Food bully!

Where we discuss the behavior of our hermit crabs, as in fights, pecking orders, shell swaps, etc. Please post all naked-crab posts in the Emergency forum.
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Kermie16
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Food bully!

Post by Kermie16 » Thu May 19, 2016 9:05 pm

So watching my crabs tonight and I saw our smallest one, Chime, kept rolling over and out of the food dish. After watching more closely, one of our other hermies, Mike, runs over to the food dish whenever Chime goes for a nibble, moves himself into the middle of the dish and knocks chime out practically every time! :x Not cool! I passed my hand over Mike shell and he bolted out of there. Now Chime is in the food dish by himself, poor guy! What can I do to prevent this from happening again?? Maybe put out a bigger dish or multiple dishes? Thinking about dipping Mike in one of the pools every time I see him do it. He needs a time out to cool off!! :evil:

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Rawrgeous
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Re: Food bully!

Post by Rawrgeous » Thu May 19, 2016 11:46 pm

Unfortunately I don't think dipping him will work, guarding happens from time to time. I just put out 2 dishes in different spots, I figure they can't guard both. Lol

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soilentgringa
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Re: Food bully!

Post by soilentgringa » Thu May 19, 2016 11:58 pm

Put out multiple dishes.

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Kermie16
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Re: Food bully!

Post by Kermie16 » Fri May 20, 2016 7:16 am

Ok, will give it a try tonight!! Thank you!!

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CallaLily
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Re: Food bully!

Post by CallaLily » Sun May 22, 2016 12:54 pm

Totally normal for a dominant crab to flick other crabs out of the food fish. Usually once they have their fill, the others will get their turn. It may seem cruel to us but it is how it is with them. These types of dominance displays usually do not become anything serious. If it seems he never lets others in the dish and/or you're worried, add another dish in a different location.

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Kermie16
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Re: Food bully!

Post by Kermie16 » Sun May 22, 2016 5:08 pm

CallaLily wrote:Totally normal for a dominant crab to flick other crabs out of the food fish. Usually once they have their fill, the others will get their turn. It may seem cruel to us but it is how it is with them. These types of dominance displays usually do not become anything serious. If it seems he never lets others in the dish and/or you're worried, add another dish in a different location.
Added a second dish in the tat and seems like the little one is trying to be the first one to get dibs! Worked out great! Thanks!

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