HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello,

Unfortunately it's been several months since I've seen any of my crabs on the surface... they are still small so this well exceeds the amount of time they would take to molt. I've never had a crab die on me before but from what I've been told it's unambiguous when it happens (due to the smell) but it's been a very long time and I'm fearing the worst. I know you should never dig up a crab but at this point I'd like to get some answers.

If a crab dies underground, you often won't smell it at all.
How long have they been under?
Are you absolutely certain they have not come up and gone back down?

One of them just came up yesterday, as if it new I was making this post! Sadly the other two have yet to be seen, I am not certain if they have come up in the amount of time that I consider them to be MIA, I just find it concerning that I haven't seen any trace of them in almost seven months.

My crab Lucky died underground and I didn’t know for a while. I finally took her up to sniff her. I checking on them and if they don’t move positions in a month or so smell them. It will smell of fish rot and death.

My crab isn’t dead or burrowed but he’s been in his house for a while and often never comes out and I haven’t seen him eat since I got him and it’s been abot 5 months since I got him on spring break last year how do I make him active or to eat

Do you ever see him come out at night? Mine often come out at night and stay in their coco huts all day.
Do you have a spray bottle and temperature and humidity gauge?

Rubberducky wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 08, 2023 10:23 pm

My crab isn’t dead or burrowed but he’s been in his house for a while and often never comes out and I haven’t seen him eat since I got him and it’s been abot 5 months since I got him on spring break last year how do I make him active or to eat

Even tho you haven't seen him eat, he must have in the last 5 months or he wouldn't be alive LOL!

What are your temperature and humidity? What's your tank include for decor and hiding places?

Yes it’s a 10 gal and many kidding places and he just burrowed and I think he gonna molt and be active again

Yes it’s a 10 gal and many kidding places and he just burrowed and I think he gonna molt and be active again

Rubberducky wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 21, 2023 6:41 pm

Yes it’s a 10 gal and many kidding places and he just burrowed and I think he gonna molt and be active again

What are your temp and humidity readings?

Sorry for a late response but the humidity it’s around 60 because it was a mesh top. Temp it also around 65

My other crab also recently when MIA one day. He’s Ben acting normal with causal eating times, few weeks ago I saw he burrowed under his food dish. I’ve moved the tank to see under the glass and seen him just sitting there until a few days ago where it appears he’s molting or dead, his shell is angled differently then the body and I think he’s molting. Any advice? (Also it’s around the winter where I am, dunno if that’s important) humidity is 80 and temp is 70

If he's underground, assume he is molting and leave him to do his thing.
You will need to keep the temperature above 72 - and closer to 80 is preferable. 80% is good for humidity. Are you using a heat source? Did you put a cover of some sort over the mesh lid?

I don’t have a top for the mesh covering but I do have a heating pad for him. I try to keep the heating pad on all day and night time I placed a covering over both tanks to simulate night. This also increases the humidity getting it to about 60% for my other crab he’s fine on the humidity and others but I’m just worried about him being burrowed under there because the last time you melted it was an above ground molt And when you say leave him alone, does that mean stop moving the tank so I can see under?

Your crabs are not going to survive long term with temperatures of 70 and humidity of 60%.
Cover the mesh with plastic wrap, that will help keep humidity in. Then cover it with a blanket to also keep heat in.
Read through the 'basics' care sheet for info about how to set up an appropriate tank.