HCA: Hermit Crab Association

My crab has hardly moved at all since he came up from a week under the sub. I’ve moved him to food/water bowl a few times (I know I need to be more hands off, I’m trying). But when he does start to move he moves veryyyy slowly back into a hiding spot.... is this normal? He hasn’t changed shells since I got him or molted that I know it since I got him. I have one other crab that has been dug down for a week or so maybe. Food seems undisturbed and I don’t know if he is even drinking anything. Maybe I am just worrying to much??

Probably still de stressing as long as your conditions are good.
I'd stop moving him though.

Yeah conditions are good as far as I know. I’ll stop moving him for a while and see what happens. I guess it’s normal for him to just sit in one spot for days?? I’ve had him over a month I think.

I have had my crabs for over ten years. Sometimes they go through periods where they are less active. Sonny is down molting right now, and Cher is alone on the surface. I was worried about her a couple of weeks ago, because she didn't seem to be moving around much at all. Then she was all over the place all weekend, and now hiding again. Crabs are strange.

I’ll be glad when mine get settled so I can watch them eat or drink or walk around the tank lol.

Sadly he has passed today

Why? What happened? Did he smell like rotten fish or was he limp?

I’m not sure why, and yea he smelled and he was very very stiff and not responsive at all. I literally tipped his shell over and you could just pour him out of it. He never moved a muscle.

I'm sorry to hear that your crab passed away. Slow activity can be due to low temperature and humidity.

My temp usually runs between 76-78 and humidity doesn’t dip below 80.

Lanaisaacs wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 01, 2021 2:33 pm

My temp usually runs between 76-78 and humidity doesn’t dip below 80.

I personally keep my crabitats warmer than that, but you are within normal limits. How long had you had your crab?

Right now it’s reading 78.4. And humidity is 87%. Hadnt had the crab but just over a month or so. Never molted with me or anything.

Lanaisaacs wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 01, 2021 3:01 pm

Right now it’s reading 78.4. And humidity is 87%. Hadnt had the crab but just over a month or so. Never molted with me or anything.

Your crab probably passed due to Post Purchase Syndrome. (PPS) Crabs go through a lot before they come to our houses. Until a crab successfully molts at least 2 times, deaths during that time period (if tank conditions are ideal), are usually due to PPS. I'm really sorry.

Edit: I personally keep my tanks at temps 79 (low at night) to 86 (high during the day) humidity is usually around 86-99 % depending on the tank. I have three tanks