Limp Hermit Crab? Do not assume Death. Please read.

[ZooMama]

I haven't been able to find this info via searches, and it maybe obvious common sense, but not for me lol

When you put an "out of it" hermie that may or may not die/may or may not be naked in ISO - do you lay them on top of the substrate, or do you bury them?

I ask because I would be concerned about drying out if on top....

This info is of great help to me.

[tlivs]

dont cover them up! they make their own special tunnels that lets them keep an air pocket with them so they can breath.
we cant mimic what they do.
if you want to give him a head start though, you can dig a shallow hole and stick him in. that way he can choose to continue it or he can get out with a problem

[Guest]

I have a seemingly lifeless one right now, it's not out of its shell and not even when I picked it up did it come out. But even when I spritzed a little water, it didn't respond and it doesn't give off a death smell. I tried submerging him in water but nothing happens... For now I'm putting him in an ISO.

He seems very limp, I don't know if he dried out, I certainly hope not, but I have been having a lot of work lately and I have not been able to check in about 2 weeks. I soaked the substrate in water (of course not to where it was underwater but enough to make a sand castle) and filled the water dishes to the brim.

[tigermoon89]

Put him under a hidey and keep the food dish near him with high protein foods, the most common used when a crab is like this is honey with peanut butter and cuttle bone.
Bee pollen or fish protein would be great too.

You could also leave a bit of organic unsalted popcorn for him to help stimulate his appetite. Sprinkle the cuttle bone over the popcorn and mix in the fish.

[Tyna]

The last post sounds like my situation. One of my new crabs that I posted about earlier last week has not eaten or drank once in the 2 weeks I've had him.. only wants to sit in the substrate partially covered.Sorry I saw him drink once. I have checked on him, bathed him, given him new shells and he still just goes back.He seems strong enough when I pick him up.. no odor.. but will stay in the position I put him for a long time before he slowly wanders back.

The tank started to smell.. not bad. . but sweetish.. I may have over moistened it. I removed my other 3 crabs to a smaller tank until I get more bedding (2 hours away) .They seem more active and happy than before but problem child is still completely still....not dead.Now it is fine and he has the tank to himself .
It has been suggested I bring him back for another crab when I go to the city I bought him , tomorrow, but I wonder if he is preparing to molt or if he will just die. I cannot think of anything else to do.

I suppose I can just wait it out. I have never experienced a molt , being new to this. Any suggestions?

[Energizer13]

This has never happened to me bit I saw it happen at my local pet store. They do not have the right conditions with 3 cm of substrate there. One of my cousins works there and when he told the manager this, he almost got fired .Anyway , my cousin set up a camera IN THE TANK because he saw that one of the crabs was acting a little strange. After taking the footage he saw the video of a purple pincher climbing the wood to the very top of the tank which was over 10 ft tall and beginning a molt. Of course there had to be a few hermit crabs that were interested and they climbed up all the way to him with a few crabs falling off. When one of the crabs got to the molter the molter had a sudden twitch that knocked off the crab. This happened over a 2 month period and the twitch was the crab coming out of its old exo. When that crab fell off all the other crabs piled around that crab and did not disturb the molter. It seems that that is a happy story but right after his successful molt the next night the crab that got knocked off shelled the crab that was molting and killed it. My cousin showed this too the manager which fired him for jeopardizing their sales of the hermit crabs but after posting it one youtube and getting all the comments that that was normal the boss hired him back and it was a happy ending. Have fun with your crabs !

[Katie]

A crab I got recently has been alternating between walking around the crabitat without his shell and then sitting next to his shell in the saline water dish. Is this normal?? in what I have read about pre-molting symptoms I have not heard about the crab staying outside the shell??
I hope it is not dying! any recommendations on what I should do--please advise ASAP! thanks, Katie

[NewEcuadorian]

- Ever since I replaced the substrate (last week) my crab has been listless, no longer digs or hides & he is eating very little
- Tonight when I went to change his food (hoping some papaya might tempt him) & water
- I found him slowly coming out of his shell - I can even see the 2 little legs that stay inside his shell & the body segment inside the shell is white-ish -
- now he's not moving & he is still hanging out of his shell
- Please tell me he's pre-molting or some other normal crab behavior

[CrabbyMom33]

A change of substrate is like a completely new tank for them and is stressful, almost like when you first buy them. Are you sure the temp and humidity is Ok. If so, the best thing is to leave him alone. Is he the only one in the tank? If not, keep an eye on any others if he may be pre-molt.

[NewEcuadorian]

Thank you