What to do if a hermit crab pinch is you?

Answer 1

Hermit crabs don't bite, they pinch you with their two claws. They will only do this if they feel threatened or unbalanced. To hold a hermit crab so that it feels comfortable, you need to have a flat, steady hand. It's best to hold them while sitting down. Making sudden movements will also startle them and they may pinch, so move slowly or be still.

If a hermit crab latches onto your hand, don't panic. It does hurt, but keep a clear head. Set your hand down on the floor in in the tank and don't move it. The hermit crab will feel stable and let go. NEVER run your crab under water or try to pry him off. These things will only injure him and/or make him pinch harder.

Answer 2

You can play with them by building obstacle courses. And they love to climb. They also really like hamster balls. Hamster balls are really cool because they can go anywhere they want without getting hurt! You can also have a little swimming pool for them. When ever you take them out and play around with them is pretty much playing with them. You want to play with them so that they get used to you and will play with you more. They love playing. And BTW, I have hermit crabs so I know!

Answer 3

while the crab is pinching you, pretty much the only thing you can do is wait. don't scare it, try to force it off, and definitly don't run it under the sink water. all these will just stress the crab out and make it pinch harder.

there is no need to take it back if that was the first time it pinched if it keeps pinching and wont let go spray it gently with the crab mist

but if it has piched you more than 5 times and it has only been 12 days since you got the crab you can take it back for another one

Answer 4

You can't it is their natural defense however with the proper care they learn to trust you and them pinching is rare. If you want to hold them stretch out your palm and keep the skin tight so they can't pinch you.

Answer 5

If a hermit crab pinches you, run your hand under warm water and hopefully it will let go. Don't kill it. I have two hermit crabs, and my friend picked one up, not knowing that it could pinch so hard. So it pinched her, and my Junior in high school friend screamed and cried for a good half hour before we could get it off. I googled how to get it off, and any solutions we tried did not work (including the above one) so we hit it, someone offered to smash it, and we were about to cut into her skin to get it off, until I thought of the obvious solution.

WARNING: It may seem inhumane, but the hermit crab was fine, and desperate situations call for desperate measures.

We filled up the sink and held her hand (with the hermit crab on it) under water until the hermit crab had no choice but to let go so it could breath. It's not necessarily the fastest (or nicest) solution, but it worked and we got the hermit crab out as soon as she pulled her hand out so it could catch it's breath. Most of the skin on her palm scabbed over after it died, and she still has a scar, so hermit crab pinches are not something to laugh about (at the moment). They are super painful, so if all else fails, just dunk them.

Answer 6

you can hold a hermit anywhere on its shell as long as it is out of reach of his claw

Answer 7

Say 'Ouch'. Check if it had broken the skin.

Answer 8

Nothing. Pinch it back.