Are crabs supposed to eat their exoskeleton after molting?

[Mbailey]

Hi, my hermit crab molted several days ago. He shed his exoskeleton and then stayed underground until today. After he was done shedding, I removed the exoskeleton from the crabitat because of hygiene concerns, but now I'm wondering if that was a mistake because I read online that they usually eat their exoskeleton and it gives them the nutrients they need to build their new one.

[CrabbyLover77]

Hi there.

Crabs do eat their exo after they molt. Did he surface molt that you were able to see his exo? If he did, that usually means something may be wrong in the environment. You'll want to fill out the emergency template so we can get a better look into your tank conditions. He should also be separated from other crabs until he regains his strength and color. Offer him another calcium source, like cuttlebone, calcium powder, crushed Eggshells, crushed oyster shells, etc since he doesn't have his exo.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[CrabbyLover77]

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=46102

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk