54 replies to this topic

[HoustonHamster]

Aww, that's adorable! I hope Murdoch and Cthulhu are happy together! Could I ask what the meaning of their names are?

Well, the bigger crab is named Murdoch after this historic beach shop we have in Galveston. It’s really cool. It’s up on tall stilts right over the water. The smaller crab is named Cthulhu after a giant sea monster of the same name.

Can you show us pictures! I haven’t seen anyone with hermit crabs yet, I wanna see how they look!

Sure, I’ll try to post some tomorrow.

[lil BIG dwarf]

The argument's already over. We are on perfectly fine terms with each other. By "I'm done." I'm literally saying that I'm done arguing. This was a day ago. Our argument is over, and we're on great terms with each other, right Bluemenkrone?

Sorry. In my family, "Im done" Means "Your safe...for now." (it usually ends in someone on accident getting hurt :l)

[Bearthehammy~]

The argument's already over. We are on perfectly fine terms with each other. By "I'm done." I'm literally saying that I'm done arguing. This was a day ago. Our argument is over, and we're on great terms with each other, right Bluemenkrone?

Yessirey

[HoustonHamster]

Can you show us pictures! I haven’t seen anyone with hermit crabs yet, I wanna see how they look!

Here we go...

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/4a0053c7-c913-4e88-b846-2c778069cd6e

That one is Murdoch. I know that painted shells aren’t good, but he hasn’t moved into one of his new ones yet.

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/0ecb09e7-cdfb-475e-99c0-492c1d740240

That’s Cthulhu

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/8d02ea87-ffad-498b-aca5-ce16be770e41

They seem like pretty good little buddies even though Murdoch is much bigger. I read that it’s fine to put different sized crabs together.

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/0fac1eba-4050-4bca-b8e7-d1a46a85d660

And this is their “crabitat” as hermit crab people seem to call them.

[Aurora ♥ Hammy]

Here we go...

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/4a0053c7-c913-4e88-b846-2c778069cd6e

That one is Murdoch. I know that painted shells aren’t good, but he hasn’t moved into one of his new ones yet.

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/0ecb09e7-cdfb-475e-99c0-492c1d740240

That’s Cthulhu

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/8d02ea87-ffad-498b-aca5-ce16be770e41

They seem like pretty good little buddies even though Murdoch is much bigger. I read that it’s fine to put different sized crabs together.

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/0fac1eba-4050-4bca-b8e7-d1a46a85d660

And this is their “crabitat” as hermit crab people seem to call them.

The look so cool! There “crabitat” also looks very cool and natural!

[mysistershamster]

ey0 b0sses, i made a post a while ago with(i think) a lot of good information on it. here's the link to it: http://hamsterhideout.com/forum/topic/147792-hermit-crab-help/?p=1619549

 

 

anddd i just realized this is a 1 month bump, sorry

 

to answer your original question, hermit crabs can be housed alone if you're giving them all the proper care, but it's generally just a lot better to house them in social groups. they feel safer in larger groups, and if you provide enough shells of the right size there shouldn't be any issues with crab fights. VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE: sub HAS to be at least 6 inches or the depth has to be 3 times the size of your largest crab, because if crabs are molting in substrate any less than that surface crabs can smell them, locate them, and then eat them while the crab is molting without its hard exoskeleton.

 

sorry about what you had to deal with, i dont want to choose sides but nevertheless there was no need for the other member to answer like that

[silversurfer]

Here we go...

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/4a0053c7-c913-4e88-b846-2c778069cd6e

That one is Murdoch. I know that painted shells aren’t good, but he hasn’t moved into one of his new ones yet.

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/0ecb09e7-cdfb-475e-99c0-492c1d740240

That’s Cthulhu

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/8d02ea87-ffad-498b-aca5-ce16be770e41

They seem like pretty good little buddies even though Murdoch is much bigger. I read that it’s fine to put different sized crabs together.

https://app.photobucket.com/u/chaser2501/a/debf2660-8c5b-46ed-9d27-ac64c4b61a70/p/0fac1eba-4050-4bca-b8e7-d1a46a85d660

And this is their “crabitat” as hermit crab people seem to call them.

Indeed! Awesome dude, thanks for the photos. Love them 

[Minipetclan]

I'm going to share this quote from the Hermit Crab Association forum administrator:

"Hermit crabs do live in groups in the wild, but recent studies found that it’s more for resource exploitation than social bonding. Crabs in captivity have lived for well over a decade alone. Solitude was considered inhumane for a long time but that is slowly changing in the hobby."


The HH poster who said that crabs won't kill each other given proper conditions was also wrong. Proper conditions decrease the risk, but many HCA forum members' crabs have killed each other despite perfect conditions and proper diets.

The only good advice given was to avoid buying hermit crabs for all of the industry's negative impact. If you already have one then don't buy another. There is no evidence to suggest that 1 captive crab will be any less stressed than 2 captive crabs, but it won't be eaten and a second crab won't have to be taken from the wild.

What if the OP's crab is killed by the second crab? Do they then have to go buy another crab and keep buying crabs until they find 2 which won't kill each other over the next 10 to 20 years of living together in a tight space? Crabs live in groups on beaches and forests, yes. But our crabs live in aquariums where they can't escape from veach other.

You may debate whether they feel more or less stressed from being alone vs placed with others in captivity, but it is better to leave wild animals in their natural habitat and I hope that HH members will rethink the advice that they're giving on this matter.

[~Boba the Hammy~]

I'm going to share this quote from the Hermit Crab Association forum administrator:

"Hermit crabs do live in groups in the wild, but recent studies found that it’s more for resource exploitation than social bonding. Crabs in captivity have lived for well over a decade alone. Solitude was considered inhumane for a long time but that is slowly changing in the hobby."


The HH poster who said that crabs won't kill each other given proper conditions was also wrong. Proper conditions decrease the risk, but many HCA forum members' crabs have killed each other despite perfect conditions and proper diets.

The only good advice given was to avoid buying hermit crabs for all of the industry's negative impact. If you already have one then don't buy another. There is no evidence to suggest that 1 captive crab will be any less stressed than 2 captive crabs, but it won't be eaten and a second crab won't have to be taken from the wild.

What if the OP's crab is killed by the second crab? Do they then have to go buy another crab and keep buying crabs until they find 2 which won't kill each other over the next 10 to 20 years of living together in a tight space? Crabs live in groups on beaches and forests, yes. But our crabs live in aquariums where they can't escape from veach other.

You may debate whether they feel more or less stressed from being alone vs placed with others in captivity, but it is better to leave wild animals in their natural habitat and I hope that HH members will rethink the advice that they're giving on this matter.

Please don’t respond to old threads, this one is over a year old

[hamsteradmirer]

I know this is an old thread, but here are some helpful sites on hermit crab care:

 

Adoption and Care Guide – The Plight of the Hermies

 

Care Sheet: Basic Hermit Crab Care for All Species - HCA: Hermit Crab Association

 

Care Guide | HCO (hermitcrabowners.com)