HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I was just checking my crabs in the morning, and I saw a new cave, which I was able to see through the window of the glass. Then I looked through, and I see my crab who was molting, but without a shell! I am panicking so much. I noticed he did seem quite lethargic when digging down. But apparently not. WHAT SHOULD I DO? I don't want to harm him. How would I dig him up? I will obviously dig him up, but I don't know how. I am noticing that he does not seem like slowed down, or lethargic in any way. It is as if he had a shell on. He is currently digging. Please help, this is his their molt with me and I don't want him to die! He is the most active crab I *have*.

Update: I noticed, there seems to be a tunnel heading up. Should I still dig? I should probably put a lot of shells for the crab to change to once he comes up. Another question: I noticed that my crabs molts were always a shorter period of time in the new 20GL. Is that normal?

I am a first time crabber and none of my crabs died yet, and the all my crabs except the E has lived with me over a year. Please help?

Hey there!

Step one, breathe. I know that's hard to do when your baby seems to be in some sort of trouble. But remember, hermit crabs aren't dumb. They do (most) everything for a reason.

Are you sure he's actually naked? Maybe you're seeing the shedded exoskeleton of the crab, not the crab itself. And are you sure the tunnel is going up? That might be the tunnel he used to get down there.

For the moment, I'd say do not dig. If he's moving, he's alive and knows what to do. Are you able to post any pictures to help us get a look at what you're seeing?

Jeff

I noticed what was happening. What happened was, one of my crabs were down for just digging, and it seems that Fred was shell-less, with abdomen, and cornered. I had to stop Shelly, so I dug her out and she seems fine.

I'm glad all is well again!

Fred was still out of the shell, and Shelly was the one who was going to attack Fred. I introduced Fred to a new shell, and he changed immediately. I feel like a good crab daddy, for he would have died!! Now I can finally change the substrate again...

Any particular reason your changing the substrate (again)?

Glad to hear that he has reshelled. Do you currently have him in iso for further observation and potentual moult?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Es don't molt well

He dug back down before I could set up the iso. I already know he molted, because he has long tips and I found part of his exoskeleton, I gave him a lot of calcium. I need to change the substrate because it is getting compact to the fact that some places it is even 4 inches.

Lewisthecrab wrote:Es don't molt well

Fred is not an E. Fred is my biggest crab. And E's usually die within their molts, or lose a limb.

You don't have to change the sub when it gets compacted. Just stir it up.

Sent from my SM-J700T1 using Tapatalk

Ok. I was going to add more sub though.

You don't need to change the sub that often but if you want to check on him then scoop him up and then try reshelling him with the cup method Sorry your hermit is streaking!

AwesomeHermit wrote:Ok. I was going to add more sub though.

To add more sub just add an inch at a time and don't compress it.

Sent from my SM-J700T1 using Tapatalk

Lewisthecrab wrote:You don't need to change the sub that often but if you want to check on him then scoop him up and then try reshelling him with the cup method Sorry your hermit is streaking!

Um.... He is already back in a shell and dug back down.