Hermit Crab sick after molting?? *UPDATED, PICTURES NOW*

[azbywhitecalf]

Hi, I've had my hermit crab James Bond (Bond for short haha) for more than a year, and we've been through about two molts so I know what to do when he molts. He recently had his third molt, and it went successfully besides a piece a his old large claw was still stuck onto him

Anyways, recently I noticed that Bond hasn't been very active, usually he's very active (like running around his tank and making lots of noise). But recently he's just been in the corne rof his tank, he hasn't buried himself in the substrate or covered himself. Instead her made a little dip that he sits in, his light that I use to keep him warm burned out, and he went about one day without his light before I was able to buy a new one. I bought a new one for him, and I decided to check on him (my dad freaked me out because he was going off about how maybe Bond died).

At first I thought he died,because he wasn't coming out, even after I breathed on him. Then after a few minutes of coaxing him out, he came out, but he was really weak? Like, he didn't seem like he was able to hold himself up, he didn't look any different, he was the bright orange he usually is when he finishes molting. Is Bond sick? He did have mites in the summer but I've got rid of them. I give him fresh foods,mostly fruit, and sometimes a pellet form food. Please answer as soon as possible, I'm very worried about him

[mool]

It sounds like he needs some protein and calcium in his diet, ASAP! Good forms of protein include any unseasoned meat, cooked or raw such as chicken, beef, venison, seafood, etc; nuts, nut butters, egg whites, etc. Calcium can come from egg shells. I bake mine and grind them up.

For stressed out crabs, most people agree that honey and peanut butter are good foods to offer right away.

Can you fill out this form? It helps us see the bigger picture right away.


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?

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?

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?

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)?

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?

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

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?

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.)?

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.

[azbywhitecalf]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
-Coconut hide, it comes in a brick, and it's about two-three inches 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?
-I only have a temperature sticker, it stays around 73-75 degrees F
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
-a small lamp is on side of the tank, (I plan to upgrade his tank when I go back to work in April)
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)?
-we dont have a pool for him, besides his water dish which is bottled water
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
-usually fruits or veggies that are cut up, and i replaced every 2 days
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
-A little longer than a year, and he's a small purple pincher
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
- Yes about three weeks ago
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
-5 gallon tank, and there's no lid (I'm searching for one)
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
-Only one (James Bond) he's aggressive to other crabs I've had in the past and we think he killed two other crabs, he's on the smaller side about and inch and a half tall and wide
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
-there are 4 shells
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
-No, he's kept in my room
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
-every month, I throw away the substrate, wash the tank, wash his toys and dishes, then add new substrate
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
-yes there's one in his drinking dish, usually I throw them out when they start getting small and broken, or I just run them under clean water for a bit then wring them out.
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
-no
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.)?
-we don't usually give him baths too often, I've read that crabs are supposed to be bathed often
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
- My hermit crab is very weak after molting, he stays in the corner of his tank and and hasn't moved or eaten in almost two weeks. When he did come out, he was very weak and couldn't hold himself or his shell up. I could move his claws easily with the tip of my finger, (he usually will retract into his shell or his large pincher will try to pinch).
mool

Posts: 116
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2015 7:30 pm
Top

[mool]

Thanks for responding back. You have room for improvement. Pet stores and gift shops that sell hermit crabs are notorious for giving really bad care instructions and advice. You're not alone and you've come to the right place. I've cut and pasted the questions with your answers and then my answers in red.

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
-Coconut hide, it comes in a brick, and it's about two-three inches deep
This is a good start, but the deeper the better for the substrate. Most people buy play sand from Home Depot or Lowe’s and mix that with the coconut fiber. I try to make my mixture mostly sand with a little coconut. A 50lb bag of sand is about $4.00. The substrate needs to be wet, but not dripping. Think of sand castle consistency. Only wet it with dechlorinated water.

