couldn't be shell war...

[raginggnome]

There are 5 herms in my tat, and none of them are new, especially not the two in conflict.

This morning I witnessed what I believe to be the first act of violence I've ever seen in my own crabitat. Mr. Krabs who is in a nicely fitting shell, is larger than Rizzo, who is getting to be too large for his shell. This morning, however, Krabs appeared to be rocking Riz, who was curled up and upside down. Very odd. I immediately separated them and put rizzo in his little hideout, and kind of blocked the way for him with shells (he could easily push them out of the way).

I have been reading the other posts and it looks like the first thing I should try is bathing them together. I will hopefully do that tonight when I get home from work, but that won't be for another 14 hours, as I just got to school and work until rather late tonight.

Is there any chance I'm mistaking friendliness for violence? I'm sure that I'm not, but if there is a chance then that's what I need to hope for.

Also - and here is the bad part - I don't have an iso, nor the cash necessary to set one up on short notice. Thanks for any help you can offer.

[emmac350]

Hermit crabs are always looking for new shells, even if you think that their shell fits nicely. They are just trying to find the more perfect one. So while you know that Rizzo's shell wouldn't fit Mr. Krabs, the only way Mr. Krabs would know that is if he tried it on. Hence him trying to steal it.

[raginggnome]

It's quite obviously too small, but I guess their brains are tiny.

[emmac350]

Well, think about it this way. They most likely have no spatial reasoning, so knowing size if there isn't a HUGE (jumbo-micro) difference in size isn't obvious. Also, Mr. Krabs knows that Rizzo obviously finds the shell comfortable, so maybe it'll be comfy for Mr. Krabs too!

[raginggnome]

thanks for bringing that point up, I wish I had more time today I would boil and salt-bathe the empties. I'll have to do what I can tonight and hope all is well while I am away.

[NotaMallard]

Even though it has nothing to do with your question, I have to know: why did you name your hermie Rizzo?

[emmac350]

Rizzo was a character in the movie Grease, if I remember rightly. She was a very down-to-earth, not-so-nice person, I think. One of the Pink Ladies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grease_(film)

[raginggnome]

Yes but actually my girlfriend named him Rizzo after the Rizzo the Rat from the Muppets

[HermieLove19]

When my E's did the whole rocking thing I tried to bathe them together but i couldn't find them! i did a semi-deep clean yesterday and found them both on opposite sides of the tank. I never saw them do it again after it happened. It looked like one was rocking the other to sleep like a baby. it was cute until I realized why he was rocking the little hermie.

[Jaci]

Keep us updated on this. Hermies have been known to pull another hermie out of it's shell; and you know that hermies don't let go of their homes easily. They will die protecting it.