Handling

Handling your hermit crab on a regular basis will strengthen the bond between you and the crab. Many people are afraid to hold or even touch a hermit crab, fearing they may get pinched. A hermit crab, actually, will only pinch when it feels threatened or insecure. If you were holding your hermit crab and it started to fall, that would be the perfect time for the crab to steady itself by pinching. In this case, the hermit crab does not pinch hard. It may startle some people, causing them to shake their hand. Then the crab will fall and hurt itself. So if you are going to handle your hermit crab, learn the proper way of doing so and relax! If you're handling your hermit crab for the first time, the preliminary step should be to let the crab walk around on the floor, under close supervision. Let the hermit crab feel at ease. Do not make any sudden movements or loud noises. After a bit of exploring, return the crab to its tank and leave it alone. Later, you can step up to holding it gently by its shell, not far from the ground. Don't hold it up for very long, though. A hermit crab is not attached to its shell, and relies on its curled tail to keep the crab in its shell. Do not shake your hand or move around while holding the crab this way. Again, make the crab feel safe. At this point, you can allow the crab to sit in the palm of your hand. Open your hand and place the crab on your palm. Let the crab crawl from hand to hand. Be sure not to let him fall. I do not recommend walking around with the crab in your hand this way. He could fall and to damage to himself, possibly resulting in death or limb loss. So be careful and have fun.