Accidentally uncovered a molting crab

[SychWolf]

Hello! Can anyone please help me? I accidentally uncovered one of my molting hermit crabs! I didn’t know what to do so I recovered him out of panic. Please help I would really appreciate what I can do to help him have a safe rest of his molt. When I uncovered him his Exo was right beside him and his body was very pale and pink. He flinched very little when I had uncovered the branch he was under. please and thank you

[myllkti]

Hello! Can anyone please help me? I accidentally uncovered one of my molting hermit crabs! I didn’t know what to do so I recovered him out of panic. Please help I would really appreciate what I can do to help him have a safe rest of his molt. When I uncovered him his Exo was right beside him and his body was very pale and pink. He flinched very little when I had uncovered the branch he was under. please and thank you

Hello! I also replied in mChat but basically at this point, we can just hope for the best and do our best to avoid any further disturbances. Hope he finishes the molt safely!

[curlysister]

When crabs are underground molting, they make a little cave so they are safe and can breathe.
If you re-bury a crab, they have no cave and can suffocate.
You need to very gently dig him up again, and very carefully put him and his exo into a small container like an empty margarine container to isolate him from any other crabs. Poke some holes so he has the same temp and humidity as in the tank. Leave him in the dark to eat his exo, and keep him isolated from any other crabs, until he is moving around normally again.

[SychWolf]

I happened to do that because I was worried because I ruined his little cave that the others would find him easier and try eating his Exo or him! So I very carefully took him out and his Exo and put them into a separate plastic tank I had on hand, I put some substrate in there and soaked some Sphagnum moss to make it humid, I covered the entire tank with a blanket to keep him warm and make it dark. I also provided little things of salt water and fresh and some food just in case. I checked on him this morning and he seemed to be okay, he’s still moving, and I even saw him eat a little bit of his Exo.

[SychWolf]

When crabs are underground molting, they make a little cave so they are safe and can breathe.
If you re-bury a crab, they have no cave and can suffocate.
You need to very gently dig him up again, and very carefully put him and his exo into a small container like an empty margarine container to isolate him from any other crabs. Poke some holes so he has the same temp and humidity as in the tank. Leave him in the dark to eat his exo, and keep him isolated from any other crabs, until he is moving around normally again.

I happened to do that because I was worried because I ruined his little cave that the others would find him easier and try eating his Exo or him! So I very carefully took him out and his Exo and put them into a separate plastic tank I had on hand, I put some substrate in there and soaked some Sphagnum moss to make it humid, I covered the entire tank with a blanket to keep him warm and make it dark. I also provided little things of salt water and fresh and some food just in case. I checked on him this morning and he seemed to be okay, he’s still moving, and I even saw him eat a little bit of his Exo.

[myllkti]

I happened to do that because I was worried because I ruined his little cave that the others would find him easier and try eating his Exo or him! So I very carefully took him out and his Exo and put them into a separate plastic tank I had on hand, I put some substrate in there and soaked some Sphagnum moss to make it humid, I covered the entire tank with a blanket to keep him warm and make it dark. I also provided little things of salt water and fresh and some food just in case. I checked on him this morning and he seemed to be okay, he’s still moving, and I even saw him eat a little bit of his Exo.

wait so was it sub or decor that you recovered him with? it came across to me as if you laid the decor back down without it actually touching him?

[SychWolf]

wait so was it sub or decor that you recovered him with? it came across to me as if you laid the decor back down without it actually touching him?

Maybe both?? When I moved the branch I immediately saw his body. Then the panic began and I very carefully put the branch back and covered the outsides with substrate. (Then I started messaging other hermit crab enthusiasts about what to do.) I decided to move him because I was scared the decor would crush him because of how I placed it so I just decided on my own to make him a quick ISO tank and put him in it with his Exo, some Salt and fresh water and a bit of food. Recently covered it with blankets to keep him warm and sphagnum moss to keep it humid.

[myllkti]

covered the outsides with substrate. (Then I started messaging other hermit crab enthusiasts about what to do

Oh yeah no that will block his air sadly. Also, one thing I had to teach myself my first year or two of crabbing is to temper this instinct to "react and then ask" NOT a dig at you genuinely. A lot of the time when we are starting out, our instincts with hermit first aid does more harm than good, so before one learns to use crabbie discretion, it is best to assume it's not a situation of "something is better than nothing" Well intentioned tho ofc! So TLDR "react then ask for confirmation" --> "ask even if there's a wait then act"

I decided to move him because I was scared the decor would crush him because of how I placed it so I just decided on my own to make him a quick ISO tank and put him in it with his Exo, some Salt and fresh water and a bit of food. Recently covered it with blankets to keep him warm and sphagnum moss to keep it humid.

Yes! You are on your path to getting hermie discretion! Check healing foods to see some good ones for him to heal. Though if this is him molting, probably just slow-mold stuff like some crushed eggshells, worm castings, and greensand will do as they will eat their molted exoskeleton first and then dig back up and then eat and drink as usual

[curlysister]

Good that you already uncovered him. I suggested the margarine container because I didn't know if you would have the ability to keep two tanks at proper heat and humidity. Also good that you covered the tank with a blanket, as they do need dark for molting.
Leave him in isolation until he has eaten his exo, and is moving around normally. Then if you have other crabs, you will want to give everyone a quick dip in the fresh water when you put him back in the main tank - because he won't "scrub off" the molting smell by digging back up through the substrate.

[SychWolf]

Oh yeah no that will block his air sadly. Also, one thing I had to teach myself my first year or two of crabbing is to temper this instinct to "react and then ask" NOT a dig at you genuinely. A lot of the time when we are starting out, our instincts with hermit first aid does more harm than good, so before one learns to use crabbie discretion, it is best to assume it's not a situation of "something is better than nothing" Well intentioned tho ofc! So TLDR "react then ask for confirmation" --> "ask even if there's a wait then act"



Yes! You are on your path to getting hermie discretion! Check healing foods to see some good ones for him to heal. Though if this is him molting, probably just slow-mold stuff like some crushed eggshells, worm castings, and greensand will do as they will eat their molted exoskeleton first and then dig back up and then eat and drink as usual

Thank you so much for your words! Quick update for this. Aries is doing fine in the ISO. I have him monitored using a camera set up and keeping the tank covered with the blanket. He has eaten most of his exo and only the claws of it are left, he has decided to turn over (because previously he was on his back) he stayed in his shell. So all good things!