trouble making crab

hulk · Post by **hulk** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 1:18 pm

So if you haven't heard the terrible news...Hellboy was attacked by Hulk. This is Hulks' second inncodent like this. The first attack, on Elektra, didn't make it after her being hurt and then attacked twice from Hulk... and I am praying Hellboy will, but he looks very weak.

So what would make Hulk be so terrible?

~please read Molting: Hellboy did it finally

So is it just because of the size of the straws (who are about Hulk's size) who were attacked? is it the shells>even though I hae tons!? Is it becasue they molted...but then why does Hulk not bother the smaller crabs? It isn't cause Hulk needed to molt cause he just came up from his molt too.

All I have is qeustions and no answers...but I do know Hulk will not go back in with the others. I will have to jail him forever or iso him in a small home just for him...maybe find a new home for him>>but I don't want anyone else to go through this...I don't want to be mean: I just can't understand why Hulk is such a BAD CRAB. he was my first one and I had a special part in my heart for him, but this is crazy. I can't let him back in with the others.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 1:28 pm

maybe hulk is trying to establish his dominance? with the introduction of other crabs, often the old ones will have some rivalry with the new ones. You could try taking hulk out, and holding up to a new crab, and have their feelers touch for a bit. Kind of like dogs will do, they will sniff each other out. If you feel comfortable, take hulk and another crab out, and let them crawl around on your hands to let play together in a safe and controlled environment. I had a bully at one point, and doing these things helped me. Good luck!!

hulk · Post by **hulk** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:13 pm

I can do that....but the crabs have been together for awhile now with no problems until the crabs molt...then Hulk is on attack mode...but only with the straws that are his size...the other crabs are left alone? I ev en added a new small PP recently and they were fine...no problems with it.

Thanks for your help. I will try it when and IF Hellboy pulls through. I am keeping Hulk out until then..or maybe even after I get back from vacation. I don't want anything tohappn while I am not here to stop any problems.

I may just have to take Hulk and the other PPs out and have them be in the 10 gallon iso and then have the normal 55 for the exotics.?

hulk · Post by **hulk** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 9:32 pm

I am trying to decide if I should keep Hulk separeate from the others or just remove him when the other large crabs molt? I assume it would beeasier to remove Hulk is he isn't molting then the molting crab...
(actually he is a she I just found out today weird huh I really was SURE Hulk was a boy..but WRONG!)

so if you all have an opinion to suggest to me what to do with Hulk casue he obviously is not being nice to freshly molted crabs that are his size (med and even large) It is so strange to me that he does this. Ijust don't understand it.

brandi9976 · Post by **brandi9976** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:17 am

*kathy* had a bully like that once, she sent him to my house (at my request) he attacked 1 crab got put in a very small kritter keeper inside of my 55 gal for the night with food and some water and a hidey hut. The next day I took him out of the kk stuck him in the salt water bowl. 2 days later he attacked someone else mid attack he got his butt thrown in the salt water bowl, (well not thrown, but you know what I mean) He has not attacked another crab since and I've had him since Dec or January I believe it's been quite awhile.

hulk · Post by **hulk** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:51 am

that is hopeful news =) I have Hulk in a small wire (cage in the tank right now. But Hellboy is in his own 10 gallon tryig to recover...at least he made it through the night!

bksbuddha · Post by **bksbuddha** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:50 am

Yeah, I've read the horror stories & I'm of a different opinion. I would put Hulk in w/the smaller ones since she seems to be fine w/them.

Ya know I've had similar problems w/Vise & she's now by herself...still not sure how she'd do w/a baby one. I don't think moving Hulk back & forth according to who is molting is going to be good for her or you. It could make matters worse.

I'm probably wrong, but it's my 2 cents.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:59 am

i've read elsewhere in the forum that hermit crabs attack each other due to a deficiency in their diet, and that the behavior can be fixed by adding more protein. i'm not sure if this is true or not, because i have never had this kind of problem, thankfully. but i suggest checking out other posts in this section and in the food section to see what others have said in the past. i'm sorry i don't have a specific thread to show you, but it's late and i simply can't remember.

i hope hellboy makes a speedy recovery.

hulk · Post by **hulk** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:50 am

I have protien in at all time...the baby shrimps..and then I put in shrimp after molts and even before molts...and I have fish and brine shrimp..so I am not depriving them from what I am aware of...fresh ruits and verggies EVERYDAY! plus the bug n nut cause the LOVE that and I give all natural foods from Nar nar and oters on here..so they eat well.

but who knows.

