HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello,

I’m in a bit of a predicament. I’m moving into my fiancés house and out of my old one. I have 2 crabs that are currently molting in my 40 gallon breeder sized tank. They have been down for about 3 months now. I have a camera up in their tank and they haven’t come up once in that time frame so I know they must be molting. (There is also no bad scent - no fish smell)


I’m moving very soon (next week) into my new home. I don’t know what to do! I originally thought I could carefully move the big tank over to my new house, but now I’m hearing that the tank can cave in and everything will fall out. (And honestly the tank is SO heavy with all the sand and coco fiber I don’t even know if it would be possible to try and lift it)

I know generally you are never supposed to dig up a molting crab, but I read in the crab street journal you can do it carefully if you have to move.

Does anyone have experience with this or any advise? I can’t leave the crabs behind (and I certainly don’t want to!) so what is the best way to transport them safely, any advise for digging them up? And setting them up after digging them up?

I’m really worried I may accidentally harm them or their cave will fall in when I’m digging them up.

Please help!

Thanks,

Kelly


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Okay BREATHE.

You will not want to move the tank as a) it will be VERY heavy and b) their molting tunnels/caves are almost certain to collapse.

Once you do find them, you should put each into its own moist/dark/warm ISO (kritter keepers or plastic shoeboxes) and treat them as surface molters.

I know there was a thread on here somewhere of someone who had to dig for molting crabs. I'll see if I can find it.

you can use the search bar for "moving" or "moving molters" i'm sure there have been other posts... i have searched many times and found gold

hermitsinnc wrote:Okay BREATHE.

You will not want to move the tank as a) it will be VERY heavy and b) their molting tunnels/caves are almost certain to collapse.

Once you do find them, you should put each into its own moist/dark/warm ISO (kritter keepers or plastic shoeboxes) and treat them as surface molters.

I know there was a thread on here somewhere of someone who had to dig for molting crabs. I'll see if I can find it.

I think they are dead! I found one that has a hollow looking body inside it’s shell. Do they typically molt inside their shell? I moved it over to another small tank but I think he’s dead. The hollow part is also in half does this mean he’s dead or do you think he’s hiding more back into the shell?

I couldn’t find the other but found little pieces so I think he must have died as well.

It was an awful discovery tonight.


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He could be hiding farther back and the hollow part could be his exo. They do shrink a bit immediately after molting. Just put him with it and wait [im]patiently to see if he moves at all.

I am sorry to say that I think your crab has died. I'm sorry.