Sand splitter reversed controls

I'm now pretty sure it's a bug. If I kill a Shield Crab and a Sand Splitter spawns from it it does some weird things for a second or so. Mostly it walks backwards away from me, and that only happens when it has just spawned. Also if it wants to attack me immediately it shoots in the wrong direction. Mostly at an angle of 180 degree which is a bit off.. I have never seen a sand splitter doing this except when it has just spawned from a Shield Crab.

I suspect this is known, but didn't found any thread of it.