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?
-I only have a temperature sticker, it stays around 73-75 degrees F
Your temperature is a little on the cool side for hermit crabs. Most like the temps to be between 80-90 degrees at all times. Humidity is equally, if not more important than heat. A humidity gauge would be really helpful to you. You can get a really good thermometer/humidity gauge from Lowes or Home Depot for about $8.00. You find them in the garden section. They are digital and very accurate.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
-a small lamp is on side of the tank, (I plan to upgrade his tank when I go back to work in April)
A UTH (under tank heater) is what most people use, however the stick it on the back of the tank, above the substrate for best effect. The crabs don’t need the substrate warmed, they need the air warmed. You bulb will do for now.

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)?
-we dont have a pool for him, besides his water dish which is bottled water
Hermit crabs need salt water and fresh water at all times. The dishes should be deep enough for the crab to submerge, but they also need a way to climb out. I buy my dishes at the Goodwill and I put clean rocks in the bottom so they can climb back out. Also, the water needs to be dechlorinated with a tap water conditioner such as Prime (my favorite, but there are many more). The salt needs to be the kind used to make salt water for marine aquariums. Instant Ocean is a good brand.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
-usually fruits or veggies that are cut up, and i replaced every 2 days
The fruits and veggies are really good. Most people like to buy organic if they can. If not, wash the produce really well. The commercial pellets you mentioned above are usually not so good. Most of us do not buy our food from the pet store. We feed them what we eat, make our own food, or we buy from specialty stores online (etsy, ebay).

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
-A little longer than a year, and he's a small purple pincher
A year is a long time for a crab in less than ideal conditions. You must be doing some good things!!

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
- Yes about three weeks ago
Did he molt above ground? It’s best if they can bury in the substrate and molt.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
-5 gallon tank, and there's no lid (I'm searching for one)
A lid is really, REALLY important. Crabs have modified gills and dry air is very harmful to them. They need warm moist air to breathe properly. Can you cover the tank with anything? Saran wrap? A damp towel? Just keep whatever you put over the tank away from the heat lamp or it will burn or melt. This is probably your biggest problem right now!! Can you get a water bottle to mist the tank with fresh dechlorinated water several times a day?
Your tank is kinda small. The smallest should be at least 10 gallons, but the bigger the better! Search 2nd hand stores and Craigslist. Petco is having a $1.00/gallon sale right now. It’s a great time to upgrade! Get as big as you can afford and have room for.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
-Only one (James Bond) he's aggressive to other crabs I've had in the past and we think he killed two other crabs, he's on the smaller side about and inch and a half tall and wide
He may or may not have been the reason the other crabs died. Many crabs die shortly after they are purchased no matter what we do. They are just too stressed and weak to live.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
-there are 4 shells
This is a good amount. Natural shells are the best choice. Turbo snail shells are the favorite of purple pinchers.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
-No, he's kept in my room
Good!

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
-every month, I throw away the substrate, wash the tank, wash his toys and dishes, then add new substrate
Most people leave their tanks for several months or longer before cleaning them. I almost never clean mine except to scrape up any spilled food. Less cleaning is actually better and easier!!

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
-yes there's one in his drinking dish, usually I throw them out when they start getting small and broken, or I just run them under clean water for a bit then wring them out.
Sponges in the water dish are not good. They harbor harmful bacteria. Toss them! A clean, dry sponge in the tank for decoration is fine, but never in the water dish. It’s outdated information.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
-no
Good!

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.)?
-we don't usually give him baths too often, I've read that crabs are supposed to be bathed often
Baths are not needed and are really stressful to the crabs, so it's good that you don't bathe it. They can and will bathe themselves when they need it, if they have a way to get into the water.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
- My hermit crab is very weak after molting, he stays in the corner of his tank and and hasn't moved or eaten in almost two weeks. When he did come out, he was very weak and couldn't hold himself or his shell up. I could move his claws easily with the tip of my finger, (he usually will retract into his shell or his large pincher will try to pinch).
Stay as hands off as you can. Give him some peanut butter and honey if you have it, right now! Put them in tiny dishes right next to him. I use small clam shells. Some people use milk caps or soda caps. Any small lid will probably work.

