HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So, I have an odd problem. My crabs contiue to dislike my presence. Even a movement from me and they scurry fast away as though I'm going to attack them

I have tried to make the tank the best it can be. They have the best most close to home food. I Handle them off and on (sometimes). Usually they run away and if I do get one to hold. They do all they can to be let go of or run across my palm so fast I fear holding them for too long.

I don't know what else to do. I fear my presence could one day stress them out enough that they pass. Does this improve in time?

I have some crabs that run away, some that don't. I find the red night light that comes on early in the evening lets me watch them a lot without bothering them too much.

The funny thing is, my largest crab is the most timid, he's so scared all the time he just goes underground all day and comes up at night when the red light is on.

@Shadow- All of my crabs have diff personalities. I tell people this and they look at me like I'm
I don't know if it' because I have 17 hermit crabs @ the age of 30 (lol) or because I told them they all have different personalities
I have a couple that run at the sight of any human movement, and a one that seems to high five me through the glass. I have been posting a recent emergency with one of my PP's, but he's my favorite because he loves to be handled. He will crawl all over me and when he see's me reaching for him, he seems to lift his little arms like a toddler who wants to be picked up! It's the funniest thing!

I second everyone else's posts, i have some crabs that run at the sight of me, even though i have had them for a whole year! and others who will come out for me and crawl all over me. i dont handle mine to much because i feel they do better when they have no stress. My large PP comes right out and onto my hand and never tries to pinch me, but yet some of my smalls E's and PP's try every chance they get. :roll:

I don't know if it' because I have 17 hermit crabs @ the age of 30 (lol) or because I told them they all have different personalities

lol i get that all the time! and i have 15 crabbies! i work at petco and every chance i get i blab about my crew
its gotten alittle crazy, everyone knows me as the hermit crab expert and gives all the hermit crab customers to me...

I"m 49 with 35 hermit crabs, so there's no age limit to the craziness!

Try hand feeding with some honey or peanut butter on a toothpick; you may need to try this 20 times or more with your shyest ones, but eventually they'll give it a try. Keep hand feeding, and over time, they'll learn to trust you more. They may still flinch at your presence because that's a survival instinct, but they'll eventually learn to come toward you, not run away. This works with many, but not all crabs.

Good luck!!!

All my crabs run in fear when I'm around except for my newest one. He will just sit there watching me until he gets bored.

My crabs all have different personalities too, my largest likes being handled/ likes to crawl on me, my smallest, is so incredibly timid. my second largest is such a spazz, he hates it when i pick him up, so he pinches me alot. I dont really like handling my Es because theyre so active, and always try to run out of my hands. hehehe

zippity wrote:I"m 49 with 35 hermit crabs, so there's no age limit to the craziness!

I'm a few years past you, so yep, no age limit!

I am not very experienced but my pp seem easier to hold. My Es are just crazy but they have calmed down a bit. Like everyone said it is different for each crab depending on their personality. All of mine except one have fallen off the log if I walk too fast no matter what. Always move slowly and let them know you're coming.

I have two jumbos that are absolutely not afraid at all! I think it is because I get them out every two days and let them stay in this plastic swimming pool. It is also their shell shop. They almost always change shells while they are there. The reason I started getting them out was because i thought they needed the exercise. They are in a 30 gallon tall which sounds like plenty of room for two but it really isn't. Anyway I think over time they started liking it and aren't afraid at all. I agree with the others about some having different personalities, etc. anyway, they don't hate you so don't take it personally.

There is a ton of difference in personalities, and it may have ended up that you got all with the same shyness level. Sometimes I think if I didn't have 49 of the crabby little things I would never see any of them. As it is, maybe 2/3s of the PP colony will show themselves if I pick them up, and even some of those panic.

And my Es? They'll BASE jump from the lid to get away from me. They will also throw themselves backwards so hard they roll for a good foot before springing up and running away. (Hubby calls them "E-balls".) They are terrified of humans, and it breaks my heart.

I only have a couple of babies so they're pretty used to me. However, Jellybean was terrified of me. Like, I would walk into the room and hear him retreating. This went on for like.... over a year... At 2 years is when he really started warming up. Now we're at about 3 and he's okay around me. Not scared, though I would't say he particularly likes my presence.

I don't hold my crabs unless I need to, or for photo shoots. However for just getting them used to you being around the tank and moving around the tank, just take some time to sit and watch them. If you don't want to watch them sit in front of the tank and read a book or something, just so they become accustomed to your presence. I've always found my larger crabs to be less fearful, but I've also had them longest, so hard to say if it's size or just time.