Do hermit crabs hide in their shell when they are scared?

yes they do. is you frighten or scar a hermit crab then they will hide in their shell until they sense its safe to come out again. you can get your hermit crab to come out if you blow on it. they like warm air so that makes them usually come out. then you can let it crawl on your hand. if you have pet hermit crabs then you can spray them with special hermit crab spray on their claws. you can get some from a pet store that sells hermit crab stuff. its like a conditioner for them and they love to be sprayed with it. it helps their claws feel better. and also, the need salt water in a little bowl that is easy to climb up. and tap water too. one salt water and one tap water. (cold) you can get the salt from pet stores as well. change the waters every few days. they like to swim in it and drink it. im not exactly sure what food they need. they also need spare shells in the tank or wherever you keep them so they can move home when the get to big for their current shell. (make sure its a slightly bigger one!) they also like a thick layer of sand on the bottom so they can bury themselves in the sand if they like. handle your little hermies often so they get used to you. they also definantly need a heat pad stuck under the bottom of the tank for warmth. they need warmth. good luck1!!