HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I went into my room and my cats were going crazy. when I looked into my tank, I had a freshly molted naked crab on the surface. I didn't know what to do. All other crabs are down and he's got the tank to himself. I put 3 shells his size beside him and put a hide over him.

Is there anything else I can do for him?? This is my first time with molting crabs.

Keep a close eye on him - if he won't reshell on his own you'll have to help him. Did he surface molt? Is his exo with him?

No there was nothing with him. He was down for weeks and just suddenly came up. No shell, no exo... I can't look for either as I still have 5 crabs down.

I moved him to a small Iso with a shelter, shells, water and a bit of organic honey. I put the Iso in the big tank where the temps are more stable.



I have school tomorrow morning so I have to sleep soon. Hopefully he reshells

Without his exo he'll need some kind of calcium source to help him harden back up. Something easy to eat - crushed/powdered cuttlebone, eggshell, etc. I'm not sure if one source is better than another or what would be most similar to his missing exo.

If you need to help him re-shell, rinse him and the shell with dechlorinated water, gently uncurl his abdomen, and guide it into the shell. I think if you tap him on his feelers/face it may trigger him to suck back into the shell.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Keep us updated.

I checked in on him on my way to school this morning and he was still alive. He cringed when I opened the lid on his ISO. And he's still shellless.

I will check back on him when I'm done school at 530 but I expect him to still be the same.

I'm honestly not sure I feel comfortable putting him back in a shell. I honestly haven't even held my crabs since I got them... I guess I'm a hands off crab owner. And I'm afraid of being pinched lol.

If you're nervous you can wear some thick gardening/work gloves. It's extremely important he reshell so if he doesn't on his own you'll need to help him. Naked crabs do not do well for very long. I hope when you return from school he's reshelled on his own. :grouphug:

I was worried and came home on my break to check on him. He has a shell on!! Should I keep him in ISO a bit??? Maybe take some of the clutter out to give him more room? I filled it up with shells to give him variety lol. Anything special I should feed him?

I always forget to suggest gloves so thanks, Calla!

I would be feeding high protein, high calcium foods. Peanut butter, honey, cuttlebone/eggshell/whatever to get his energy levels up.

I would say take the shells out for now since he's in one. That's great news!! All he really needs is darkness, some food, and a source of water. I'd keep him in iso until he's hardened up and moving normally.

Thank you for your help everyone!!! Here's hoping he stays in that shell and behaves himself

Keep us updated! I hope he pulls through! It's a really good sign he got back in his shell on his own

Sorry to post on your post but idk how to create a new post ( help) I came up to check on the crabs before sleep and I found a naked crabbie I put him am ISO tank right away then as I looked more I found his old she'll with his Exo still inside so I put that in ISO withhim he's near the water hut kinda hiding under a towel and in the ISO it's complete darkness a hut and all is it ok t leave him until morning


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Thardyrn wrote:Sorry to post on your post but idk how to create a new post ( help) I came up to check on the crabs before sleep and I found a naked crabbie I put him am ISO tank right away then as I looked more I found his old she'll with his Exo still inside so I put that in ISO withhim he's near the water hut kinda hiding under a towel and in the ISO it's complete darkness a hut and all is it ok t leave him until morning


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I don't know if you really have a choice. You can't handle a naked crab that has just molted to reshell safely. I would make sure to keep it super humid in there. Make sure to dump the exo out of the shell so your crab can get back in it. Rinse the shell in dechlorinated water and leave a little in it. Sit the shell opening up in the substrate near the crab. Hopefully he will reshelling kn his own. Otherwise maybe someone else has a better alternative. Touching a soft crab can be really really bad. I don't know which is the worst threat right now.

I scooped him up with a plastic spoon put him ISO tank !i put the old she'll in there but it still had the Exo hanging out I watched as he ripped his old Exo out he hopped in the shell and was picking at the Exo eating a little! So it's been a day he hasn't eaten all but I gotta throw it out it smells horrid! But he's in his shell prancing around I will leave him with some protien foods as listed and see how it goes I just cleaned out the tank and found another guy in molt under the sand I didn't know now I left him in like yours CUZ he's still in his shell I think the Exo looks all dry but it's in in the shell and it won't fall out like it would if there are dead so I think there's a crabby in the shell still intact round that's another topic lol : I put a Tupperware soap dish holes and all over put plastic branches over sothe others won't see him it's very moist so now I wait to see if I see movement? How long should I before I try to pull the Exo off to see if there is a beautiful crabby still alive ? Oh and I watched as another dug her way under to molt oh my round three lol


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Exo shouldn't smell. Please take a picture. Is it a fishy smell? I am concerned that what you thought was exo was another crab that had passed.

Why did you clean out the tank? Again, please post pictures of the crab. I have never had to pull exo off or out of shells. It has always fallen out immediately on its own when I picked up the shell or turned it over to tap to check. I don't have an answer. I would think to not do it at all. If a fishy smell develops it isn't exo.

Kinda weird to come back to this to find a whole bunch of posts on my thread!! haha

Anyway, I just wanted to update you guys. He was doing really well so I took him out if ISO and put him back in the tank. He's been having a blast in the new tank, crawling all over it and exploring.

Thanks for your help everyone! I'm so glad it didn't turn out tragically!