My husband and I have had two awesome hermies since Oct. 2011, and they seem healthy. One of my coworkers showed me HCP, and it's been a wonderful resource. I've been making changes to the crabs' environment, food, etc. ever since. I do have a few questions that fit in multiple categories, but I wanted to make a single post:
As of the past month, the larger of the two crabs has pinched us the two times we handled it last. Is pinching a sign of aggression, stress, or unease? We definitely enjoy handling them, and this is a new development.
As of yesterday, we adopted two more from where I work. The larger one seems to have either a black/purple marking or shell rot on its pincer, I chose to adopt it because of its ailment. So far, it took a long salt bath when I put him near the bath dish, and it has been motoring around seemingly happily. Should I be worried?
Another new development: I cleaned out the coconut substrate yesterday, put new stuff in (compressed coconut, hydrated and expanded with dechlorinated saltwater) and ever since, my two older crabs have been climbing up the terrarium sides nonstop! I'm afraid that they might break the tips of their legs. They even climb on the ceiling of the cage!
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_surprised.gif)
I'll show some photos I took earlier today of the crabs and their environment, any advice?
http://imgur.com/a/GSxZv#0