Fix what you can immediately and do the best you can with the rest. You crab sounds to be in rough shape, but you can try. Good luck and don't be too hard on yourself. Again, most stores do NOT give correct advice and care guidelines.

[marandashermies]

Hi there!
Glad you stopped by the HCA, This is definitely the right place to ask questions.
The first thing I want to direct you too, is the basic care guide. I think you will find a lot of useful information in this thread that can really help!
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 51&t=92457

I will touch on a few things, but like I said almost everything can be found in the careguide.

You are going to want to add some additional substrate to your crabitat. The basic minimum suggested is 6inch. A lot of people, myself included, use a mix of play sand and eco earth (coconut hide), 5:1 ratio. So if you can get a bag of playsand from lowe's or Home Depot and add that in, you should be at the right height. Its also a lot cheaper than using just eco earth! Also, you do not need to clean out your tank each month. The only time you really would need to do that is if you had a bacterial bloom.

Gauges are also very important as the temp and humidity level are crucial to our crabbies surviving! Both temp and humidity should be at 80 degrees and 80%, they can be higher too, but this is just a rule of thumb for most crabbers the best thing to purchase is a hygrometer to make sure temp and humidity levels are maintaining. So if you are able to get that up, with another lamp or a heat pad, that would really, really help out your crab. And could actually be the reason you are seeing him acting so different. I would recommend retilebasics.com for a UTH. They are cheap, can be insulated and work really well!

Did you say you didn't have a lid yet? First and foremost, you will need to get a lid on your tank! Without a lid, you have no way to contain heat or humidity. Your crab really needs both of these or could die. The humidity is crucial for them to breath as they do have gills. Remember, these guys are from tropical places where it rarely dips below 80 degrees, except at night. So lets get that lid! Until you do, I would saran wrap the top.

Pools or water are also very, very important. Crabs need both salt and fresh water to bath, drink and hang out in. They carry water in their shell to replenish their gills, so they need to be able to fully submerge in both fresh and salt water as they need too. I would not continue to give your crab baths. Once you have the proper pools set up, they will go in when they choose/need too. The only time you should bathe a crab is mites, before adding a new crab to a tank and after a molt before adding them back in to the colony. You can toss your sponge from the water dish. They really don't have a purpose other than carrying bacteria. If you do keep it, it will need to be boiled every couple of days so it does not contaminate the water. You can give them sponge to munch on as a treat, but I wouldn't suggest putting it in the water!

As mool mentioned, definitely add protein and calcium to your crabs diet. This could have been the reason he was attacking & killing other crabs as well. Most don't use the pellets either, so check the list to see if they are OK to give your crabs. IMO I would just toss them and feed them the fruits, veggies, proteins and supplements that you have at home! Here is a link to the safe food list;
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 25&t=92557

So back to your question, its possible your crab is just staying still to gain back energy from his recent molt? BTW, was it a surface molt or was he under the 2inch of sub? Or else, he could be on the verge of passing away. Heat, humidity, proper food and water & sub depth are really crucial for these guys to survive. He might not be able to hold on anymore, after all, he is already weak from the molt. Its possible if you can quickly change the things mentioned he could pop back to his old self, but usually when the damage is done internally, there is not much you can do. Hopefully he will be a little miracle crab and perk back up once you can get things adjusted. Good luck and keep us posted! I am sure I missed some things, so hopefully others can chime in!

[azbywhitecalf]

Hi! Thank you for all your advice so far! I'm going to buy a hydrometer, and see if my pet store has any moss and lids. He had molted under the substrate.

Additional info: I put out some peanut butter and crushed eggshells beside him in a dish. Do I have to manually feed him? I don't know and I don't think he will come out of his shell enough for or me to feed him.

