HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Not sure where to put this. It's just something I've compiled and is still incomplete. Some of this is commen sense, too. Please comment, question, and announce anything you feel abrupt. Comments and suggestions welcome.

KILIMANJARO’S THEORY TO HERMIT CRAB BEHAVIOR IN CAPTIVITY

INTRODUCTION
Kilimanjaro’s Theory to Hermit Crab Behavior in Captivity, or Kilimanjaro’s Theory, is a document created by Kilimanjaro himself. This theory is based on the fact that crab’s behavior in the tank is strictly based on their behavior in the wild. This theory is up to change, and will accept and consider other ideas from fellow crabbers.

PART I: The Scratching of the Glass
As most crabbers concur, hermit crabs scratch along the glass quite often. This is because hermit crabs instinctively do not want to be captured into small spaces. In nature, if a crab falls into a group of rocks or a littered plastic bag, the hermit crab instinctively wants to escape from the area it is enclosed to. While in the glass aquarium, this makes the crabs claustrophobic in a way. The crab wants to get out and find more places. In life, there are no guarantees, and a crab instinctively perceives it that way. A crab would want to escape the tank because it has no idea that food or water will be served the next day. This creates a panic and the crabs are looking for a way out. By scratching against the glass, the crabs want to find a way out to find food, shells, or explore new land. This also goes for crabs trying to escape the tank.

PART II: Basking and Warming
Observing hermit crabs basking or sitting by a UTH is a common thing to witness inside of a crabitat. This creates the crab’s blood to warm, being it as they are cold-blooded. By warming the blood, the crab can stay warm for longer periods of time without being in the sun. Warming and basking can take place any time of the day. Crabs, as I have observed, seem to bask and heat up before or during the night. This heating up can be related to the chillier temperatures of nightfall. In the wild, crabs will bask or sit on a heating rock in order to warm up before nightfall. This allows them to stay at a comfortable temperature during the night, keeping them active for scavenging. Additionally, by warming up, the shell water will evaporate and allow for easier breathing and drinking while basking.

PART III: Shell Stations Work Best
Many crabbers have reported using shell stations for hermit crabs to change in. These stations are either a shower caddy with shells inside, or a group of shells clustered together. Fresh, clean shells work best (especially when boiled in saltwater). This is because the shells smell clean and fresh from the ocean. They have not been contaminated by another crab or debris. These shells are comfortable and usually favorites for many crabs. The clusters of shells are cause for an outbreak of changes because shells, in the wild, do not always appear in huge groups. Shells are usually found in small or single groups. When clustered, the crab tries on as many as it can to find a good match and go on with its life.

Very good. Thank you for all the info.

Any idea if hermit crabs can be somewhat territorial?
My jumbo Straw sits on the top of his large plastic mangrove plant(there's a small hollow at the top) and he will only come down for food/water or for a quick stretch of his legs and them he'll climb up his mangrove plant again. He just sits there at the top for hours and hours on end, staring out the window, kinda looks like he's either fascinated by a coconut tree outside or he's meditating. If I take him off the mangrove plant, and place him at the other end of the tank, he'll straight away walk back over and climb up the plant again.
Maybe I should really take him outside more that the weather here is warming up.

Yeah...troppo... I was wondering the same thing. I have 2 or 3 that seem to have a "favorite" spot and will literally roll others out of the huts to regain access to it (especially Darling. lol)

Also, have you found if a crab is sick or stressed will other crabs try to help it out or leave it alone?

Both of those are great ideas that need explaining. I'm currently researching, observing, and considering different theories. They will be updated soon.

Then my crabs, are totaly opposite of most those things. heck, I'll boil shells in saltwater, put them in there in a nice section for them. They'll just tromple over them and move on, or bury them, or ignore them, despiting being good shells.

As for the basking, well where I'm at it stays relatively warm all the time, and so it's always warm and toasty specialy in a confined space like a crab-tank..

And for the tank scratching. Only like 3 do it. My biggest does it, cause he likes to be annoying, and thats pretty much it, he doesn't care about getting out, just being the most annoying crab there is. The others are smaller and probably do it for that reason, wanting to escape and be in an huge area.

Interesting theory kilimanjaro. You might want to include this anecdotal observation of my troublesome straw, Redlinger, in your notes.

Redlinger is a large straw who has had two successful molts in captivity. He has been in a 40B since December of 06. He used to pace around the sides of the tank and scratch the glass constantly or try to dig his way out. He would dig massive 5 inch deep trenches along the front of the glass. He also frequently escaped.

When I did my last deep clean, I made a separate section of gravel and added a 1/2 gallon salt water pool with a bubbler to keep it aerated. Since I added that, Redlinger spends most his time by the salt water pool and rarely paces anymore. He hasn't tried to escape either. Could he just have wanted to go to the beach?

Haha, No surprise where Strawzilla is sitting tonight.
Will have to get some batteries for my camera and take a pic of him on his plastic plant. It's like a castle and he's sitting at the top on his throne

I was also wondering Kilimanjaro, in your observations while amassing you theoretical ideas.... do crabbies mourn the loss of their "buddies" upon the buddies death or their removal from the tank? They cannot breed in captivity, but I would think they still get inclinations or attachments to one another. The fact that they stress rather easily could be argued they are a "sensitive" or "feeling" organism. What's your thought... or anyone else? I know mine respond to my voice or certain perfumes and cooing. I'd like to think they are a "happy" bunch.