HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I dont think this is an emergency emergency but I could use soms advice. I have all the proper things 90 gallon with glass lid, proper heat pad, humidity, shells, etc etc. I have NEVER had a crab lose a limb or anthing like that. Well i have a tiny crab that stayed in the same spot for the last day or so. And he is pale and tbh I think he just came up from a molt. He is responding to me touching him and all that but he jist does not seem as strong. My healthy other tiny crabs are way more crazy and they just seem stronger. He seems just way slower weak.
I moved him into a 20 gallon for now as its REALLY hard to monitor him in a 90 gallon with 8 other crabs. I am going to give him lots of food and water and extra shells as the shell he is wearing is too large for him.
I am guessing he came up from a molt too early or something. He really looks and is acting like a crab that that shoukd still be underground molting.
What foods can I give him to help him perk up and get on the road to recovery?

High energy foods, like honey and peanut butter can help.

curlysister wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 27, 2022 12:40 pm

High energy foods, like honey and peanut butter can help.

Thank you. Just added peanut butter, greensand, crab exo, eggshell, worm castings, apple, beef heart, kangaroo, rabbit, divine daphnia, mealworm, carrot, hemp seed, coconut, bees knees puffs, oats, and a mixture of turkey, chicken, pork, and beef. Crossing my fingers.

curlysister wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 27, 2022 12:40 pm

High energy foods, like honey and peanut butter can help.

So he didnt eat or drink before he decided to bury himself. I am almost positive he does jot have to molt and I am just scared he is going to just die underground. I really wish he would have at least eaton something before going underground.
Should I dig him up to try and get him to eat? I know thats a huge no no but seriously I feel like he is just goung underground to die.

Do not dig him up!! Those are signs of molting and it seems like he’s molting. If he is, you’ll stress him out by digging him up and he’ll die from that.

Also, hermit crabs love to dig, if he were to be “stuck down there”, he can get himself out. And don’t worry about him being able to breathe, they will find a way to get air for themselves.

giannaw wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 28, 2022 10:51 am

Do not dig him up!! Those are signs of molting and it seems like he’s molting. If he is, you’ll stress him out by digging him up and he’ll die from that.

I know. He seems to me like a crab that is in the process of molting. I think he came up too soon or maybe was disturbed, idk. He has no fat sack and I am almost positive he shed his exo, I just think that he is in the stage of molting where they eat their exo and recouperate. However he just decided he was gonna come up and was just sitting on top a log when I originally found him. And he never came out of jis shell when he was on the log for over 24hrs, he looked like an empty shell sitting there because even his censors where draw back.
Thats when I moved him to the 20 gallon with lots of protein rich foods and such. Now he buried and is hopefully just gonna come back up on his own, when he is ready and will hopefully gorge to gain back those nutrients as his exo is no where to be found and even if he knew where it was he cant get to it because I moved him from my 90 gallon to the 20 gallon to better monitor him.
The 90 gallon has 8 other crabs in it and the 20 gallon was empty and somewhat already setup.

You also mentioned that he looked pale and weak, those are usually the signs of molting. But if he buried himself, he is molting. I do not know other reasons why they would bury themselves besides molting. He will definitely come up eventually, just watch him!

giannaw wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 28, 2022 12:21 pm

You also mentioned that he looked pale and weak, those are usually the signs of molting. But if he buried himself, he is molting. I do not know other reasons why they would bury themselves besides molting. He will definitely come up eventually, just watch him!

Yea. I am just gonna let him be, until I start smelling dead fish. I will still change out his food and keep up with that. Again I saw no fat sack which is why I was freaking out.
Thank you all for the advice.

Just FYI... Hermit Crabs dig and "bury themselves" alll the time! Not just for molting... Molting is for sure the longest period of time they will 'stay down' but digging is kind of their thing

UPDATE:
He came back up! He for sure nibbled some apple and at least walked through the supplement dish and or ate from it as well(worm castings, greensand, crab and lobster exo, and egg shell.) He changed shells and is doing alright as of now.

Newer UPDATE:
Last night he checked out other shells and finally ate a bunch of food. He even drug some of the food around!

So happy to hear that!!!