HCA: Hermit Crab Association

do your crabs understand what you say?? i think mine do. if i say its food time they become more active, and when i pick up my jumbo he doesnt go in his shell as long as i keep saying calm. anyone got any storys??

There's no way they can comprehend you as they do not hear sound waves. They more than likely recognize your shape and your smell.

maybe they can sence hostility through smell and vibration, and maybe they have learn what sertain vibrations mean??

well sientificly proven, animals and even plants can detect moderate good and bad "vibes" or brain waves. if you think relaxing thoughts it will relax.

well, thats very interesting. it would make alot of sence

Ok, so what if technically they are not supposed to hear. Have you ever watched Steve Irwin when he was talking to deaf snakes? That was someone who really understood animals and he seemed to think it made a difference....
Maybe your Hermies read lips

Yeah, they're kinda like fish...in hearing ways. They don't hear what we say.
But mine do know if I'm feeding them or giving them fresh water...they always come out to see what's up!

If they can't hear, then why do they make sounds? Animals don't make sounds if they can't hear or detect some sort of energy wave (since that's all that sound is). Deaf people can't speak if they were born deaf, although they can make some sort of vocalization which probably comes from being able to "feel" sound through other means.

Obviously crabs can't comprehend you, but they may be able to detect the change in frequency through the changes of tone and length of certain sounds. This is the most basic way of "hearing" and I would think they would have some sort of basic means of communication. Just my thoughts.

My crabs seem to know when there's company. They all hide. Even when they were just out. I answer the door thinking I'll get a great opportunity to show off my hermits to my guests. We tiptoe into the crab room and the crabs are all gone! Then my guests look at me like I'm a nutter. After they leave, I walk into the crab room and the crabs are all out again! :roll:

maybe they detect micro changes in air density, brought on my tone of sound

I don't think that hermies can understand our language, but perhaps the tone of our voices and pitch creates vibrations which may be soothing to the crabbies or have even other effects.
Have tried using a soothing voice when reshelling naked crabs or even when just handling them.
It seems to work in alot of cases compared to not saying anything at all.

I think they do hear through sound vibrations. That also includies tone. When I play the piano they get a bit more active. When I shouted to them (I tested if they could hear me like dogs) they withdraw. If they can communicate using chirps with each other and also us crabbers, why didn't Mother Nature give them sense of hearing?

Also, like what megatennis said, animals can detect bad or good animals and humans through brain vibrations. I think your crab has trusted you or when you said feeding time, the crabs had already smelled it feets away. As said, crabs have a good sense of smell and also can smell foods 6 feet away or more. They can also smell saltwater and other stuffs cause of their very active antennae.

Yeah, starmaiden. When I come to check on them they all withdraw. I guess that's because of my shadow. Also maybe there's a creak when you open the door, or find another smell that's unfamiliar?

My indo Smiley when handled was always peaceful and when my father handles him on the floor, he went out directly and scuttled to me. He can sense me, that guy. Same things that happen to my bro and sis. I guess it trusted me already.

I think crabs like us have feelings and sense.

Hope I helped!
stephaniecrabbylover

starmaiden wrote:My crabs seem to know when there's company. They all hide. Even when they were just out. I answer the door thinking I'll get a great opportunity to show off my hermits to my guests. We tiptoe into the crab room and the crabs are all gone! Then my guests look at me like I'm a nutter. After they leave, I walk into the crab room and the crabs are all out again! :roll:

Same. I had my ex over last night for our christmas exchange and it was the first time he was going to see them since I got them. All four were out when I answered the door and by the time he was beside the tank, Jacques and Sebastian were nowhere to be seen, Stitch was working his way through the plants and poor Marie was stuck along the lid and apparently couldn't decide whether to drop and hide or stay out. So at least he got to see a bit of Stitch and I brought Marie out for a few seconds and put her back in because she's my most timid crab and I hate stressing them out. Less than 20 minutes after he left, I pass by the tank and there are 8 little eyes staring at me. ~*grumbles*~