HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Posted: **Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:41 pm**

Got my hermit crab 3 weeks ago (babydoll) she's a small crab, was a little active at first and started getting really inactive. Looked like she was trying to dig under to molt but didn't get there.
I woke up one morning to a big claw and a leg deattached and freaked out, she was in s corner so I moved her over a bit to isolate her.

No fishy smell, but hasn't moved in a week or lost any other limbs.
I'm assuming she's molting on the surface and am curious as to what to Watch out for, should she be losing more limbs and how often? And what should I do to make sure her molt is successful.

I have proper everything, I just got back from vaca and had them staying with a family member the temp is really low 70 degrees so I bought a ceramic heat emitter and placed it on top of the mesh cage ( also is this safe?) and I have a heating pad on the outside of the opposite tank that she's molting, I have 2 crabs and both seem to be molting inthe cooler side, second crab I believe dug himself and haven't seen him either which I'm sure is okay.

Just want to know what to do to keep the molt successful and if baby dolls gonna be okay molting on the surface

Posted: **Fri Jul 14, 2017 5:33 pm**

With the limbs that she has thrown, are they hollow? Hermit crabs moult by completely removing their exoskeleton, they don't remove it limb by limb. They almost slide out of it, and is like a replica of them (excluding abdomen, which is not protected with an exoskeleton.
Its a sign when a crab starts dropping limbs it means they highly stressed, so is not a good thing.
So you have her in a wire tank? Ideally your looking to get a glass tank as it helps trap in humidity and heat. Could you fill out the template in the emergency section so we have an idea on what your crab is in currently?

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Posted: **Fri Jul 14, 2017 5:51 pm**

1 Substrate:
All desert play sand

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?

Yes, located about an inch or two above substrate on the cooler side of the tank
Fluctuates sometimes but usually
75 temp 75/80 humidity

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?

Yes a under the tank heating pad that I placed on the outside wall not underneath

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?

Fresh and salt I honestly don't measure I refil a little spray bottle and drop a little bit imusing API water turtle conditioner

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I've replaced food everyday never seen them eat
Alllibing things variety diet
Crab island fruit flower

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
Don't know species had for a week

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Not since I had him

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?

10 gallon tank with mesh lid with one other larger crab

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
One larger crab about a size bigger than him we just got 2nd crab few days ago

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
4 right now

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
Not that I know of

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Just cleaned it a few days ago to add all sand substrate

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
I had them in the water dish and cleaned it in the microwave and just took it out of the dish last night

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Just a new crab and new shells

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
I might have put him I the baths few times since I had him

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.

Posted: **Sun Jul 16, 2017 12:42 am**

I'll comment in bold to your answers.
If you haven't seen it yet, here is a link to the handy care shhet:

http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 51&t=92457

Vmach87 wrote:1 Substrate:
All desert play sand

Is this calcium sand?

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?

Yes, located about an inch or two above substrate on the cooler side of the tank
Fluctuates sometimes but usually
75 temp 75/80 humidity

I think you had another post where temp was covered, yes?

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?

Yes a under the tank heating pad that I placed on the outside wall not underneath

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?

Fresh and salt I honestly don't measure I refil a little spray bottle and drop a little bit imusing API water turtle conditioner

What brand of salt are you using?

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I've replaced food everyday never seen them eat
Alllibing things variety diet
Crab island fruit flower

So the thing about commercial foods is that the majority actually contain ingredients that ae toxic yo invertibrates.

Here is it main FAQ page... if you scroll down there I'd a whole section about foods & the hermit crab food pyramid (important!)... also why not to feed comercial foods.

http://hermitcrabassociation.com/pages/

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
Don't know species had for a week

Possibly a PP. These are most common in N. America. Equadorians are also likely.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Not since I had him

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?

10 gallon tank with mesh lid with one other larger crab
Covering the mesh with plastic wrap will help seal in humidity. Crabs like it super humid!

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
One larger crab about a size bigger than him we just got 2nd crab few days ago

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
4 right now

We recommend 3-5 per crab. This hrlps stave off crab-on-crab agression. There is a page in the FAQ about correct types of shells ... it is great.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
Not that I know of

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Just cleaned it a few days ago to add all sand substrate

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
I had them in the water dish and cleaned it in the microwave and just took it out of the dish last night

Sponges aren't needed as they really just harbour bacteria.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Just a new crab and new shells

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
I might have put him I the baths few times since I had him

As mentioned in the other thread, bathing crabs isn't a good idea. It can disturb the careful saline balance that they mix for themselves & store in their shells.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

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