Took other crabs shell while molting

Hermielover121 · Post by **Hermielover121** » Thu Jul 16, 2020 6:43 pm

So one of my hermit crabs recently came up from a successful molt and came up wearing the same shell she went down in but then a day ago she switched shells and she was in the shell my other hermit crab was wearing and it was still molting. I have plenty of shells for her but she chose that one which is to big for her. I have 6” of eco earth and sand and they are in a 20 gallon. Pls help I am very worried

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Post by **JoeHermits** » Thu Jul 16, 2020 10:02 pm

Are you certain it is the shell of the molter and not a look-alike?

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Hermielover121 · Post by **Hermielover121** » Thu Jul 16, 2020 10:09 pm

Yes I am pretty sure because we only have one shell that has these white stripes on it and I am my mom took a photo of when my hermit crab just came up and that shows is not on the surface

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Hermielover121 · Post by **Hermielover121** » Fri Jul 17, 2020 12:01 am

I am just really scared would she be able to survive the rest of her molt without a shell? I am hoping that she did not eat her

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Post by **curlysister** » Fri Jul 17, 2020 9:57 am

If a crab came across another crab while it was molting and actually stole it's shell, the molting crab will not do well. If you are certain that the molting crab didn't change shells before it went down, and you have no other crabs under....you may consider digging for the crab. However, often a crab will change shells and we don't realize it. Digging up a crab should not be done lightly - you need to decide if the potential risk to the crab who is under is worth the potential benefit. Crabs do not leave their shells to molt, so if the crab has been naked under the sub for a while, it very well may have already passed away.

Hermielover121 · Post by **Hermielover121** » Fri Jul 17, 2020 10:04 pm

It has only been a couple of days since she took her shell so do you think she would come up if she wasn’t doing well. Do you think I should dig her up?

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Post by **JoeHermits** » Fri Jul 17, 2020 10:24 pm

If you are equipped to isolate the crab, then yes.

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Hermielover121 · Post by **Hermielover121** » Fri Jul 17, 2020 11:06 pm

Eeeeeee I don’t know. It’s really risky but I think I am going to do it

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CombatMist · Post by **CombatMist** » Thu Jul 23, 2020 1:46 pm

On news on the shell change saga?

Where is the old shell from the possible shell thief?

My crabs through carelessness have 3/4 buried empty shells as they tunneled and 1 fell in and they back filled it

Hermielover121 · Post by **Hermielover121** » Thu Jul 23, 2020 2:36 pm

The old shell is still underground but I decided I would not dig just yet and wait a bit longet

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HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Took other crabs shell while molting

Took other crabs shell while molting

Re: Took other crabs shell while molting

Re: Took other crabs shell while molting

Re: Took other crabs shell while molting

Re: Took other crabs shell while molting

Re: Took other crabs shell while molting

Re: Took other crabs shell while molting

Re: Took other crabs shell while molting

Re: Took other crabs shell while molting

Re: Took other crabs shell while molting