Do your crabs change what they are doing when they see you?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:26 am

When I come into my room, my crabs often stop what they are doing. If one was going to the water dish, it turns around. If one was going to the food dish it turns around. If they are eating/drinking they stop. If they are about to climb they don't climb. Is this common?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:31 am

i often find that when i turn a light on or my movements frighten them that my crabs will go to there favorite hiding spot till they feel safe again, but i have had crabs in the past who have completely ignore me regardless even if im changing food and water dishes

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:33 am

My old crabs would do that. My crab Patrick would be walking to the food dish and when i came in the room he would walk around the dish and go to the other side of the tank. Maybe they don't want to eat with someone watching them because they don't want to be watched eating. Maybe they get embarassed?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:45 am

I don't know. They don't hide, they just change what they are doing. If they can't move fast enough or retract fast enough they will freeze though. This rarely happens and they rarely retract because of me with the exception of Brass.

CallaLily · Post by **CallaLily** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:07 pm

Favre could care less what I'm doing. Shai will retract into his/her shell most times but will sometimes freeze. Our newest crab will freeze for a second then continue what he/she was doing.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 12:47 am

My little Peep (R.I.P) would watch me all the time, run over to my hand when i put it in the tank and was much friendlier with me than when my Bf handled her. But Jeepers my other E is scared of his own shadow. and when ever i wasn't looking he likes to go junk himself in his water dish and then leave little claw marks all around the edge of the tank. but acts completely normal when I'm looking.

limeslide · Post by **limeslide** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 12:27 pm

when i get to the comp they freeze and that were i take them pics

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:15 pm

Normally when i get to close they freeze and some of them wonder off their there holes but the ones that are used to human contact tend to just freeze for a moment then go back to what they are doing.

I think it depends on how well the crab knows you and if they feel safe. Seeing as they don't see to great when you get close to them I think they get a little startled.

Maybe there playing hide and seek with you?

limeslide · Post by **limeslide** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:18 pm

our they freeze for a while then i take pics then i do the spot check with a lamp them i stare at them and they do what they were doing before

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 6:14 pm

Our PPs are pretty mellow, but the Es are a different story. Sometimes when one sees me, it scuttles away - backwards!

Julia Coenobita · Post by **Julia Coenobita** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:39 pm

Grammarcia wrote:Our PPs are pretty mellow, but the Es are a different story. Sometimes when one sees me, it scuttles away - backwards!

Yes, mine do that too!!!
It's probably normal for hermit crabs to act differently like that. Once my PP Topaz was about to switch shells - and I scared him - and he never came back to that same shell again. (It was a really pretty pearl-striped-turbo!!)

Dog Lips · Post by **Dog Lips** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:42 pm

My guy goes back into my shell sometimes. but usually he just keeps doing what he was doing. He'll freeze aswell. But'll keep doing what he was doing a minute after.

limeslide · Post by **limeslide** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:41 pm

my hermies freeze and slowly crawl in to their pot,BACKWARDS!!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 9:58 pm

My crab Mint withdraws so fast his shell rolls backwards

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:34 pm

Ive had my crabs for about 3 months now and im not sure if its normal or if maybe they were not treated great before but i will still never see them if i am awake. As soon as i go to bed i can hear them instantly, like there just waiting for me to go to sleep.

If i get up in the night they will hide for about 30 min then come out when they think im gone. I can handle them fine if i catch them out of there spots, they are not aggressive or anything towards me and will run around/come out of the shell when i hold them.

like i said im not sure if its common or not... perhaps they are simply vampire PPs