HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Posted: **Thu Sep 22, 2016 4:49 pm**

DO yall know any way to get ur hermit crabs to trust u? Trust meaning they wont get scared when they see you and when u pick them up they wont hide

Posted: **Fri Sep 23, 2016 3:01 am**

While handling crabs is debated, I don't personally feel like it is something the crabs enjoy. As they are a prey animal, I feel that they get scared easily, and in general handling them is stressful to the crab. However, there have been members that have crabs that don't seem to mind human presence. I believe that is conditioning. I think positive reinforcement would be the only way to get crabs to be less afraid, and that would be hit or miss. If this particular crab has not molted with you I absolutely do not recommend handling them for any reason other than absolute necessity. In reality they aren't really that kind of pet. They're more of an observational pet. I fear of people getting pinched and flinging them, or running them under chlorinated water...I know that may not be the case, but it could be an instinctual reaction... So. As far as I know....nothing really...they see us as predators.

Posted: **Fri Sep 23, 2016 5:50 pm**

when they pinch me, I just bring my hand to the ground. Really, it doesn't hurt that much (only because I never got pinched with the BIG claw

)!

Posted: **Fri Sep 23, 2016 9:55 pm**

I have mine in a high traffic area and that helps none of my crabs flinch when i approach the tank! I RARELY even touch them and when i do it's necessity and long enough from point a to point b. I think the reason they don't flinch is because they KNOW i don't like to pick them up. As rawrgeous said above, they are a prey animal. That means they'll never be ok with you holding them! However, if you gain their trust by being hands off... They maybe won't run for the hills because the giant is grabbing for them

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Posted: **Sat Sep 24, 2016 9:08 am**

Crabs don't have the brain power to trust in any meaningful way. You may be able to condition them to be less reactive to your presence.

I want to try this with mine, not necessarily so I can handle them, but so it is less stressful for them when I have to reach into their habitat. Once my crabs are more settled in, my plan is to figure out a food they are strongly attracted to and then, whenever I reach into the habitat to put a bit in front of them

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Posted: **Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:58 am**

Hi, i agree with you all in that the crabs are an observation only "pet". Even "pet" seems the wrong word, as "pet" implies some sort of interaction/reward system. I look at the a Crabitat as a bubble into another world, one in which i am responsible for its survival. I only put my hand in Krabbyville to change food/adjust items. My crabs play with each other.
My daughter told me tales of the hermies being "raced" in school. And i have to stop her. I now have these same crabs and I just want to give them a little peace.
My pet store rescue is very shy and flinches if hes up and i come into the kitchen. All day he stays in his shell, front buried in the sub. He is not a social crab. I feel terrible knowing he once ran free on a beach and now hes in a bucket sized plot of earth.
Im hoping he'll come out of his shell after a few months in Krabbyville.

Posted: **Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:59 am**

Hi, i agree with you all in that the crabs are an observation only "pet". Even "pet" seems the wrong word, as "pet" implies some sort of interaction/reward system. I look at the a Crabitat as a bubble into another world, one in which i am responsible for its survival. I only put my hand in Krabbyville to change food/adjust items. My crabs play with each other.
My daughter told me tales of the hermies being "raced" in school. And i have to stop her. I now have these same crabs and I just want to give them a little peace.
My pet store rescue is very shy and flinches if hes up and i come into the kitchen. All day he stays in his shell, front buried in the sub. He is not a social crab. I feel terrible knowing he once ran free on a beach and now hes in a bucket sized plot of earth.
Im hoping he'll come out of his shell after a few months in Krabbyville.

Posted: **Wed Oct 12, 2016 9:04 pm**

In any case, i just tore my tank apart and put it back together and they didn't retreat! I took millions of pictures and all! They just don't flee anymore.

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Posted: **Fri Nov 11, 2016 10:22 am**

Wanna know something funny? 2 years ago when I had Hairy he was on me, and then he pinched me lightly with his big claw, and this is what happened: at first: Aww! Dad, look! He's pinching me! 3 secs later: How adorab-AAA! DAD HELP ME NOW! HE'S PINCHING ME!! AA! A! AHHAHAAAAAA!!!

don't worry! He didn't get hurt. He's still alive to this day and he's my hairy little baby. :crabbigsmile:

Posted: **Fri Nov 11, 2016 10:54 am**

hairycrab wrote:Wanna know something funny? 2 years ago when I had Hairy he was on me, and then he pinched me lightly with his big claw, and this is what happened: at first: Aww! Dad, look! He's pinching me! 3 secs later: How adorab-AAA! DAD HELP ME NOW! HE'S PINCHING ME!! AA! A! AHHAHAAAAAA!!! don't worry! He didn't get hurt. He's still alive to this day and he's my hairy little baby.

I haven't been pinched yet, and am curious what it feels like? I just assumed it wouldn't hurt cuz those pinchers are so small

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Posted: **Fri Nov 11, 2016 1:22 pm**

kieagcarm wrote: I haven't been pinched yet, and am curious what it feels like? I just assumed it wouldn't hurt cuz those pinchers are so small

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It hurts. Mine left a bruise on the palm of my hand.

Posted: **Sat Nov 19, 2016 2:08 am**

i also agree you should only hold your crabs when you need to. i have gotten my crabs more "comfortable" with me tho. i also have them in a high traffic area, try to sit in front of their tank for a little bit each day (since i also have a new pet bird im hand feeding i feed him while sitting at the tank), if i see a crab out i offer it some food (if i can something i know they like) that way they associate me with good things and i also try to make small changes in the tank along with changing food/misting so they are just more accustomed to my presence. now my male crab and largest female crab will come out when they see me watching. Uu usually comes right up to the glass or top of the climbing items i have in. Hermione will also change into new shell right away after adding new ones without being afraid of me. it all just takes time.

Posted: **Sat Nov 19, 2016 2:51 pm**

I think it depends on the crab bc I have 4 and none of them are afraid of me except for one. He has always been the scared one and hasn't changed. But I do not play with them i just observe.

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Posted: **Sat Jan 30, 2021 5:09 pm**

Brian_T wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 24, 2016 9:08 am
Crabs don't have the brain power to trust in any meaningful way. You may be able to condition them to be less reactive to your presence.

I want to try this with mine, not necessarily so I can handle them, but so it is less stressful for them when I have to reach into their habitat. Once my crabs are more settled in, my plan is to figure out a food they are strongly attracted to and then, whenever I reach into the habitat to put a bit in front of them

Hi! I saw in your post above that you are looking for fun foods that hermit crabs like. Well, a food that I found you CAN give hermit crabs is honey. (I only give organic, but not sure if you can give them honey from the store) They also like cooked egg, washed grass and un-buttered popcorn, bone marrow, raw meat. I did research and all of this is OKAY to give them. (Just noticed I am a few years LATE. Sorry about that...)

Posted: **Sat Jan 30, 2021 7:32 pm**

Some crabs are more tolerable to being around people than others. We have some that fall over backwards to run away after having them for years. Others I can pull a food dish away and don't even hide. Some will even take food from my hand.

Some old pamphlets say you can teach them. I honestly think it is that particular crabs demeanor that determines their actions more than trust.

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

How to get Hermit crabs to trust u

How to get Hermit crabs to trust u

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