QuestionMy roommate and I each bought a hermit crab last semester and separated them when the year ended. My roommate came for a visit and brought her hermie and mine attacked it. They got along so well before and now they're not. Is there a good way to reunite these two this fall without either one of them getting hurt?
AnswerDear Emma,
thank you for your question.
It's rare for hermit crabs to be really aggressive. They may need to re-establish a pecking order, that can look rough. It's also possible that they were fighting for shells, especially if they are the samne size, make sure they have enough shells to pick from. Mating behaviour can look like fighting, too, and some crabs do try to mate, although it's usually not successfull (and even if the female produces eggs, it's virtually impossible to raise the zoea).
Bathe both crabs so that they have the same smell and put them into a completely re-arranged crabitat so that none of them can recogize it as "territory" - they are not territorial, but exploring the crabitat will keep them from attacking each other immediately and they have time to get used to each other again.
I recommend getting two more crabs because land hermit crabs are very social and should never be kept alone. You can find more info on crab care on these websites:
www.thecrabbagepatch.com
www.hermitcrabassociation.com
www.landhermitcrabs.com
www.crabstreetjournal.com
www.epicurean-hermit.com
www.hermit-crabs.com
http://www.crabbytalk.com/
I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer
