Hermit Crab Fights

MornaStar · Post by **MornaStar** » Mon Jun 17, 2013 6:55 pm

I had three crabs molting. Two crabs not. Jinxx, who was the first one down a month ago is finished and after a week in ISO I took him out and put him into the big tank with the other two non molters. Alina, my only girl has always been a little agressive, only flipped him over once before they became the best of friends. Everything went fine for about a week, but then the past couple of days she has been pushing him over, grabbing his shell and shaking him, no chirping has happened as far as I'm aware. The odd thing is that they are fighting over who gets to sit on my third non molter Andy. Andy normally sits in the corner and doesn't move at all during the day. During this time Alina and Jinxx are crawling on top of him, which is normal behavior, but Alina seems to push Jinxx around trying to be the one to sit on top. I don't know what happened. She flipped him over and even lunged at him today. Yesterday she grabbed his shell and shook him. I realize that could be a shell fight, but there are two shells she can choose from that are the right size for her and Jinxx's shell is too small by far! What should I do? Star

sonny · Post by **sonny** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:59 am

i found for me a "new" or out of crab closet cork bark,or round always helps. if they are busy investigating they forget about whose on top. i rearrange add just get there minds ,redirect! new shells, clean shells ,oh "sub"leaf stuff from hcp ,drizzle that all over , collect and use oak, maple sycamore leaves(i rinse well, leave in freezer2-3days good luck

Laurie LeAnn · Post by **Laurie LeAnn** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 3:17 am

have you been putting things in there like organic peanut butter, worm casting, popcorn to. and what type of shells are you using? if you have p.p.'s they are more of turbo shells lover. If you have had molters sometimes bathing them curbs fights to everyone in the tank gets a bath in their own water [ FRESH ]. also make sure the she's are not he's and vice versa?? mating season going on to.. sometimes rearranging a tank can help boredom lots of places to climb get away.. just some thoughts

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 5:59 am

Two other shells isn't enough. Usually at least four keeps them busy.Are you sure Alina isn't a boy? Since it is mating season, males will guard a female and fend off other males. What you are describing sounds like defensive behavior from a male looking for a viable mate. How big are they?

MornaStar · Post by **MornaStar** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:55 pm

Alina has the two dots on her abdomen. So I know she is a girl. I had more shells, but it's hard to find shells for her. I have one Turbo Shell and one like the third shell in from the left. She is in that stage where the shells are either too small or big enough and heavy and they don't like heavy. I finally found a turbo shell a little bigger than the one she is in now and she keeps pushing it away. She isn't my only crab who hasn't changed shells. Jinxx hasn't either, but he has at least six shells to choose from. I'll go out and try to find more shells tonight, but it's hard with her not wanting to change shells. The only reason she has a limited choice is because my friend is watching them while I'm gone (I ended up not taking them out with me this summer) They were moved from their very spacious 55 Gallon tank to a 10 Gallon and I think that might have a play in it. I don't know if Andy is female or male, but could she be fighting for a suitable male and Jinxx is really female so she is keeping other females away? As for how big they are. Alina is Medium. Jinxx is a small, but almost a medium size. I would give him another year or two and he would be a medium. Andy is also a Medium. He is slightly bigger than Alina though. All of my crabs as far as I'm aware are PPs. Alina was fine until Jake went down to molt. Jake is a larger medium. He is almost a large crab. Jake normally played with Alina, but he went down for a molt and I found Alina in the food dish where Jake would sit every morning. Juliet, who was Andy's tank mate when I bought them went down for a molt as well and I believe that is why Andy doesn't want any bother. He just sits in the corner and they climb all over him. My friend who is the one watching them say it's like they want the corner. This morning she saw Alina push Andy out of the corner and get down in there. I don't know if this changes anything, but all the corners of the tank are free for crabbie burrowing.

Keg · Post by **Keg** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 8:58 am

MornastarTry more protien? It may help aggressivness and wouldn't hurt anyway. I like to microwave a scrambled egg in a bowl for 30 seconds. They seem to like that.http://www.hermit-crabs.com/shellpics.htmlHere are the proper shells. Easy to find online. They've got to have mother of pearl inside. I haven't seen them in the pet shop.