Not eating or drinking

[Crab beginner]

I have had two hermit crabs for about 5 days now. One is half in and half out of the ground and has not moved this entire time. Is he dead, I don't want to move him. The other comes out at night and sits in the food bowl, but no food is ever missing. Neither of them have drank any water. Both water bowls are perfectly clean with no coco fiber in them, so they haven't been there.

So both crabs have refused to drink, and one won't eat while the other hardly does.

What's going on? Is it just me? Are the crabs alright?

[aussieJJDude]

Crabs aren't really a usual pet in terms of knowing if they do eat or drink since they consume very little of either! As long as they are alive, then they are eating/drinking.

(New crabs also need to adjust to the tank, so give them some time as well!)

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[wodesorel]

If you can answer the questions from the Help sticky in the ER section we can look over everything and see if there might be an underlying issue. While new crabs can be slow and hide a lot, it can also be caused by problems in their environment. Those questions give us the best idea of what is going on around them so we can see if something should be changed to give them the best chance.

[GotButterflies]

Here is the template:
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=46102

[Crab beginner]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Eco earth...4 inches
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
Yes, located on hot side. Humidity at 90% and temps at 79.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
NO, UTH on side of tank
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Fresh and salt, use amphibian water dechlorinator
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Vegetables and variety diet. Changed daily.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
6 days, do not know species
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
No
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Ten gallon tank with full lid, Front is screened for ventilation.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2, small sized crabs.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
9
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Have not done so yet as I have not even had them for a week.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No
15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
No
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
User avatar
HCADirectors
Not eating or drinking
Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: The HCA

[piratetoothgir]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Eco earth...4 inches

Personally, we recommend having at least six inches of substrate, or three times the depth of your largest crab.

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
Yes, located on hot side. Humidity at 90% and temps at 79.

Temperatures should be at least 80, with higher temperatures being enjoyed.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
NO, UTH on side of tank
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Fresh and salt, use amphibian water dechlorinator

I would use Prime as a conditioner, it removes chlorine and ammonia.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Vegetables and variety diet. Changed daily.

Be sure that you are covering all aspects of the food pyramid, especially proteins.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
6 days, do not know species
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
No
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Ten gallon tank with full lid, Front is screened for ventilation.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2, small sized crabs.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
9
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Have not done so yet as I have not even had them for a week.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No
15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
No
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
User avatar
HCADirectors
Not eating or drinking
Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: The HCA

I replied in bold for my answers to your submission.

[aussieJJDude]

Stellaplusrocky, its also worth mentioning that its fine to keep the temperatures in the higher 70's.. Its just above 80F, greater activity will occur. But at 79F, it won't kill the crabs at all.

[piratetoothgir]

Stellaplusrocky, its also worth mentioning that its fine to keep the temperatures in the higher 70's.. Its just above 80F, greater activity will occur. But at 79F, it won't kill the crabs at all.

Yes, very true. It's just that I personally don't like to keep it below 80

[curlysister]

When mine were small, I swear the only reason I knew they must be eating and drinking was because they were still alive. It seemed like no food was ever missing, but I just kept changing it out every few days. I just kept offering good quality safe foods, with everything they needed, and here we are 7 1/2 years later, LOL.

I'm not familiar with dechlorinators, so can't comment on that (I use RO water). What do you use for salt?

[Crab beginner]

When mine were small, I swear the only reason I knew they must be eating and drinking was because they were still alive. It seemed like no food was ever missing, but I just kept changing it out every few days. I just kept offering good quality safe foods, with everything they needed, and here we are 7 1/2 years later, LOL.

I'm not familiar with dechlorinators, so can't comment on that (I use RO water). What do you use for salt?

My salt is Instant Ocean premixed salt.
Update...the crab that was not moving has died.
At least I think, I picked him up and he just kind of fell out.
He smells like rotten fish.

[curlysister]

Oh, I am sorry to hear that. If he passed away that quickly after you got him, it probably wasn't anything that you did - it was probably from poor conditions before you got him.

[GotButterflies]

Hello I answered GB for GotButterflies

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Eco earth...4 inches

GB: Substrate should be 6 inches or 3 times the height of your largest crab (whichever is deeper). It should also be mixed with dechlorinated marine saltwater or dechlorinated freshwater to make the substrate sandcastle consistency.

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
Yes, located on hot side. Humidity at 90% and temps at 79.

GB: Are they always at both of these or is there a high and low? Do you have analog gauges or a digital guage? Has they hygrometer been calibrated?

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
NO, UTH on side of tank

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Fresh and salt, use amphibian water dechlorinator

GB: What kind of amphibian water dechlorinator are you using? You need a dechlorinator that removes chlorine, and chloramine as well as neutralizes ammonia and heavy metals. A lot of us use a product called Prime. What kind of salt are you using? As far as salt, you need marine salt, to mimic the ocean. A lot of us use a product called Instant Ocean which is what aquarium hobbyists use to make saltwater aquariums. It has the essential trace elements that hermit crabs need. You have to use the dechlorinator for both freshwater and marine saltwater. Both pools should be deep enough for them to fully submerge in and safe enough for them to get out of.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Vegetables and variety diet. Changed daily.

GB: Are you providing calcium? Make sure you cover all aspects of food pyramid Foods should be organic when possible. Hermit crabs are sensitive to pesticides and fertilizers.
Safe food list: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92557
Unsafe food list: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92556
Food pyramid: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92554


6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
6 days, do not know species
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
No
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Ten gallon tank with full lid, Front is screened for ventilation.

GB: The screen might have a hard time keeping humidity in...

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2, small sized crabs.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
9

GB: There are incorrect shells to buy. Here is the shell guide: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=92552

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Have not done so yet as I have not even had them for a week.

GB: You just need to scoop poop, change food and water

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No
15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
No
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
User avatar
HCADirectors
Not eating or drinking
Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: The HCA