HELP ASAP! Hermit Crab Molt Sac burst, as he is preparing to go into a Molt!!

Please post here if you are having a crab care emergency! Use a real subject and not just "HELP!"
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Topic author
hermitcrablover878
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2023 1:27 pm
Location: New Jersey

HELP ASAP! Hermit Crab Molt Sac burst, as he is preparing to go into a Molt!!

Post by hermitcrablover878 » Thu Nov 09, 2023 1:39 pm

Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions as best you can. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!


7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?

No, my crab, Aspen is preparing to have his first molt now, since I have adopted him. Previous unkowner is unsure of when the last molt is.


13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No, I provide saltwater and freshwater tanks.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No, just some new shells.

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 noticed Aspens molt sac was burst with water when he finally changed from his painted shell I rescued him from, to his new natural shell. Puddle of water was at the bottom of the old shell and on his body. No molt sac is present there, but he has started to dig a hole for his molt. There is another hermit crab in the tank, same size and species, named Terra.


16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
So my PP crab, Aspen, who I rescued/adopted a month or two ago, is preparing to go into a molt. He has been showing many symptoms of molting soon, and grew a large molt sac on (his) left side of his abdomen. One 1/2 days before I noticed this emergency, he finally changed from his painted shell into a natural shell and I noticed after I he changed that when I removed the painted shell from the shell shop, that there was a puddle of water at the bottom of the shell, and he no longer had his molt sac on his abdomen. This morning I found him digging a large hole, and am pressuming he is getting ready to molt.
I'm really concerned that now his molt sac has burst and he is getting ready to molt, that he is not going to be able to have a succesful molt without have the nutrients. If he attempts to molt without the molt sac, should I consider it important ennought to stop it, even though a molting hermit crab should not be disturbed when starting the cycle? Help pls, very concerned :|


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curlysister
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Re: HELP ASAP! Hermit Crab Molt Sac burst, as he is preparing to go into a Molt!!

Post by curlysister » Fri Nov 10, 2023 12:36 am

The puddle of water in the shell is the water that all crabs carry with them inside their shell. It is usually a mix of salt and fresh water that they have collected.
The molt sac would not have burst. Perhaps he is sitting differently or deeper inside the new shell, and that's why you can't see it.

Don't panic, and let your crab dig and molt. He knows what he is doing.
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." -Will Rogers


Topic author
hermitcrablover878
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2023 1:27 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: HELP ASAP! Hermit Crab Molt Sac burst, as he is preparing to go into a Molt!!

Post by hermitcrablover878 » Fri Nov 10, 2023 9:39 am

Ok! Thank you SO much, I was so worried there!

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