I think what happened is that she was in a too big shell, and I went to rotate shells and rotated her right out of there (another reason I prefer bigger crabs-you have to be so careful with that sort of thing with the teenies). She was under the refrigerator. My cat altered me to her presence. She'd probably been out for several days, and I didn't even know it.

Another time one of my straws continuously tried to escape. And the little bugger would push the hood light up and grab onto the outside lip of the tank (because of course I would try to remove and her put her back so she'd hold on for dear life) and I would have to wait until she was good and ready to let go, and she'd hang on for HOURS. And I couldn't do much of anything until she decided to let go. She did this several times. I kept putting heavier and heavier things on top of that hood light until I finally got enough weight to hold it down and foil her plans for good.

That's funny you mention that! My straws are always trying to escape my 55g. So far, 2 of them have got out, but I heard the rustling and immediately jumped out of bed. But like you said, they hang on for dear like and you can do anything until they are good and ready to go back in - which is super fun at 2am. Sitting in the dark. Waiting and waiting. Knowing I have to be up at 5am for work. Then last night, another one got out and I heard a huge THUNK. I Jumped out of bed and there he was behind the tank walking along the lip of the stand. I grabbed him and put him back in. Luckily he didn't see my coming, so didn't grab on to anything. They only try to escape in the middle of the night, never during the day. The tank is like a foot from my pillow so I hear it every time. Its like when you know a baby is about to cry and you body starts to wake up, then the baby cries? That's how it is with these crabs! My body startles me awake, then I hear them up to no good, trying to escape. I am not real sure what to do to stop them from escaping. I will explain;

There is an opening in the top of the tank towards the back, that allows the tube from my fogger to go in, and the tubes for the bubble pools. literally right next to that, I have a heat lamp that sits there, half of it is on the glass cover and the other half is open in the tank. I have a day light and then a night light for them. Next to that is an open space that I used Glad press-n-seal to cover. Every time they are getting out, they are pushing through the glad wrap, or crawling up inside the light, pushing it to the side and sneaking out. The open slit is literally only maybe 4inch by 2inch, but there are things placed in all the open spaces. They like to crawl on the roof of the tank and then get over to the lamp and decide to go up from there. I don't want to have to put another piece of glass there, in that small space, because then I cant get my fogger and bubbler lines in there, and then there is no natural air circulation. I have no clue what to do to make them stop ripping open the glad wrap and crawling out through the lamp! I have been lucky enough to catch them each time because they are so noisy, but now that I had the medium PP get out, without me knowing, I am extremely paranoid! Any ideas as to what could stop them from escaping, would be much appreciated! I can try and take a pic of the opening as well If that helps, when I get home from work today. It is not the easiest thing to explain.

[AutumnHermie]

I had a small straw escape once. It was actually New Years Eve, and once I was ready for bed at about 2:00 A.M :roll:
I walked into my room, and there Bubba was, sitting on my pillow. Funny thing was, the pillow was red too. It's almost like he was saying, " It was fun out of the tank for a little while, but the thought of getting off this tall thing is scary. Get me off it. " After getting over the initial shock, I picked him up and hurried him back to the tank. Two of his other friends were out partying too I looked all over the tank, and there was no apparent reason on where they escaped. It's still a big unsolved mystery

[AutumnHermie]

Ug. Sorry about the "Star star star star star" thing. Autocorrect got me Bubba was the name of the straw, so of course autocorrect has to change it :roll:

[jclee]

It's not pretty, but when I got tired of crabs escaping, I wound up putting eggcrate over the top, taped into place. Its holes are big enough for tubing, and it's mean for light fixtures, so you can place a heat lamp on/over it. I cut it to size and taped that hunk down, and nary an escape since. (I started off, naively, with fiberglass window screening, which they tore through in a night or two.)

[marandashermies]

It's not pretty, but when I got tired of crabs escaping, I wound up putting eggcrate over the top, taped into place. Its holes are big enough for tubing, and it's mean for light fixtures, so you can place a heat lamp on/over it. I cut it to size and taped that hunk down, and nary an escape since. (I started off, naively, with fiberglass window screening, which they tore through in a night or two.)

hmmm that actually might work! I am very familiar with cutting egg crate from making my false bottom recently, and I could cut it too size. Hopefully I have some left, I will have to check. thanks for the tip!!!