I am very worried about Hellboy he was out of his shell ast night and very weak! he loos terrible. he even has a clear spot on his claw?? maybe from molting Ihave never seen this before on a molted crab.

He doesn't look like he is going to make it =( but he looked better yesterday morning and then last night not good..so I just don't know. He just doesn't have any energy to move.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:37 am

I think that you're doing the right thing for hulk by isolating him in the tank. Im sending good vibes to you and your other crabs

~tess

hulk · Post by **hulk** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:32 pm

well...Hellb oy has made it through another night! I was so worried and couldn't sleep last night when I saw him out of his shell! But he is still weak and not moving.

I really hope he gets better! I am leaving for vacatio in 2 weeks! I am not sure if I should keep Hellboy in iso for longer then that (if he makes it) or put im in the main tank ~ if he seems stronger ~ and leave Hulk out? ahhh I am nuts I know it =)

hulk · Post by **hulk** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:21 pm

I took a chance and let Hulk out of jail..I have been checking in on her...so far she is behaiving..but it is strange cause Rogue my other st5aw who waslucky to xome up from her molt as Hulk was under still molting..they are looking at each other from a distance and not really moving but staring...so maybe during the night I will separate again?

Hulk went right after some of Hellboys leftover exo that she must have found under ground. I have shrimp in there though so I don't understand why this behaivior problem...and she must have eatten her own exo after molting, right?

I am going to try and get some pics tomorrow..cause Hulk has grew a HUGE BRIGHT PURPLE PINCHER so it is scarey in a way. I am going to check in again...usually Hulk only goes after the freshly molted straws? so I have to makes sure Rogue will be ok.

I think I will jail Hulk during the nights..but that may cause some problems too? i don't know what to do. I just can't have Hulk doing this to my straws!

bksbuddha · Post by **bksbuddha** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:48 pm

She seems to be very dominant...I'm guessing the Straws are the largest in the tat next to her. You should definately take precautions to prevent any future incidents.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:27 am

I think there are different reasons why crabs attack other crabs, and it's never a simple issue, you have to closely observe and determine the cause in order to correct it, and on occasion there are crabs that just seem mean (although I don't think that's hulk, he's not doing it frequently enough for that to be the case), and end up living in ISO alone. That's pretty darn rare though.

My adopted crab Fancy killed two of my PPs. After trying several things I bought Richard, a bigger PP. When Fancy was no longer the largest in the tank she settled down. No further incidents so far. Is Hulk the biggest?

hulk · Post by **hulk** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:13 am

Hulk was tha biggest...until I got the straws...Elektra was the first one killed and she was about the same size...then hellboy was also attacked and he was the biggest guy.

I am not sure if she just does it ti the straws or the ones that are closer to her size. They got along fine until the straws came up from the molts...then that is when the problems happened.

SO I am way confused: it has to do with after a molt though cause that is the only time this happens.

First Elektra molted and he was attacking her and hurt her leg and claw..and then stole her shell. she molted again and then stole her shell again (but never stayed in the shell very long. She died not too long after that =( I was thinkgin she needed to molt..but that is not the case Hulk was freshly molted when Hellboy was attacked =(

Now Hellboy! He molted and I found Hulk guarding his shell ing the hut...and Hellboy was naked and very weark..but seemingly unharmed. Hellboy is still very weak.

So I jail hulk and just let her out yesterday. Rouge my molted once (but lucky Hulk was under when she came up) she is active and healthy. Hulk hasn't bothered her.

I know Hulk is just not MAEN to everybody. She only bothers the ones her size..the small ones are fine and noth bothered when they molt. So is it that the ones being attaked are straws..or the same size? I would assume it is one or the other..or both?

Hulk went right after Hellboys exo 9what she found in the main tank aftr I released her from jail. BUT there was shrimp and baby gammas shrimp in there plus bugs n nuts..so there was plenty of protien and other varieties to eat...I just don't know.