HCA: Hermit Crab Association

It's my first time with a molting crab. My crab has already shed all of his exoskeleton, and since I don't have much substrate, he did it on the surface. But he is walking around without a shell? I don't know if he's okay and if I should leave him alone. I gave him 3 different shells to choose from, and he hasn't chosen any. It's been nearly 3 days of him without a shell. Whenever I put one in front of him, he turns around and walks away. He's spending a lot of time in this little coconut hut I got for him a while ago. I don't know if he's okay, or even if he's still molting. What do I do?

Hello. I'm sorry that you are going through this. He needs to be reshelled asap.

Rinse off his/her abdomen in dechlorinated freshwater. Gently uncurl his abdomen with your finger and back him/her into the shell he was previously in. Give him/her his exoskeleton to finish.

When they surface molt something is wrong. Please fill this out asap: viewtopic.php?f=27&t=46102

Make sure you keep your crab isolated, and leave him/her alone to allow him to destress.

Make sure humidity stays around 80 and above. Heat should be at a minimum of 75, but I myself prefer 80.

Keep in mind that if the crab is still soft, you need to be EXTREMELY careful. They need to be able to retract into a shell while hardening or risk deformities.

Sent from my LGMS550 using Tapatalk

Here is the filled out template:

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Coconut soil and about 1 1/2 inches.

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? No, I do not have any gauges.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? None.

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)? I have a bowl of saltwater in the tank. I get natural spring water and put sea salt into it (not table salt!)

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? I give him pellets with dried mealworms/shrimp in it.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? I have had him since December 21st, 2017.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? Yes, and I found him molted about 2 days ago on 3/22/18.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? A glass tank that holds about 11 gallons, and there is no lid.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 1 crab, he is about 1 1/4 inches large.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? I have 3 extra shells in the tank and he won't go in any!

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Maybe once every month. I replace the substrate and wipe it down with hot water.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? No.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? Nothing new, but I did recently reorganize his crabitat lately.

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.)?

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail. He is out of his shell after molting, and he refuses to go into any of the spare ones. He turns around when I place one in front of him. I'm afraid of him dying.

When I pick him up to reshell him, how should I pick him up?

RaphaelTheCrab wrote:When I pick him up to reshell him, how should I pick him up?

You gently scoop him up with your hand, I just coax their slug butt onto my hand.
Then just slip him into a shell that is slightly too large, it's easier to get him in.

I have never dealt with an unshelled crab, so will leave that to those more experienced with it.

I can speak to your conditions. Please read through the care sheets in the 'Care Sheets, Guides, and FAQ' section. They provide detailed information about proper crab care. You do not have enough substrate. At least 6 inches, or three times as deep as your largest crab. It needs to be moist enough to hold shape (ie- sand castle consistency). It does not need to be changed out frequently at all. You need to know the temperature and humidity in your tank - crabs need warm temps and high humidity to live, and a lid will help hold in the humidity. You need marine salt (brand such as Instant Ocean), not sea salt. Pellets do not provide proper nutrition - the food pyramid in the care sheet section describes hermit crab needs and gives examples of safe foods (ie- protein, calcium, minerals, etc). You have some improvements that are needed asap, these may be reasons why he is unshelled.