Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Hollym2247 · Post by **Hollym2247** » Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:49 am

Stripes is XL, I’ve had him 8 years. Teeny is L, I’ve had him 3-4 years. I say “him” but I don’t know what sex any of my crabs are. I have 6 now, just adopted one last year (S) two a month ago. The new two are smaller (M-L), and the 6th is another XL I’ve had 8 years.

Stripes had been following Teeny for a couple days. Stripes, the other XL and Teeny all were clustered on the end of a cholla stick holding onto each other. The last two days, Stripes is gripped on to Teeny’s shell, just kind of hanging on his back. Teeny can’t really move well. Stripes isn’t doing anything, not shell knocking or poking Teeny or anything.

Do I leave them alone? Redunk them? Separate?

TIA

crabs_lex · Post by **crabs_lex** » Thu Jul 08, 2021 10:05 am

how many extra shells do you have in the tank?

Hollym2247 · Post by **Hollym2247** » Thu Jul 08, 2021 10:27 am

Lots and lots of shells, and there’s no way Stripes could fit in Teeny’s shell. Probably 20+, including 4 larger that Stripes’ shell and 4 too small for Stripes and too big for Teeny.

Unrelated, but good shells/turbos for XL and jumbo shells are super expensive

HermitCrabCHICA · Post by **HermitCrabCHICA** » Thu Jul 08, 2021 10:28 am

is there any food on teeny's shell? or anything Stripes would be attracted to?

Hollym2247 · Post by **Hollym2247** » Thu Jul 08, 2021 10:29 am

I don’t know. But Stripes has been just hanging on, not picking at it. I can wash Teeny’s shell. I don’t usually handle them at all or interfere other than cleaning and filling pools and food/mineral dishes.

HermitCrabCHICA · Post by **HermitCrabCHICA** » Thu Jul 08, 2021 10:32 am

can you post a pic? maybe stripes just like hitching a ride on teeny? i don't know i have never heard of a crab hanging on another i would do some research.

DragonsFly · Post by **DragonsFly** » Thu Jul 08, 2021 11:32 am

If there are not any shells that Stripes considers appropriate, it may be that Teeny's shell is the best Stripes thinks he can do. Recently adding more crabs throws the entire dynamic of the group into chaos, so that often can result in increased aggression over resources, which would include shells, food, favorite hang-out spots, etc.

If your conditions are absolutely excellent, including large well-regulated water sources, it may also be that this is mating behavior. Have you checked to see if Teeny is carrying any eggs?

Hollym2247 · Post by **Hollym2247** » Thu Jul 08, 2021 11:52 am

I have not checked for eggs. Frankly, I don’t know how and a rarely handle the crabs at all. Other than adding the two crabs (my mom died in May), the tank has been a stable environment for years.

I’ll Google and check Teeny after work. I couldn’t see either of them this morning, I think they both burrowed last night. The others are in the hides or moss pit.

DragonsFly · Post by **DragonsFly** » Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:09 pm

I'm "hands off" also. But if you search here on the forum somebody recently posted pics of their female carrying eggs. However, if they have dug down, I definitely would not try to dig them up just to see if that is what it was. Most likely it was just the group dynamics being disrupted by adding new crabs. Hopefully they will work things out and settle back down, but six is a lot of crabs in a tiny box, no matter how big your tank is (considering that these are wild animals used to roaming for miles every night, and that every one crab you add to the tank does not just add "one more" to the social interactions, but geometrically multiplies the complex interactions between all crabs). When you have wild animals in a small captive situation, every additional member makes the the shortage of space and other resources much more threatening, not just "one more crab" worth more threatening.

HermitCrabCHICA · Post by **HermitCrabCHICA** » Fri Jul 09, 2021 9:52 am

The mating thing is what i would suggest they were doing but i thought they pressed there bellies together....? Good luck.

Hollym2247 · Post by **Hollym2247** » Fri Jul 09, 2021 3:28 pm

They have been in the moss pit overnight together, now they’re in the plants together. Doesn’t seem anything aggressive or disruptive.

Hollym2247 · Post by **Hollym2247** » Fri Jul 09, 2021 3:31 pm

DragonsFly wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:09 pm

But six is a lot of crabs in a tiny box, no matter how big your tank is (considering that these are wild animals used to roaming for miles every night.

Yes. I guess I should consider keeping two tanks. My moms 2 came from a 10 gallon. I have a 40 breeder, but 6 is a lot. Especially since they don’t stay small. All three that I have adopted in the past few years took on bigger shells and molted quickly.

Hollym2247 · Post by **Hollym2247** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 5:25 pm

How do I post pictures?

Hollym2247 · Post by **Hollym2247** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 5:35 pm

If this works, the green is stripes holding the dappled Teeny.

Hollym2247 · Post by **Hollym2247** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 5:37 pm

Stripes is chasing Teeny all over the tank. When he gets her, he just holds on.

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

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Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on

Re: Crab grabbing onto other’s shell and holding on