If you’ve been thinking about keeping a hermit crab pet, it is only normal for you to ask whether they’ll make noise. Most people will keep away from noisy pets as they might disturb their peace at night or during the day. If you already own these pet crabs, you’ve probably heard some sounds coming from their cage.
This begs the question
Contents
Do hermit crabs make noise?
Yes, these crabs are known to chirp and produce croaking sounds as they go about their crabby life. Fortunately, their noises are not loud and should not keep you awake. So, if you’ve been suspecting your hermit crab of producing some funny sounds, you are definitely right. Hermit crabs do chirp, but they rarely do it. And when they do it, then there must be a reason.
A lot of people have been asking about hermit crabs chirping on forums, Reddit, and Facebook groups. Some of them even thought they were going crazy coz they could hear the noises frequently, but they could not tell where it was coming from.
How do Hermit Crabs Chirp?
How hermit crabs chirp has remained to be a mystery to most crab keepers. However, scientists believe that these creatures make the noise by rubbing their bodies against the inside of a shell or by rubbing the body parts together. This is also known as stridulation and it is common in insects, snakes, spiders, and hermit crabs as well.
Related Are Hermit Crabs Born With Shells Or Where Do They Get Them From?
A hermit crabs chirp is similar to that of a small frog croaking. Some people will tell you that it sounds like a cricket, while others say it resembles birds chirping. If you often hear similar sounds coming from your pets’ room, just know it’s your hermit crabs chirping.
Why Do Hermit Crabs Chirp?
Well, there are so many reasons why your crabbies might be making the noises. Sometimes, they will just do it because they can, but they can also chirp when agitated or stressed out. So, how do you tell the reasons why your hermit crab is making noise?
You can tell by how loud the noises are and how long the hermit crab will chirp. If the crabs are chirping in low tones, then there is nothing to worry about. However, if it gets loud and persists for a long, then you might want to check your crabs out.
In most cases, hermit crabs will chirp if they are fighting for something. It can be over food, shells, or just for spaces. The noises are a way of telling the other crabs to keep off or to stop bothering. So, the crabs will quiet as soon as they are at peace.
Most hermit crabs will make noises at night when they are most active. They will rarely chirp during the day because they are sleeping or resting.
The other reason your crabs might be chirping is when they are mating. Sometimes you won’t know if they are mating or if one is trying to steal a shell from the other.
Related What To Do When Your Hermit Crab Leaves Its Shell
Wrapping Up
Hermit crabs making noises or chirping is a normal thing and you should not be worried if they do it for less than 5 minutes. If the noises persist, then I would suggest you take a peek at what might be the problem.