HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I've had my crab Omega since last about the middle of last year,and he's molted 3 times since I had him. The first molt was a bad molt(salt water probs),then he molted for the 2nd time and regrew his missing legs,and then about a month or so ago,he molted again.
Each time he's molted he's become darker in colour,but a blue/grey colour instead of the usual sandy/orange colour normal for Aussie/crazy crabs.
I also have another crab that has molted once or twice and is turning a similar colour.
I'm feeding the crabs a wide variety of food including fresh fruit(pawpaw,apple,grapes,orange,watermelon,mango,etc)
and with vegies-(dark lettuce,carrot,broccoli,etc)
and protein foods-(chicken,cooked shrimp,mussles,mealworms,etc)
and am also feeding a homemade kibble mix containing raw oats,soy flakes,sunflower and linseed.
Could it be due to what i am feeding my crabs,or could there be something else amiss?
Could it be a lack of UV rays,although the room where i keep the crabs is bright with natural sunlight?
Omega's still very active,but becoming very agressive.
This picture below is shows the typical colour of Aussies/crazys.


These 2 photos below are of Omega(sitting on the back of my hand,or palm) showing his blue/grey colour.




Click on pics to view original size

Hi there! I don't know too much about this topic of molting and color changes (YET!!!). I would say you are feeding your crabs the best food possible!!! Maybe he just has a different coloring. I doubt it's anything you are doing wrong! When crabs molt, they change, just what yours is doing! You are very knowledgeable in crabbing and I would definitely look at it as just a unique colored hermie!!

hi Amy,

Thanks for the compliment,but there's alot more people here alot more experienced than me i just learnt the hard way about what the wrongly prepared salt water can do to hermies,and would hate to see other people's hermies share the same fate as mine that have passed away.

Maybe i am worrying over nothing,but i just can't shake the feeling that something is amiss.Maybe Aussie crabs need more UV light to turn a brownish colour i just don't know .

i have a varity of crab species and have noticed when i add alot of shrimp, strawberries, red peppers, beets and occational prickly pear fruit they tend to come out brilliant colors of reds and Blue's i have some that have come out the color of Coke........and E's that have come out the colors of the baby blue morning glories......even ones that are almost black....i would say if you really want to get more color send a few months focusing on the more colorful foods..........you can still give them thier variety of food just try to get at least a little of at least 2 natural color enhancing foods in each meal

Like
Monday-- Broccoli, Peanut butter, watermellon and shrimp
Tuesday-- Strawberry tops, cilantro, ground walnuts, and prickly pear
Wednesday-- Chicken, red peppers, beets and oats

and so on......and non of these are uncluding any of the dried foods you would put on the side. I always sprinkle either cround cuttle bone or powdered egg shells on thier food along with a premixed bit of nori ( seaweed) chamomile flowers, rose hips and all natural potato flakes on each meal

thanks Elliveve,

Yes,that's a great idea,for the next few months i will just feed them orange/red/yellow coloured foods ,and see what happens.

I just wish i knew what they ate in the wild,perhaps there's something i'm missing.
Maybe because their natural habitat in the wild involves living in areas where there's mangrove trees ,etc with alot of leaf debris,perhaps i should go to my beach and get some mangrove leaves as they are a dark brown colour when they are laying around as leaf litter.
who knows,maybe crabs munch on that too.

I have two molters that have come up very briefly. Last night I saw one trying to rebury (is that a word?). It looked odd to me. I looked closer and it was bringing down a oak leaf with it. lol I have not noticed them actually eating them since I only had the one PP up when the other two were buried. I am interested in the mangrove. Just not sure I know how to grow them.

Kathy

well, I am inclined to think that darker is better, but that color is a little odd for Aussies! you'd expect a darker tannish color or something like that.

if it's warm outside, you might want to take all your crabbies out in a plastic tub with a damp towel in the bottom and let them soak up the sun for a bit! or invest in some UVA/UVB bulbs.

you said that your room was filled with sunlight, so this might not be the problem at all. you could try exposing them to the sun outside or bulbs, but overall I know that you have a nice 'tat, troppo, so I wouldn't worry *too* much!

Aww thanks Layne-D ,

Have you checked out Supercrabs tank? It's magnificent!
Anyway,that's a great idea,either taking the crabbies outside(could be fun ) or putting in a UV bulb. I'll phone up the pet store today and see if they have some.
I would hate to think i'm depriving my crabbies something important.
Funny thing is too,is that Omega(the blue/grey crab) each time he molts he becomes more and more aggressive. I can't even really pick him up anymore,because he goes on a pinching frenzy
(was amazed to just get some pics without him pinching,although he was trying his hardest )