Why is my hermit crab digging a hole and going in it?

Question

my hermitcrab has been digging a holein the old cage and the new one, why is he doing it?

Answer 1

well i don't know much about hermit crabs but it is probaly nothing seriouse maybe it is hibernating or just digging a place to relax becasue it is summer and they are used to beaches and stuff, but if you need imformation contact your local pet store they sometime know a little about each animal or even visit a vet office to see what they have to say   hope I helped:)

Answer 2

if it doesn't have a shell to go into it will star digging a hole for shelter, instinct tells it to hide from big things around it.  If it does have a shell and is still digging holes, it may be because it doesn't feel comfortable in its cage.  If it has a shell on it and it has somewhere to hide than your hermit crab may be pregnant.  Even though you may have had it away from a male, some crabs go through metapause and think they are pregnant or the may just think they are pregnant.

Answer 3

Maybe it's hibernating

Answer 4

Hermit crabs like to dig. It must be his hobby. It's okay.

Answer 5

The most likly reason for a hermit crab to dig into the sand is in preperation to molt. You want to make sure the temperature in the cage is warm, but not too hot. Make sure the humidity is kept up and that there is a good selection of larger shells. The crab will need a new one to move into, but they can be picky about the shells, like you might be about your clothing.

Thry to keep your interaction down as the crab is vulnerable and scared easily. too much shock could cause the crab to die from shock.

Answer 6

becasue thats what hermit crabs do, they like it.

Answer 7

Because he likes it

all living things will prefer to do thing they like

Answer 8

getting ready to molt, or it could be trying to stabalize its temperature (warm up or cool off in the sand)

Answer 9

He's a hermit!  

Maybe if you had a little cave he could hide in, he might go for that - less digging.

Answer 10

its a hermit crab. Thats the deffinition of hermit. However, it might be outgrowing its shell and needs a bigger one.

Answer 11

well.hermit crabs like to dig. they are borrowers. if it does it very often, it may be seeking warmth, or its going to molt. which is shedding its exoskeloton. most likely it's just doing it for fun or warmth. hope i helped.

Answer 12

He's digging so that he can molt and move into a different shell.So if you don't have a bigger shell in the tank you should get one immediatly

Answer 13

Some crabs do this because their stressed. Other do so just because they like it. This is also common behavior for a crab who is going through the molting process. Watch him carefully, to make sure he can crawl back up for air and food. They also do this if its too cold in their crabitat.

I highly suggest you buy a heater for them, costing around $10.00. Make surre they have plenty of sand for them to dig in. Hermit crabs like sand better than gravel, because they can bury themselves easier. For the next few days, constantly look around the cage for any skin, because he molted.

About molting. Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT take out the dead skin, they have to eat their dead skin in order to grow a new one. The crabs are very soft and helpless after the molting stage, so make sure everyone is nice to the guy =].