HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi, I've seen over and over again where hermit crabs manage to get themselves into and out of the most seemingly unmanageable and difficult situations, and I was a firm believer that they don't get stuck....until, little Lionel climbed into the cholla and was there for 10 days! No, I didn't watch him every moment I took bathroom and sleep breaks, but his shell never seemed to move. I finally got worried enough and cut the cholla open, and dang it, he was wedged in there so tight I couldn't get him out without cutting it off of him. I know if he got desperate enough he could have abandoned his shell and streaked over to the shell shop, but that's just not safe for his soft tummy, so I'm glad I intervened. Luckily he's a calm little guy and knows me well so he didn't freak out with the handling. He ate honey from a spoon the next day, so he seems to be doing well.

I am glad everything turned out ok!

I wonder what is the time frame for us intervening? I put my guys in their new tat that had a fish net in it and a litte guy climbed up and didn't move for the rest of the day. I was afraid he might be stuck on a fiber so I lowered the net to the ground that night and he worked his way free...

Lots of people will say to trust your gut, and about 80% of the time, if you think the crabby needs help he probably does.
Good call on getting the little guy out! I can imagine he must of been so hungry after

I'll go two or three days with them in the same spot and then I'll check on them. Only once did someone actually get stuck and that was when the Murex shell got wedged tight inside the cholla because of all those little spikey bits on the shell. Most of the time they get snippy at me for bothering them. :roll: Still, better to be safe.

I had one in the cholla too, but after watching her a couple of days, I could't stand it and I pulled her out. She was not happy, and went right back in. It looked like she had her claws on her hips as she marched back to her chosen hide. Silly me, I thought she could get out. I have also had them get trapped (my opinion) between my tupperware water dishes and the tank wall. My dishes are 4 inches deep and partially buried, so I am not sure how they do it, but I move them when I find them. I have never had one stuck on the climbing net or on the plastic ladders in the water dishes. Glad you got yours out in time.

Glad your crab is ok!

I once had a large crab get his shell stuck in a tiny resin hut. He streaked and found another shell until I got his old one un-stuck for him. I took the hut out after that.

I'm glad to hear he's okay! I know once I had a small E get "stuck" (he could move but seemed afraid to) in the end of a cholla log for several days. I removed him from it and never saw him on it again (sad since it led to a moss pit).