Depressed or molting?

[singer86]

I recently got my first hermit crab from some friends of mine and am worried about him. A couple of days ago in the evening he ate a chunk of carrot and a walnut and then went in his little hut and started digging around and did not come back out. I figured he was molting so I have been leaving him alone and only checking on him occasionally. He has stayed in his little house the past couple of days and I could not see him. But today he was just sitting next to the doorway of his little hut barely moving. I am not sure if he is molting or is depressed so I have not touched him. I am planning to soon get a bigger tank and another crab so he is not alone, but I am not sure what is going on with him at the moment. I have been keeping his tank moist and warm, he always has one pool of freshwater and salt, and has food available as well. His coconut fiber is not as deep as I would like it but I have not put anymore in lately because I wasn't sure if he was molting and did not want to bother him.

Any suggestions about what is going on or what I should do??

[singer86]

Also forgot to mention what my heat and humidity usually are. My humidity is usually between 70 and 80, and my thermometer usually says the heat is close to 70, but my thermometer is on the opposite side of the tank away from the heating pad so I don't know if the heat is completely accurate.

[mool]

Your temp and humidity both seem a tiny bit low. If you can, you should try to get both up above 75%.

Hermit's can get lethargic when they get cold so that might be part of the problem. It could also be that your crab is trying to destress or molt.

As long as it isn't buried, I think you're safe to add more substrate. I would just operate as lightly and unobtrusively as possible while raising the sub level.

If he didn't eat what you gave him or didn't seem to like it much; offer something else. I change my crab's food dishes everyday.

[singer86]

Ok thanks! At the moment for his heat I just have one heating pad on the side, but would u suggest I get another and put it on the other side to help?

[mool]

By heating pad do you mean UTH (under tank heater)? If so, I prefer to get the biggest one I can and stick that on. If I have to use two, I put them close together like one on the side and one on the back; almost like have a bigger one that bend around the corner but it's actually two smaller ones. This creates a warm zone and a cool zone inside the tank so the crabs can go wherever they like.

[singer86]

Ya its UTH. OK I am planning to get a bigger tank and another pad today, and possibly a second hermit crab so he is not alone anymore. I will just have to play around with the heat and humidity to get them to the right spot.

[singer86]

Last night when I went to check on him he was out drinking his water, but the minute he saw me he booked it back into his house. And then this morning he had dragged out a walnut but was in his house again. So I went ahead and gently picked him up to look him over and he looked pretty normal and wasn't really pale at all. I didn't see any remains of exoskeleton in his house either. When I out him back in his tank he immediately started being active and climbing around and going to his water, and then when he was done went back in his house

[mool]

Those are good signs!

[singer86]

Ok awesome! Thanks so much for all your help!

[singer86]

Also just curious, do you think it would be fine to give him a bath this since he will possibly be with another hermit crab and I don't know if he molted or not?

[Rawrgeous]

I would wait until you get the new one, first dip him, then the other in your tanks FW, that way they have the same "smell".

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[Angizme]

NEVER put a crab in water to dip or bathe. This has been tbe root of several deaths because they are already stressed and if it IS a molt you can hurt him severely

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[singer86]

So I got a new crab and just got him home and got hi clean and his tank. But when I was starting to take out my first crab I noticed some of his skin left in his house so I immediately put him back and covered up the tank again. I am planning to give him a couple more days in his own tank to finish his skin. I just hope me picking him up yesterday didn't hurt him, he seems fine but will just have to keep a eye on him.

[Rawrgeous]

Oh my goodness, I must have been tired or not paying any attention and reading thoroughly when I read this this!! I don't know how I missed the part about molting or skin shedding, I am sorry! Disregard!

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[singer86]

Oh no its totally fine! I wasn't sure if he really molted or not. But I am sure now. So do u suggest I just leave him be for a couple more days to be positive he is all good and hard?