Emergency!! Is she dead??

[Laurennjenkinss]

I've had my 3 crabs together in a large tank with everything they need and it seems that everyone gets along great. Today when I lifted up their cave, my oldest crab, Betsey was completely mutilated! Her head, claws, and all legs were all separated in a pile in front of her shell. I picked up her shell and looked inside and where was nothing left that I can see except a few pale orange legs. She used to be big enough to stick out of her shell, but the remaining legs are so deep inside I can barely see them. The abdomen is still inside the shell but there is no head in sight. I lifted the shell and a small purple claw fell out but it was mushy and I touched it with a stick and some fluid came out of it. There is no fishy smell though? I took her shell and all the body parts and separated her onto a paper plate just in case something crazy happens and she's not totally dead. There is absolutely no movement at all. There's no chance she's molting, is there?

[Hermiearth]

There is a chance that she is doing a surface molt. There was a crabber on here who had a similar situation as yours. Are the legs tucked in? They appear much smaller for a few days after the molt. You will want to ISO her using a soda bottle top with the lid off and you definitely want to wait for a smell before anything.


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[Laurennjenkinss]

Yes the legs are tucked in but there is no claw or head or anything else in there it seems. Do I just cut the top of a bottle off and place it over her with the lid off?

[GotButterflies]

Yes, you probably just can't see it. Try to be hands off. Let her eat the exoskeleton. Good luck!


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[Giner13]

I second GotButterflies! Play it safe & be hands off. Keep us updated.
Also if you can fill out the emergency template as well for us.


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[Jennycat]

This happened to my guy a few weeks back . Sounds like a surface molt .


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[daws409]

Here's the emergency template: http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=46102

Copy and paste your answers here so everything stays together.

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[Laurennjenkinss]

Update: SHES ALIVE! I sprayed the shell with a little mist of water and she came out! She's much smaller and pink/orange now. I put her back in the tank with a bottle top over her and I put her exoskeleton pieces in there along with her new shell. She's out and walking around in it but I kinda want to take it off so she has access to food and water. Should I take it off and let her be? Also, will she change shells or did she just shed her exo?? I will fill out the template if I still need to

[Hermiearth]

I would leave her in the ISO a few more days to make sure her exo is fully hardened. You can put bottle caps filled with salt and fresh water in the ISO as well as a bottle cap of lots of protein, calcium, and raw honey. The crab also should continue to much on the exo so yeah I would leave her in u till she is finished/ isn't eating anymore. As for the emergency template, you should fill it out so you can know if your tank conditions are up to par- surface molts are not normal, and it is quite possible something is off for your crab to do one.


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[GotButterflies]

I agree with Hermiearth. Exoskeleton needs to be eaten completely. Not normal for her to be walking around- probably bc she doesn't feel safe. I know it's hard, but please don't handle her. She needs this time to harden and eat her exo. Water and other foods are not necessary at this time. Please believe us.


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[KayedeeLove<3]

The exo skeleton is essential to molting! It's what gives them all the good stuff they need to make them healthy after molting! Also directly before during and after a molt crabs can smell appetizing to other crabs! Some on here will say 'Dont bathe your crabs' but everybody is different. Id release him in the fresh water dish in your tank to cancel any molting smell in this instance. If you do that though make sure it's after all or almost all the exo is gone and you see him up and ready to go.

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[Laurennjenkinss]

I think the problem was that I only had about 2.5 in of substrate. Half the tank is coconut fiber and half is calcium sand. I just went out and bought a giant bag of loose coconut fibers to fill the tank so they have room to bury. I had no idea they needed a lot! Maybe that's why she did a surface molt. I have a smaller tank I will move her to with everything she needs for a while. Thanks so much for all of your help! Does anyone know if she will change shells? Or will she stay in the same one?

[Giner13]

Definitely keep her in iso set up as everyone else has said. Right now it's imperative she harden up really well & munch her exo.
You can always get the other tank set up & ready in the mean time.
And for sure fill out the template for us so we can let you know what else to get ready for your girl!! crabbies need good TLC


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[Laurennjenkinss]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
-3/4 Zoomed Eco Earth loose coconut fibers and 1/4 Zoomed calcium sand. 6" deep

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?
-Zoomed hermit crab thermometer & hygrometer gauge, stuck on the inside wall of the tank at the bottom of the wall in the center, close to the top of the substrate. I keep both in the ideal range.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
-Zoomed hermit crab under tank heater under one corner of the coconut substrate and a gentle heat lamp over the area with sand (turned on for a few minutes a few times throughout the day to maintain ~75 degrees)

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)?
-large dish of fresh water (dechlorified with betta fish water conditioner) with 3 sponges and a small dish of hermit crab saltwater solution from Walmart (they have never touched?)

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
-"T-Rex/Crab Island Fruit & Flower Hermit Crab Food" replaced every 2 days or so. Canned river shrimp for hermits given as a treat a few times a week. I've tried hermit crab peanut butter crunches but they don't touch them.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
-I got Betsey about a year ago. She's small and orange/white with a purple claw. Next, I got Hermann a few months later, he is medium sized and darker orange/purple. And I got Prissy 2 months ago, she is mostly red and purple and medium sized like Hermann. (IDK what genders they are- just pretending!)

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
-I left to go out of town for 3 days. All my crabs were fine when I left. When I came back, Betsey was in her cave in the corner and she had don't a surface molt-her exo was in a pile in front of her shell. The other 2 crabs have not molted yet while I've had them.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
-20x12 tank, half of the top is covered with plastic wrap to keep humidity in. There is one large rock cave and one small coconut hut.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
-3 crabs: one is fairly small, 2 are medium-sized

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
-3 shells: one for each crab. Each shell has an opening about a pinky finger wider than their current shell.

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
-I microwave their sponges and boil all their toys, dishes, & shelters every 2 weeks.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
-3 sponges in their fresh water, I microwave them until all the moisture is gone.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
-More coconut fiber substrate for deeper digging.

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 dip each crab in their salt water dish every once in a while to clean!

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
-My crab surface molted! I think it's because they only had 2.5 in of substrate. I just got more and now their coconut fiber substrate is about 6 inches deep.

[Laurennjenkinss]

She is now in a smaller tank with 6 inches of coconut substrate, her exo, extra shell, cap of fresh bottled water, peanut butter, canned river shrimp, a piece of banana, and a wet sponge! She comes out of her shell but hasn't moved. She's just sitting there checking things out now.