Supermoon & Activity

[GotButterflies]

Did anyone else notice a spike in activity with their crabs and the Supermoon? Yesterday afternoon they started being really active late afternoon and have been really active today as well. I was just curious.

[Wlfwo]

Did anyone else notice a spike in activity with their crabs and the Supermoon? Yesterday afternoon they started being really active late afternoon and have been really active today as well. I was just curious.

Nope, both mine are buried for the day, just like always. They did wipe the food out last night however and both were up at the same time, that hadn't happened since they molted.

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[LadyJinglyJones]

Nah... my tats are pretty status quo at the moment.

[wodesorel]

I only have 6 crabs up out of about 40ish. Nothing happening here!

[GotButterflies]

Interesting! My crabitats were still active yesterday


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[Richard]

Interesting! My crabitats were still active yesterday

indeed super interresting. What crabs do you have and what difference did you notice in their behavior ?

[GotButterflies]

Interesting! My crabitats were still active yesterday

indeed super interresting. What crabs do you have and what difference did you notice in their behavior ?

PPs, Es, Straws and Lilas. It just seemed like more were out than there normally is, especially that early in the afternoon. I’ve had quite a few down molting too. The next day they were walking the wheel during the day which usually occurs during summer- not during “winter”.


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[Richard]

I read an article about a small crustacean called Eurydice pulchra. The researchers exposed it to bright light around the clock. Eurydice pulchra have some kind of natural "sun lotion" to protect it from the sun. This "sun lotion" production was thrown off by the bright light. But it did not affect it's natural rhythm in regards to activity during ebb and flow, even the slightest.It is a mystery how it knows when to do what. But we can speculate it has to do with the pull from the moon.I wish those researchers had went to the equator to test out how Eurydice pulchra behaves there.

During full and new moon, there is high tide. So to me it seems more logical that the land hermit crabs that are not highly adapted for terrestrial life would be more active during ebb. Since this would provide them with more food (dead sea creatures on the beach). However sometimes nature is logical in ways that are not obvious. And not all hermit crabs live on the beach. As far as I understood, the species that are highly adapted for terrestrial life, pretty much only visit the ocean to lay "eggs". And so the ebb and flow, should not affect them in the same direct way, it would affect the not-so terrestrial species.

I read in some of your earlier posts. You mention that you use a device that emulates moonlight. I assume this device will provide your crabs with the same amount of light every night. Supporting the idea that light (from the moon) during nighttime don't affect their level of activity. Speculating a bit further, the bright light from the moon stimulates a lot of mammals, that will pray on the crabs. If I were a crab I would dig down 10 inches and hide.However having seen a lot of youtube videos with hermit crabs. It seems that when a hermit crab (and other crabs also) get's attacked. They try to outrun whatever is attacking them.

Finally there is also a human factor. I know you probably kept hermit crabs for well over a decade and are very familiar with them. But when we as humans expect something, we have a tendency of experiencing it. If you noticed that supermoon was coming up and maybe expected your crabs to be more active during this period of time. They may have appeared to be more active to you. While in reality maybe they were just being slightly out of order. I am sure that a lot of people will swear that indo's are aggressive bullies. Because when we as humans, see a huge hermit crab, waving around it's over sized claw. We perceive it as aggression. When a tiny crab wave it's claws we don't care much about it

link to experiment with Eurydice pulchra
https://www.livescience.com/39973-marin ... locks.html

link to Tryon's rat experiment (in regard to human expectation in animals)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryon%27s_Rat_Experiment

[Fledgling]

My injured crab, Robin, finally came up 2 nights ago! I haven't seen him since September and I've been worried about him. I doubt it has anything to do with the moon, but the timeline fits, so who knows?

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[GotButterflies]

Those are definitely interesting points Richard! Yes, I have a light in my crab room that is a moon. It comes on when the sun goes down. It looks like a full moon every night. I didn't go into the crab room at night, it was just more active at feeding time, and then the following day. I really don't think it was just me. But...you just never know LOL

[piratetoothgir]

Did anyone else notice a spike in activity with their crabs and the Supermoon? Yesterday afternoon they started being really active late afternoon and have been really active today as well. I was just curious.

Stella moved out from her spot about that time.
Walked to the fresh pool, and then to the food.

[piratetoothgir]

Extremely active last night! I could barely get to sleep, she was clanging around in the wood, up near the top.

[GotButterflies]