HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hermione somehow got herself to the edge of the top. (I have a tank with the black sides and then there is an edge right below the black lining. She is clinging onto that.) No clue how she got there, assuming on top of the coco shells, to the gauges, and then to the edge. Or log, to the edge, climbing over. I tried pouring water over her (dechlorinated, of course) and we put a log underneath her. We also tried food.

If she is being that stubborn, can you just leave her to find her own way down? Is she still in the tank? Can you rig it so she can't get out but can find her own way down? If you force her to let go, you could hurt her

If she got up she can get down just make sure she can't get out. Mine like to climb upside down on the mesh lid all the time. Sometimes I can get them too let go and other times I can't and they always figure out how to get down. If your that worried one way would be to put your lid upside down so the crab is right side up and it will feel more secure and probably start to walk off, but it will take a minute or so.

I placed a log underneath her, and I also put out her favorite foods. She came down this morning, and the thing is, there are many theories. From what it looked like, she was clinging on for dear life.

Yeah I think the higher up they are the more insecure they are and don't want to let go so they don't fall. However some seem to fall on purpose like its a short cut or something. That's why if I want them of the lid I either have to hold my hand on them for awhile so they know its there and then touch their legs to gently try to move them or if they still resist I'll take the lid off and set it on the table so the crab is right side up and usually starts to move on its own. I'm glad she found her way down.

Sometimes if you put a plate under them they will crawl on it, mine will do this when I'm wanting them to get off a branch to I can clean. So try this if you see your crab hanging again. They can climb corners to. Most of the time they can get down by them selves, they drop! If you have hard food dishes under them you might want to move them if they have a long drop.

I would either leave her or put something in there to help her get down (cholla wood, log, ect). That always works for my hermits. The more you bother her the more she isn't gonna want to come down. But as long as you have a secure cover on the tank, she shouldn't be able to get out.