Molted and dead?

[AlyssaMoore]

My hermit crab had buried itself a week ago and never came up so I was concerned for it as I've never had a molter. I lifted the water dish that he was underneath just to take a quick look and he smelled terrible, like rotting seafood. I saw him lying in his shell next to his uneaten exoskeleton not moving with something white and fuzzy growing on him. Looking closer, I saw that a little spider had made a web on top of him.

I kept googling advice and checking some forums but nothing came up with this problem. So I did what I was told never to do, and I touched him. He still wouldn't move and I picked him up. He was just limp. I hope it wasn't me. I hope I didn't kill my crab by picking it up. I only had two and now my other one is probably so lonely. Please tell me what killed him. I can't stop crying, thinking it was my fault.

Edit: I've buried him under my rose bush. There was no way he was alive as he made my entire room smell like rotting seafood. Still, what went wrong to where he died while molting? Now my other hermit crab is chirping. I feel so terrible leaving him without his friend.

[curlysister]

I know it isn't technically an emergency, since he has already passed away. But you could fill in the Emergency template, so that we can help trouble shoot whether there are things that could be improved in your set up.

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 27&t=46102