The aggressive behavior of the hermit crab: the reason why they can be locked up together

Hermit crabs have distinct personality traits, they are curious and active. They are unique and exotic pets that have low maintenance requirements. These crabs are usually very social animals, but sometimes they have conflicts with other crabs.

These creatures have soft abdomens that require protection provided by shells. Crabs, by not generating their shells, are scavengers and take over abandoned shells they find. As these crabs grow, they require larger shells for their homes.

If you want to avoid aggression among hermit crabs, you may want to purchase similarly sized crabs. Larger differences between crab sizes can lead to unnecessary fighting. When crabs fight, one may get trapped in the other’s shell.

The fight between these creatures could be over the selection of a preferred shell. If two crabs want the same shell for their home, they will fight over it. These fights could lead to the death of one or both crabs. To avoid this type of conflict, you must provide your pets with a wide variety of shells. Select quality shell of different sizes and shapes. Also provide shells with openings of different shapes. Select housings with different opening sizes, which is the size of the opening.

Another reason hermit crabs may start fighting is that they love to climb and crawl. When a crab meets another crab, it is likely to climb or crawl under it. This can disturb the crab that is being climbed or dragged under and a fight could ensue. If you provide your pet crab with rocks or other accessories for it to climb and crawl on, this fighting behavior can be eliminated.

It is normal crab behavior to have “push contests” or “sensor fights.” Are poking contests ways these creatures get acquainted? When crabs bump into each other, their antennae will wave and their legs will flip. Sensor fighting is just one way these creatures smell each other out. This usually happens because crabs just don’t believe in walking around an object that they just have to climb or crawl under.

Tentacle fights and shoving contests are harmless unless you watch one crab grab another’s shell. A shell fight is taking place when they do this and start pushing the shell back and forth and try to pry open the shell. You can also hear the song of the crabs. This normally occurs in the wild, where wild crabs engage in shell fights.

During a shell fight, the attacking crabs’ claws get inside the defending crab’s shell, causing the defending crab to shake it back and forth, causing the defending crab to come out of its shell. The attacking crab will break out of its shell and take over the defending shell. The loser will usually enter the victor’s abandoned shell. This usually does not harm any of the hermit crabs.

Other observed crab violence is when the creatures tear each other apart or remove their shells, resulting in the death of the crab. Sometimes crabs dig up shellfish and eat them alive! If you notice random legs in your tank or notice a crab inside the shell of a “victim” and notice the victim lying dead in the sand or limping, you know you have an aggressive crab in your tank. You should remove the victims alive from the tank and place them in a protected area to recover. You must clean the sand or gravel from it and try to recover it in its shell. If it’s still in its shell, provide an isolated, warm, moist area for it to recover.