My dad is making a makeshift lid of cardboard for him until I can find a proper lid for his tank. The bulb I use is 40W and R-14, should j purchase a bigger bulb? What else can I use until I'm able to purchase a proper heating lamp/ UTH pad?

Any more advice is welcome and appreciated, thank you so much!

[azbywhitecalf]

Hi there!
Glad you stopped by the HCA, This is definitely the right place to ask questions.
The first thing I want to direct you too, is the basic care guide. I think you will find a lot of useful information in this thread that can really help!
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 51&t=92457

I will touch on a few things, but like I said almost everything can be found in the careguide.

You are going to want to add some additional substrate to your crabitat. The basic minimum suggested is 6inch. A lot of people, myself included, use a mix of play sand and eco earth (coconut hide), 5:1 ratio. So if you can get a bag of playsand from lowe's or Home Depot and add that in, you should be at the right height. Its also a lot cheaper than using just eco earth! Also, you do not need to clean out your tank each month. The only time you really would need to do that is if you had a bacterial bloom.

Gauges are also very important as the temp and humidity level are crucial to our crabbies surviving! Both temp and humidity should be at 80 degrees and 80%, they can be higher too, but this is just a rule of thumb for most crabbers the best thing to purchase is a hygrometer to make sure temp and humidity levels are maintaining. So if you are able to get that up, with another lamp or a heat pad, that would really, really help out your crab. And could actually be the reason you are seeing him acting so different. I would recommend retilebasics.com for a UTH. They are cheap, can be insulated and work really well!

Did you say you didn't have a lid yet? First and foremost, you will need to get a lid on your tank! Without a lid, you have no way to contain heat or humidity. Your crab really needs both of these or could die. The humidity is crucial for them to breath as they do have gills. Remember, these guys are from tropical places where it rarely dips below 80 degrees, except at night. So lets get that lid! Until you do, I would saran wrap the top.

Pools or water are also very, very important. Crabs need both salt and fresh water to bath, drink and hang out in. They carry water in their shell to replenish their gills, so they need to be able to fully submerge in both fresh and salt water as they need too. I would not continue to give your crab baths. Once you have the proper pools set up, they will go in when they choose/need too. The only time you should bathe a crab is mites, before adding a new crab to a tank and after a molt before adding them back in to the colony. You can toss your sponge from the water dish. They really don't have a purpose other than carrying bacteria. If you do keep it, it will need to be boiled every couple of days so it does not contaminate the water. You can give them sponge to munch on as a treat, but I wouldn't suggest putting it in the water!

As mool mentioned, definitely add protein and calcium to your crabs diet. This could have been the reason he was attacking & killing other crabs as well. Most don't use the pellets either, so check the list to see if they are OK to give your crabs. IMO I would just toss them and feed them the fruits, veggies, proteins and supplements that you have at home! Here is a link to the safe food list;
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 25&t=92557

So back to your question, its possible your crab is just staying still to gain back energy from his recent molt? BTW, was it a surface molt or was he under the 2inch of sub? Or else, he could be on the verge of passing away. Heat, humidity, proper food and water & sub depth are really crucial for these guys to survive. He might not be able to hold on anymore, after all, he is already weak from the molt. Its possible if you can quickly change the things mentioned he could pop back to his old self, but usually when the damage is done internally, there is not much you can do. Hopefully he will be a little miracle crab and perk back up once you can get things adjusted. Good luck and keep us posted! I am sure I missed some things, so hopefully others can chime in!

Hi! I went out and got a lid for him, and i saran wrapped the top and left some room for the light bulb so it wouldn't melt the saran wrap. I also bought a hygrometer, and it's displaying 79C and 77% humidity so he's warming up. I'll attach some pictures of his tank in a new reply.

[azbywhitecalf]

I went and bought a lid, this was all they had for lids. I saran wrapped the top, I plan to buy an aquarium lid next. I have small 40w bulb on top of the lid to provide heat, again i plan to buy a daytime light that provides heat, and night time bulb that provides heat.



here's the hygrometer I bought, this was the tank is currently at, it's warming up!

