Adding New Hermit Crabs to a Crabitat
Adding new hermit crabs to a crabitat could require a little psy-op strategy in order to help foster peace, health and happiness.
The goal is to keep stress levels down, avoid potential bullying or excessive alpha behavior, and ensure safety and good health during the transition.
Whether your habitat is brand new, or you’re adding a friend to an older habitat with an older alpha crab… here are 3 strategies to add new hermit crabs that work to keep peace and happiness!
#1 All at the same time: adding new hermit crabs to a new habitat
Adding new hermit crabs to a new habitat is the easiest scenario. Place them all in the habitat at the same time, giving them equal time to scurry and find a hiding spot. Because yes, most always when adding new hermit crabs to a new space their instinct is to hide.
If they disappear for a few hours or even a few days, don’t panic. Hiding and/or burrowing is a natural way for them to de-stress. They’ll come out when they’re ready (and it will most likely be at night when it’s dark and you aren’t watching!).
#2 Shifting confidence: adding a friend for an older larger hermit crab
Hermit crabs can live over 20 years, which means over time you could end up with one old hermit crab, alone. And you feel bad because you know hermit crabs are generally very social. But you hesitate to give him a friend or two because he’s been alone. Maybe he wants to be alone?
Chances are adding 2-3 new hermit crabs as friends will ultimately be a good thing. BUT it will most probably take a little time for them to work out the new cluster dynamic.
So how do you add a friend (or friends) into an established habitat with one older larger hermit crab?
RE-FOCUS HIM AWAY FROM THE NEWBIES and TO SOME NEW STIMULATION!
How do you keep him from fixating on annoying little newbie hermies you’ve added to HIS kingdom? Re-focus his attention on things that make him happy! Hermit crabs LOVE stimulation, so redecorate his domain!
Some ideas:
– add new plants and landscaping… some ideas here
– add some new driftwood for climbing and a new hut for hiding in
– give him some new extra shells
– move the food and water bowls to different places
Shift his focus and attention from the newbies you’re adding in, and stimulate him to be focused on “what’s all this cool new stuff”! He’ll be happy with some new changes to explore, and won’t be as focused on the little hermies you’ve just added.
Over time (it could take weeks or even months) they will start hanging out in the same areas and gradually become friends. Generally, older alone hermit crabs do adapt fine to newbies.
#3 Temporarily displace your existing hermies, and add everyone (back) to the habitat at the same time
Don’t play favorites! Let them all in at the same time. Treat them all equal, and they’ll situate themselves naturally. Take your existing hermit crabs out of their habitat for an hour or two by placing them in a box or safe container. It’s a good idea to rearrange things during this time. Then, after an hour or two, you can place your old hermies back into the habitat WITH the newbies.
Why at the same time? You’ve shaken the confidence of your existing hermit crabs a bit, and they are now a little stressed. They’ll be happy to get back to their habitat and comfortable surroundings. They’ll be less likely to exhibit alpha behavior towards new hermit crabs when they are feeling happy to be back home.
Natural behavior will be all of the hermit crabs scattering to different parts of the habitat and hiding for a while. Hiding could be hours or even days, but don’t worry. Let them de-stress, and get to know each other on their time. Don’t dig them up, move them around or otherwise stress them out any more. They’ll figure it out naturally.