HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi!! I've been a member here for a while but I haven't expirienced this kind of thing before.

I know this is common, but I don't know myself.

So, here I am, just getting back from vacation (I was only gone for 2 days, and the crabs had plenty of food and such.) and cleaning the 10 gallon, Steve in the food dish. Here I am, looking for New guy. (That's what I call all my unnamed crabs)

I pick up the salt water dish, which is 100% filled up with EE, and notice New Guy is half way out of his shell. I don't know if he's dead or alive!!! I'm not sure how to post pictures. He's in the molting position, but by the research I'm doing it says he should be like moving ever so often. (I noticed this about 10 mins ago.)

P.S instead of putting the salt
water dish back over him I put the coconut hut on him facing the other way so Steve doesn't disturb him.

He's currently in a 10 gallon tank
6" of EE
Light, not a heater, but the tank is closed in so the heat usually stays when the light is off. I know many people suggest UTH's, but I've used a heater the 5 years I've had crabs.
Salt AND Fresh water availible at all times.
Always humid, 75%-80+%

Any tips on what to do/ how to know?

If he hasn't moved by now I'm going to say dead.

One of my crabs (sharkey) does this weird thing wear he goes halfway out of his shell and goes back in over and over again but the has never just stayed there not moving. He also changed into a comfier shell and stopped doing the halfway in and out thing. Wish I could be more help!

I am going through a similar situation, if he smells dead he is dead, if not keep keep him in isolation and try not to bother him. Sorry about you crab

Maybe try leaving some good quality foods, perhaps some honey in a bottle cap, and water next to him so that if he is going to pull through, he has some nutritious help?

Hope it's a false alarm, or that weird limp thing they do!

(A hopeful reminder from the sticky:
1: It is normal for crabs preparing to molt to go limp and appear to be dead.
2: A Crab should not be presumed dead until it gives off the death smell.)

Mine went under a drift wood I had and was hanging out just like this...he did molt and he did not move for a while until he was completely out of his exo...keep him in ISO in a dark quiet place and if he's not dead he will do his thing


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Keep an eye out for a surface molt... If he is new it could be pps (hanging out of the shell a bit is a pretty big sign of pps)! Dont get discouraged until you smell the death smell though (not to be confused with the molt smell which is chemically not fishy). Hope this helps! Hoping for a good outcome. Just be mindful that if it is a surface molt, it is not a normal thing and a pretty good indication that soooomething is off.

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I would cover him with something like an upside down container. He was probably molting under the dish. Him not moving is normal as he is saving energy for his molt. He won't move for a while after shedding either. The best thing to do is give him darkness, and leave him alone. He should dig out from under the container when he's well again.

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