HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So our littlest guy Mordecai (one of 6 PPs) surface molted yesterday without any warning and now he's out and about today!We were a bit worried since our new guy Ponyo kept flipping him over and leaving him like that (maybe checking up on him?) and snatched his exo. This is our second molt that lived (E had one previous that did not make it, a strawberry that got attacked after surface molting). We're not surprised that he molted so soon since he was missing a leg at the pet store (not sure if it grew back , will wait till he's feeling a bit better to check).

We're wondering if it was because we changed them to the new bigger tank? Mordecai started burying around as soon as we got him two weeks ago and we put him in the new tank two days ago with more substrate that he buried into. He came up yesterday just to surface molt? We're a bit confused by this. Temperature and humidity are good and we switched to infrared heat bulbs and have found more activity. The jumbos we have are in a separate tank so we don't think anyone bothered him. Ponyo and Barney aren't diggers and Harlou is somewhere under there but keeps to himself.

Sadly though one of our jumbos didn't make it, he started loosing limbs at the pet store and we brought him home so he could have a nice last few days. We were surprised how long he lasted and he was eating and wading in the water too. One crab passes as another survives, a very emotional day!

Have you isolated the him? Ive never needed to do it, but it's recommended to cut a 2 liter soda bottle in half and place the top half over the molter so the cover leaves an air hole, that way he can finish recovering from the molt in peace and not be attacked/bothered by other crabs who might steal his exo to eat for themselves (its important that he eat his old exo, it will help him get the nutrients he needs to regrow his new one)

If hes walking around I do not think that would be possible. Would be best to put him in a separate iso tank or a critter keeper inside the main tank with water bowls and food bowl and hidey and of course exo.

The exo no one has touched since E snatched it from Ponyo, we'll try to put Mordecai near it and see how he does, he was more interested in the egg shells and grapes. We don't have an iso tank since we're using that for the two jumbos we have, we just have a little plastic critter case that E used to transport them when she was moving. Would that be okay putting it in the main tank? With Barney he was gone under the water dish for a day then came back up and started strutting around. We're just wondering why he would come up to surface molt, it so strange since he was just below ground too.

You should isolate him with his exoskeleton. It's important that he eats it and it's also important that he's protected from the other crabs, as he's vulnerable right now. Crabs give off an odor when molting which can cause other crabs to eat them. Get a large plastic bottle, cut it in half and put one half of it over him, pushing it into the sand a little. Make sure that his exoskeleton is in there with him.

I filled up the little critter tank and put him in there with his exo. The little tank is inside the main one and has food, saltwater and a little bush to hide under. I feel kind of bad because he's pressed against the plastic and is staring at Barney and Ponyo playing in our playground section. Sometimes he scratches the side like he's trying to say 'I want to play too mum'.

Also I don't think his leg grew back it's weird since he was eating a lot of protein and calcium (he loves cooked eggs and the shells). Will his leg ever grow back?

I have one that recently didn't grow back his leg but it should grow back sooner or later. sounds like he will be okay. he just needs to be protected while he hardens up and eats his exo than he can go play again

Thanks for that, we were a bit discouraged and thought it was something we were doing wrong but we're glad that it's not just us! Mordecai is a little small so maybe his next molt. We're worried about the pale colour, we'll try brighter fruits and see if that works out. At least he's active and moving about so we're hoping that he'll be fine.