Keep your hermit crabs away from other animals. Always pick up the crab by holding only the shell with the opening pointed upwards so that the crab does not have to work so hard to hold himself in the shell.
Never try to remove a crab from its shell. The stress caused by such an attempt could kill him.
If ever your hermit crab pinches you, immediately lower your hand to a low and steady surface, keeping the hermit right side up. Do not move, and ask all people in the room to freeze and be quiet. The crab will release his grip once he realizes things are calm.
Another option is to run your hand under warm water. This should cause the crab to eventually loosen his grip. However, I have found the first method to work better than this one. When you're being pinched, you need immediate relief and may not want to take the extra time to walk to a sink!
A hermit crab only pinches when he is scared or feels he is being mistreated.
Please handle hermit crabs very close to a surface, for accidental falls from only a few feet could kill or severely hurt a hermit crab.
Never try to remove a crab from its shell. The stress caused by such an attempt could kill him.
If ever your hermit crab pinches you, immediately lower your hand to a low and steady surface, keeping the hermit right side up. Do not move, and ask all people in the room to freeze and be quiet. The crab will release his grip once he realizes things are calm.
Another option is to run your hand under warm water. This should cause the crab to eventually loosen his grip. However, I have found the first method to work better than this one. When you're being pinched, you need immediate relief and may not want to take the extra time to walk to a sink!
A hermit crab only pinches when he is scared or feels he is being mistreated.
Please handle hermit crabs very close to a surface, for accidental falls from only a few feet could kill or severely hurt a hermit crab.
In this picture, Grover is being held properly. Notice how the shell opening is facing up and that the hand is only touching the shell, and not the crab's body. Grover has gotten used to being treated gently, for he outgoingly stretches far outside his shell. This crab would be more comfortable, however, if the person holding him also placed a piece of cardboard under his legs to fill the crab's instinctual need to hold onto something. Grover will have sore back and abdomen muscles if he is held in this position too long!
