Strawberry crab with injury on abdomen

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:57 am

My strawberry just finished molting and wont go back in his shell.

This morning i noticed what looks like an abrasion about 1/4 inch long down his abdomen.

How do i help him? I think i am losing him. He is large. His abdomen aside from that is in good health but he seems to be slowing down...

NaRnAR · Post by **NaRnAR** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:37 pm

Hmm Melin....not sure what else to do other than keep him warm 78-80 degrees and humid 80% That has helped my straw, but her ailment is that she ran naked for an hour or so. Perhaps keep the tank dark.

I think that giving him a bath in IO or water with stress coat would not be good...could possibly sting and stress him out more. We dont want to do that.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:43 pm

Not to sound ridiculous but what about neosporin (Sp) or something... I don't know if this is a natural thing. It is a dark line. It looks like a cut a human would get and it is kind of dark purple.

I'll bump the heat up it has been around 70...

Thank you!

NaRnAR · Post by **NaRnAR** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 1:14 pm

probably not a good thing..neosporin. I heard that you arent even suppose to use it on dogs or cats.

Perhaps some aloe vera???

Definitly up your heat. my straws like it around 78. Strudel (the sick/stressed/not moving much hermie) perked up a bit when i moved her to the kitched where its warmer. I also upped the humidity to 80%

Dawn · Post by **Dawn** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 1:51 pm

All crabs head for the salt water if they are injured. Salt water is just wonderful for them...You might put a drop of stresscoat in the salt water. It has aloe vera in it too.

Gosh, Melin, keep us posted on his progress. What could have happened to him?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 2:06 pm

Dawn, i just don't know. I cleaned the tank out and the others just attacked. I thought they were making friends... I didn't realize he was starting to molt.

So he went into ISO and then molted and has eaten 85% of his exo. Then last night he was standing there naked looking at me. I kept putting him back in his shell but he wasn't having any of that. This morning he was naked again only his feelers were standing out straight. I thought he was gone, but then he moved. I dipped his abdomen in the water and thought the wound(?) was EE then realized it was him. I just don't know. I will definitely get the temp up.

Thanks you two. Thank you so much.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 2:16 pm

When they're out of their shell, humidity is your biggest worry. Especially when there is an abrasion on their exo. Shells normally protect against water loss. Also, make sure the shell is clean and clear of debris. Give him a couple more shells. Is he in ISO? He has fresh and salt water?

Dawn · Post by **Dawn** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 3:13 pm

Isolation with semi-darkness, humidity and warmth and quiet for a while.
Salt and fresh water and some of his favorite comfort foods. Maybe he'll pull out of it. They are pretty tough little guys. Don't beat yourself up about it. You're doing the best you can and you're a good hermie parent...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 3:17 pm

Whats the inside of his shell like? My semi-new straw just changed shells the other day and I noticed that the inside of his shell was broken. I boiled it and put it back in because I didn't have any other jumbo shells and I didn't want him streaking. The silly thing went back into the broken shell. I know it can't be comfortable because it was sharp when I ran my finger in it.

I wouldn't be suprised if something like that could cause a wound on a crab.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 3:23 pm

Well, he has a few favorite shells. I have about 6 for him to choose from. All are free of debris.

I just moved him to a larger tank with calci sand. He is still munching on exo! Very weak but i just now put him in a very big pearl turbo and he is getting a bit more animated.

Both waters are in there. The only thing i have ever seen him really eat a lot of were molters (

) or his exo.

Thanks so much for the help.
I keep crying when i look at him... I am a grown up. I shouldn't be doing this.

((hugs))

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 3:52 pm

He sounded like rice krispies when i checked on him. Making a clicking, crackling sound... kind of like a watch ticking... mean anything?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 7:25 pm

Dawn wrote:Maybe munching exo?

No, i have heard that. This sounded like well, a very quiet bowl of rice crispies that just had milk poured on them. His little mouth parts weren't moving at all. It was very strange.

I cannot get him to stay in a shell. He keeps going to corners and feeling the tank with his feelers. I brought him back to my classroom cuz it is warmer in the room than my home but i worry about leaving him over night naked.

I have heard some of my crabs do the "get off me" sound. sort of an ehh-ehh-ehh ehh-ehh-ehh. This was a little different. Just a little crackling sound. Well, i guess if you haven't heard of it, it isn't a horrible sign of impending doom.

Thank you!! Sorry about all the blow-by-blow notes on my crabbies activities...

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Strawberry crab with injury on abdomen

Strawberry crab with injury on abdomen

Melin

Isolation

Re: Maybe