Why did my hermit crab take the other one out of its shell?

Were they having rough sex?

@chyna Hermit crabs don’t reproduce like that.

Then all I can think of is that the older one was showing his alpha dominance over the new crab.

Did the new guy have a bigger shell?

http://www.hermit--crabs.com/why-another-shell.html

@Hain_roo is correct. That is why when you have more than one hermit crab in an enclosure you should have a collection of shells available for them. Even with just your one crab, you should have a few larger shells available for him in the tank.

My best guess is that the “older” hermit crab was in need of a new shell. You brought in the “new” crab. He saw the shell and took it.

I don’t know why I’m feeling like your new one just happened to die, and fell out of the shell. . . they do that when they die.

And when you were around either the old one just happened to be at that spot at that moment, or was trying to eat it, or some other thing.

I’m not convinced the old one PULLED it out…

@mrrich724 I should have clarified. I do not think one killed the other, either

@SpatzieLover I can see that in your response, but @pshizzle makes it seem like the old one forcefully pulled the young one out!