My baby hermit crabs eyes are black and will my big one pick on him?

Question

I have a bigger hermit crab which his body is about the size of dime (Itchy) and a baby hermit crab which is really tiny (Scratchy). They are both purple pintchers. My baby crabs eyes are black is that normal. hes also been diggin alot of holes lately. Also will my big one pick on the little one? he hasnt yet but should i watch him. I also have them in flordia sand should i put them in something else? or do you think they are fine with the sand? Is it also ok to let your hermit crab crawl around the house for like 2 to 3 hours a day?

Thanks so much

Answer 1

No, the little one will be alright :)
The little one is displaying pre-molt behaviour, digging many holes,etc. One day, he'll be dug down and you won't see him for a few days/weeks and that's when you'll know that he's finally getting down to the important business of molting/growing.
Black eyes are completely normal, although there can be minor variations. For instance, I own 1 jumbo Strawberrycrab and 12 Aussie land hermit crabs and the Aussie crabs eyes can sometimes have a tinge of brown in them.
I think the sand that you have should be fine. Is it nice and damp(sandcastle consistency) so the crabs can make their molt tunnels/caves?
Also, it should be ok for your hermit crab to wander around the house(if it's a humid day), but only if you keep a close eye on it and watch out for other pets/young children. Also, you'll have to make sure that the floor is as free of chemicals as much as you are able.
If there have been bleaches used or carpet shampoos/powders, it would probably be better to take the crab outside on the grass(fertilizer free) and they'll greatly benefit from the suns rays, helps the hermies to get some vitamin D which is good for their exoskeletons and general health(as well as calcium).
Cheers :)

Answer 2

Here is a really good Hermie care sheet:


Normal crab-to-crab behavior. Hermit crabs normally act with each other in standard ways, by crawling over each other, by having "feeler fights" or "pushing contests." Both feeler fights and pushing contests are normal crab behavior and are not cause for alarm. When crabs are having "feeler fights," they are actually smelling each other. Pushing contests, also, are a way they get acquainted. They will run up against each other and wildly wave their antennae and sort of "flick" their legs and claws out at each other. Hermit crabs seemingly do not understand the concept of "going around" an object -- they will try to dig under or climb over it. That is why they have these "feeler fights" and "pushing contests," because they cannot comprehend walking around an approaching crab.

The behaviors listed above are harmless, unless you see one crab grab the other's shell by the opening and start pushing it back and forth and chirping. That usually signals a shell fight.

"Shell fights occasionally occur among wild and pet hermit crabs and can often be detected because of chirping sounds. From a position slightly above the defending crab's shell, an attacking crab seizes the defending crab with its walking legs and rapidly rotates it back and forth. While doing this, the attacker's claws are usually inside the opening of the defending crab's shell. This shaking often drives the defending crab from the shell that the attacker wants. Practically leaping out of its shell, the loser waits and enters the victor's shell. Typically, neither crab is harmed and both might get a better-fitting shell." Taken from Hermit Crabs: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual, by Sue Fox

Crab-on-Crab Violence. Grumpy, Big Mouth, and Attila were/are not friendly to human beings, but a perfectly civil to the other hermit crabs in their crabitats. There are some crabs that are not. Land hermit crabs have been known to kill each other in various ways; mainly by either ripping each other apart or out of their shells, or by digging up molters and literally "eating them alive." Hermit crabs are first scavengers and therefore will readily eat their own kind. As you can imagine, these situations are very disturbing to the crab owner. The usual scenario is you find a bunch of legs strewn around your crabitat, or you find one crab living in the "victim's" shell and the victim either walking about shell-less or already dead. If the victim has already died, you can count your blessings; in about 75% of cases the victim will eventually die of stress and a quick death is merciful. If you do happen to find a naked or injured crab that is still alive and responsive, immediately isolate the victim from the other crabs. If the crab is naked, rinse any sand or gravel off its abdomen and follow the instructions on the FAQ page for putting a naked crab back into its shell. If it is injured and still in its shell, isolate it in a warm, moist area and keep it dark and quiet. If the crab is healthy enough, it will pull through on its own. Remember that in the wild hermit crabs do not have 'owners,' yet they deal with these types of things all the time. Therefore, when a crab is injured or naked, you should disturb it as little as possible.

Answer 3

first of all i have hermit crabs=) and i have to feed them later...
anyways, hermit crabs eyes are always black no matter what.
2. Big hermit crab WILL NOT hurt your little ones, may seem like it but there are playing.
3. digging lots of holes are normal
4. florida sand is great
5.do NOT let crabby craw around the house because it WILL get lost (happen 2 times already to me)

if you have any other questions about hermit crabs only, just call 1(941)3655753

Answer 4

I looked alot of info up when I got my hc. They are not ussually happy by themselves they enjoy having a playmate. Black eyes r normal. When a hc burys himself in the sand he is about to molt (shed his old exoskeleton) don't disturb him at this time. They should have toys to play with and something to hide behind. Some people say their hermit crabs that run around free more often live longer lives.

Answer 5

No the big c. wont pick on little c. they have to get used to each other. thats all. oh yea, i think little c. is regular. Scatchy is probably doing lots of digging because Itchy is probably taking laots of its territory. Oh yeh dont hermit crabs livein sandy water? they love sponge juice. and no it is not okay to let a hermit crab aroung the house. its dangerous!!!!