HCA: Hermit Crab Association

We have had all our crabs for a couple months now. They are so skittish. I rarely ever see them. They are always hiding. If one happens to come out and someone walks by the tat they hide again. Any clue when this behavior might end? Conditions in the tat are good. I think they r just scared. We don't handle them. Any ideas how I can make them more comfortable?

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they might get more used to you over time, but crabs have different personalities and some are just more skittish. they are supposed to hide during the day though. sometimes I don't see mine for days but I know they're up every night because I wake up to find food flung all over the crabitat.

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Mine still do that after a few years sometimes. Just remember that we are absolutely huge to them and if we approach too suddenly and put our faces up to the tank they will rightly get freaked out and run away/hide. If you have a nice jungle area with lots of hiding places that can help them feel more secure and more likely to venture out, but keeping an eye out for crabs and approaching the the tank slowly may help them get used to you faster. Like doth said, they're all different. I have one crab that's always out and is used to my antics, and I had one that I literally almost never saw but several times in the the 4 years that I've had him. A couple months to me means they're still new, it can take them a long time to let go of that stress they come in with, unfortunately it just takes time and patience.

FairyDefender wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2019 8:24 am

We have had all our crabs for a couple months now. They are so skittish. I rarely ever see them. They are always hiding. If one happens to come out and someone walks by the tat they hide again. Any clue when this behavior might end? Conditions in the tat are good. I think they r just scared. We don't handle them. Any ideas how I can make them more comfortable?

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Remember they are prey animals and their instinct is to hide to stay alive. They don't get tame like wild dogs and cats. Many of us have cameras set up in our tanks so we can record and watch their nighttime antics.

Thanks guys I have a camera it's just not set up yet. The kids usually walk up to fast. Sometimes if I notice one is out I can watch without them knowing I'm there. As long as I don't tell the kids they're out! LOL

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