Chewin’ the Choya » Hermit crabs DO THINK!

My big girl has proved to me that hermit crabs do think, and remember things. Hermit crabs are also smart, and I believe they can “plan” things………which means they are an intelligent species………She attached herself to the thermometer on the wall of the tank. She reached up and pulled herself onto it, and held on. I put my hand under her, and she “smelled me”. Slowly, she stepped onto my hand and I placed her onto the sand. Minutes later, she climbed onto the thermometer again. So, I got her down, and this time, I took the thermometer off of the wall. A little while later, I saw her staring at the wall, where the thermometer had been. She sat there for a few moments, and then tried to climb on the piece of paper that was still stuck to the wall. I laughed, my silly girl! A few years ago, her “brother” Tiny was molting. It was his first molt since I got him, and I was afraid she might dig him up and eat him. I read that crabs like the fresh molted smell, so I put up a cardboard wall between them. I noticed that she would sit in front of the wall, and stare at it. I told her, don’t get any ideas! She would sit in front of that wall, and stare at it for a long time. I went to take my dog for a walk and I told her, behave yourself girl! When I came back from walking my dog, she was at the top of the wall! I couldn’t believe it! It was like she waited for me to leave, and then she climbed up the wall! Whenever I took my dog out, she climbed the wall. She climbed it when I fell asleep, and only twice during Tiny’s molt did she do it while I was there, not walking the dog. When she would sit in front of the cardboard, it was if she was thinking, how can I get over that wall? Now, I don’t seperate them when they molt. If they have enough food, water and shells, there really isn’t a reason to be cannabalistic (from what I have read) I adopted a third crab over a year ago, he blended in with the other 2, and I have a happy little family. Its funny, how she sits there and stares, contemplating things. Its funny how she waited until I left, to scale the wall. Silly girl………..