[marandashermies]

I had a small straw escape once. It was actually New Years Eve, and once I was ready for bed at about 2:00 A.M :roll:
I walked into my room, and there the little ******* was, sitting on my pillow. Funny thing was, the pillow was red too. It's almost like he was saying, " It was fun out of the tank for a little while, but the thought of getting off this tall thing is scary. Get me off it. " After getting over the initial shock, I picked him up and hurried him back to the tank. Two of his other friends were out partying too I looked all over the tank, and there was no apparent reason on where they escaped. It's still a big unsolved mystery

bahahaha I was saying that to my daughter this morning. What if we woke up and there was a crab in the bed, Lol! Could you imagine, sitting up and seeing their big eyes just staring back at you, exerting their shell water all over your blankets. Not like you can get mad at those little puppy eyes Can't help but have nothing but love for these little trouble makers

[AutumnHermie]

I usually sleep with only one pillow, and of course little bubba just had to drool all over it. My dog was the pillow that night. The doggy is surprisingly soft

[marandashermies]

below are pics of the area I was referring too. First without anything on it, and then how it is always otherwise set-up. I don't have any egg crate left, and don't want to spend all that money on an entire sheet of it. Any other suggestions?!

Opening size, you can see its not that big!


how it looks when they escape..

[jclee]

They're stronger than you might imagine. I can easily see even a little guy nudging that light fixture up enough for a repeat attempt.

[marandashermies]

They're stronger than you might imagine. I can easily see even a little guy nudging that light fixture up enough for a repeat attempt.

yes, they have repeatedly. That's why I am trying to figure out a solution!!

[courtbri]

I had an experience like this myself. My favorite guy- Harry was in ISO for a molt and I had seen him starting to come up so I thought all was well and continued my business. The next time I checked he had put himself right up against the glass closest to me (i'm certain he did it so he would be seen) you see he needed help. He was out of his shell and for awhile it appeared too because his little abdomen was dried out and had EE stuck to him so there's so way hee could get back in his shell comfortably. I did notice him and I soaked him in distilled water until his abdomen softened and I could get the EE off. I took the day off work so I could be with him and help him. He would get in his shell but leave again to soak dome more. I ended up hand feeding him for a month until he got his strength back and he is back to being himself and my favorite. I still am in awe how he put himself st the front of the tank so I would notice he needed help. Makes me teary- eyed.


Crabbing for 2 years-still obsessed! 6 total crustacean kids. Gave up trying to tell them apart but I love them all.

[marandashermies]

I had an experience like this myself. My favorite guy- Harry was in ISO for a molt and I had seen him starting to come up so I thought all was well and continued my business. The next time I checked he had put himself right up against the glass closest to me (i'm certain he did it so he would be seen) you see he needed help. He was out of his shell and for awhile it appeared too because his little abdomen was dried out and had EE stuck to him so there's so way hee could get back in his shell comfortably. I did notice him and I soaked him in distilled water until his abdomen softened and I could get the EE off. I took the day off work so I could be with him and help him. He would get in his shell but leave again to soak dome more. I ended up hand feeding him for a month until he got his strength back and he is back to being himself and my favorite. I still am in awe how he put himself st the front of the tank so I would notice he needed help. Makes me teary- eyed.


Crabbing for 2 years-still obsessed! 6 total crustacean kids. Gave up trying to tell them apart but I love them all.

awww that's so sad! They are so smart, so much smarter then they get credit for! I am glad you saw him and was able to help him out, in his time of need.
Luckily, my crabs haven't had anything like that happen. They are just trouble makers! I think they just want to escape and crawl in bed with me under the heated blanket

No one has made an escape attempts this week. It has been -20-30 with wind chill here in MN, so all my crabbies are kind of in hibernation mode. My furnace never stops running, even when I am at work, so I can keep the house as warm as possible. Every winter I really question why I live here..