Shell evacuation

Please post here if you are having a crab care emergency! Use a real subject and not just "HELP!"
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Daisycrazygirl
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2019 6:29 pm
Location: Northeast

Shell evacuation

Post by Daisycrazygirl » Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:34 pm

Hello,

I have had my 4 hermit crabs for three weeks. One of them has left its shell on the surface. When I found him, The Rock he was clearly distressed on his back and looked tangled in moss. I gently removed the moss and placed him in isolation using a bottle in the main tank. I have been giving clean shells sterilized and 3 or 4 at a time. Provided salt water and fresh. I have been giving small amounts of food including a mineral block. It has been 4 days now and still out of shell. Day 1 and 2 The Rock seemed exhausted after trying to get in a shell. Then he did not move just idle for entire day. Day 3 he seemed to move more when I touched his legs and then left him alone. Day 4 he was sitting on top of the mineral block and food and seemed more visibly active. Still no shell.
Prior to this I noticed he changed shells but it seemed small for him. I saw what seemed like he was trying to wrestle the shell off another.
What should I do? How long can he live without a shell? I keep swapping sizes and types daily. :(

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Hermiesguardian
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Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2017 10:41 pm

Re: Shell evacuation

Post by Hermiesguardian » Sat Feb 23, 2019 11:40 am

Daisycrazygirl wrote:
Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:34 pm
Hello,

I have had my 4 hermit crabs for three weeks. One of them has left its shell on the surface. When I found him, The Rock he was clearly distressed on his back and looked tangled in moss. I gently removed the moss and placed him in isolation using a bottle in the main tank. I have been giving clean shells sterilized and 3 or 4 at a time. Provided salt water and fresh. I have been giving small amounts of food including a mineral block. It has been 4 days now and still out of shell. Day 1 and 2 The Rock seemed exhausted after trying to get in a shell. Then he did not move just idle for entire day. Day 3 he seemed to move more when I touched his legs and then left him alone. Day 4 he was sitting on top of the mineral block and food and seemed more visibly active. Still no shell.
Prior to this I noticed he changed shells but it seemed small for him. I saw what seemed like he was trying to wrestle the shell off another.
What should I do? How long can he live without a shell? I keep swapping sizes and types daily. :(
I'm sorry no one has replied. Unless you posted this in emergency which is where it should be. But if he's still alive and shelless he needs to be reshelled asap. Gently rinse him with room temp dechlorinated freshwater and gently back him into a shell. Rinse the shell first to make sure it doesn't have sand in it. Please fill out the emergency template that shows what your conditions are.
raising son's dog, Dante. Husky/hound.
Raising daughter's hermit crabs, Shelder, Paras and Derek. Added 2 more of my own (of course) Pete and Stryper. Former mommy to 2 guinea pigs and beloved cat, Nissi

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