Any other advice? Bond hasn't moved yet, and i put out some peanut butter and crushed eggshell

[DragonsFly]

All the advice you have received is good, and covering the lid is good; the only thing I would disagree with is that I would not quit using the sponge until you have good, stable humidity levels from other sources, as that sponge in the water is probably the only thing that is helping wick moisture into the air right now. Getting the substrate properly moist and covering the lid will help; consider making your water sources into bubble pools, as well (the easiest and cheapest way to increase humidity, make sure fresh air gets into the tank, and keep your water sources fresher longer, too). Humidity is absolutely essential for their survival; it may just be that after a year of low humidity and not enough substrate to molt properly, he's "giving up the ghost." :C But maybe not; sometimes they can really be amazing what they can survive. While you wait to see if he is going to recover with greater humidity, look around here on the various forums for what you need to make your water sources into bubble pools, and for other ideas to improve your crab's conditions. There's no better place than here to find out all about these animals and all they really need to be as healthy as they can in captivity.

[marandashermies]

SOOOO glad you were able to get a lid and Hygrometer! Awesome!
Like Dragonsfly mentioned, look around the forum and you will get a lot of information and inspiration to make a safe and healthy crabitat. Keep on fixing things as you can, and you are sure to succeed in the future! Good luck!!

[wodesorel]

I went and bought a lid, this was all they had for lids. I saran wrapped the top, I plan to buy an aquarium lid next. I have small 40w bulb on top of the lid to provide heat, again i plan to buy a daytime light that provides heat, and night time bulb that provides heat.

You can get away with just a nightime bulb for 24 hour a day use, you don't have to buy two unless you want to. I would also caution using a heat lamp and a glass lid - use too strong of a bulb or get it too close to the glass and it will crack. It has to be elevated around 6-8 inches above the glass for safety. With a screen lid you can move the plastic wrap around and make a safe area for the bulb. (Press and Stick is really easy to use and you don't have to mess with tape. I use it on all my humid enclosures in winter to hold in moisture, and then in summer when we're melting from humidity I can uncover the tanks and let them air out for a few months.)

[azbywhitecalf]

I checked in him, and he's alive (still very weak), I'm wondering if he's surface molting??

I forgot o mention that he still has a bit of his old exoskeleton stuck on his large claw from two molts ago (I thought it would come off on his last molt which was last month,but it didn't) could this be why he's acting like this?

[DragonsFly]

About the molting: in your first post you said he had molted twice before, so you "know what to do when he molts." Can you describe what happened during those times when he was apparently molting? What did he do, and what did you do? The fact that he has "a piece of claw stuck to him" which has apparently been there through two molts now, has me confused.

[azbywhitecalf]

Sorry my wording was a bit confusing.

So the first molt he had went well, and I did everything to do when your crab molts. Like I left him alone, and waited until he re surfaced. He molted underneath the substrate.

His second molt, my dad kept bugging him, (he wanted to make sure he wasn't dead, and I kept telling him to leave him alone), he would just see where Bond was, and he would pick him up to see if he was alive or not. (I've told him multiple times not to do this, he hasn't done it since). When Bond resurfaced, he had a piece of his old exoskeleton still stuck on his large claw, and I thought that his molt was disturbed when my dad would pick him up.

So his latest molt,( last month), I thought that piece of exoskeleton would come off, but it didn't. So Would that be a factor in why he's weak? Or what if he's doing a surface molt (I've never had a crab surface molt before). I picked him up today to do a sniff test, and he's still alive. There was no smell and there was a bit of movement

[DragonsFly]

Are you sure that he molted last month? Maybe in fact he is getting ready TO molt, and you need to cover him with an old butter tub or something, for darkness, and leave him alone and hope he can surface molt successfully? Definitely, whenever a crab is having a bad time, the LESS you can move, handle, or otherwise disturb them, the better. The best thing we can do is make sure they have all they need and leave them alone.