HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I’m freaked out now. So the crab that was given to me about a week ago has been in ISO in my old 10 gallon. He’s a big one...maybe not jumbo but definitely large. I let him be when he hid halfway into the EE substrate in that tank. Well he came out tonight so I wanted to move him to better conditions in my other tank...he immediately went to the salt water pool...and dropped his big claw! He is currently wandering around but I’m concerned about the claw...sign of extreme stress? Should I have let him be in the other tank? I felt conditions optimal in my new set up vs the other. ..

Filled out the template:

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? 5:1 ratio EE and play sand 7-8" 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? Yes, Acurite digital and set to 83 F and currently 86% humidity

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? UTH along the entire back of the tank

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)? Both. Instant Ocean and Seachem Prime

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Since all were down in newer tank have been feeding less fresh and more variety of dried from the sites listed on here. Honey, calcium and proteins available in both tanks

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? PP and given to me by a friend. It came from a fair and kept in kritter keeper for at least 2 weeks.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? Not with me but it looked quite fresh and healthy when we got him.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 29 gallon long, however i had this crab in a 10 gallon ISO with only about 4 inches of EE...reptile top covered in plastic..UTH along the back and a small one on the side

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? He was alone in the 10 gallon

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? too many to count but he switched shells the same day we got him

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? not that i know of

12. How often do you clean the tank and how? havent except for surface cleaning..old food etc

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? no

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.)?

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.

After a week of ISO and him being half in the ground I left him alone and just fed etc. when he finally appeared tonight I took him out and put him in my better tank ...he immediately went to the pool and dropped his big claw! He is now just sort of sitting by the food dishes...he explored a few minutes but now seems to be exhausted. He is by far the largest crab...nobody else is around and I was hoping he would find a place and dig down after having been destressing etc. Should I do anything more with him? Or just leave him sit there?

Since I posted he has barely moved...didn't partake of any food and is now huddled top side along the side. At least in the ISO he was semi under. I think i should have just left him alone in ISO because he needed more time but thought the new tank would be a better environment. We essentially rescued him but I thought I would be giving it a better home.
I

I cant sleep due to this..he is still in the same spot...I had thought with a better sub he would dig down but now the loss of his big claw...he is just sitting there. I've put food around him in the hopes he will partake..debating on putting something on the glass to keep it dark because it will be light soon. I feel like a crab medic at this point...why did he lose his big claw!?

Crabs normally drop limbs out of stress. You should continue feeding him calcium and protein filled foods. He will probably have to be hand fed. Just cross your fingers and hope for the best. Let's also wait for a Mod or Admin because they are the most experienced out of us.
Hoping your little guy pulls through, and I'm sending some good luck your way.

heyitseggs2 wrote:Crabs normally drop limbs out of stress. You should continue feeding him calcium and protein filled foods. He will probably have to be hand fed. Just cross your fingers and hope for the best. Let's also wait for a Mod or Admin because they are the most experienced out of us.
Hoping your little guy pulls through, and I'm sending some good luck your way.

He didn’t move from where I left him last night. Looks to have dropped another limb and isn’t moving.

I'm so sorry. Don't give up hope yet, though.

heyitseggs2 wrote:I'm so sorry. Don't give up hope yet, though.

Thank you. Definitely haven’t given up yet. He looks to have tried to dig down backwards but came back top side. He still has the smaller claw but did indeed loose another limb. I’ve got some dried minerals, proteins, and water right next to and in front of him. Poor guy. I was so excited to have seen him come out of hiding last night because we haven’t seen him since the day we brought him home....I didn’t realize how big he even was! At the very least I’m glad we rescued him from where he was even if it was only to pass away with us....

Your taking care of him in the best way possible. I'm sorry no one else has replied. But much love to you and your hermie.

Aww. This is sad. Im pulling for your guy. I just noticed i have one with a dropped claw too. 1st time. Just changed them from a 20 wide to a 36g BF with lights 4 days ago. Better heating conditions, but a work in progress as i still have 1 crab down in the other tank and need its sand and coconut fiber to mix with fresh in the new tank.

I have some raw organic honey, peanut butter and calci powder in there for him to start his recovery and keeping the light to a minimum for now. They didnt really have a lot of light in the 20w so this is probably a shock. I feel terrible.

Hope your guy fairs well!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

elly_bananas wrote:Aww. This is sad. Im pulling for your guy. I just noticed i have one with a dropped claw too. 1st time. Just changed them from a 20 wide to a 36g BF with lights 4 days ago. Better heating conditions, but a work in progress as i still have 1 crab down in the other tank and need its sand and coconut fiber to mix with fresh in the new tank.

I have some raw organic honey, peanut butter and calci powder in there for him to start his recovery and keeping the light to a minimum for now. They didnt really have a lot of light in the 20w so this is probably a shock. I feel terrible.

Hope your guy fairs well!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Pulling for your guy too! Sadly ours didn’t make it. We came home after my sons football practice and the tell tale fishy smell was in the tank. We haven’t moved him out of there yet because my son wants to bury him and it’s currently storming here. I was soooo hoping he would stick around with us...he was huge!

Oh thats too bad im sorry! These guys just cant handle stress very well.

I know in my case i was just trying to give them so much better, so much more than they had because i had a recent boost in "extra" household funds and was finally able to collect enough needed items to give them EVERYTHING they didnt have. I feel guilty as tho it backfired and i put them at risk.

Aside from the limb tho hes still climbing, being social and hanging out on a log and even eating well. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

elly_bananas wrote:Oh thats too bad im sorry! These guys just cant handle stress very well.

I know in my case i was just trying to give them so much better, so much more than they had because i had a recent boost in "extra" household funds and was finally able to collect enough needed items to give them EVERYTHING they didnt have. I feel guilty as tho it backfired and i put them at risk.

Aside from the limb tho hes still climbing, being social and hanging out on a log and even eating well. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Thank you! Good to hear your guy is still doing well...sounds like he will be just fine but I will keep my fingers crossed! When my older son came home he asked about the crab and went to check...he smelled the fish smell as well ...he picked up the crab and it didn’t move at all but he stunk bad. Since we weren’t going to bury him just yet he put him back down and in doing so the poor guy fell out completely. Looks like he passed in a pre-molt. I don’t know much about it all but he had a huge molt sac...or water sac? Not sure which. It was probably just too stressful on the big guy.

I'm so sorry. Sending love your way.

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's so hard to watch them suffer from stress when all we want to do is help them feel good and be as happy as they can be in captivity. {{hug}}

I have a rescue PP that has been buried now for a little over two weeks. He came to me missing his large claw and two legs on the opposite side of the claw. Poor guy gimped around the tank for about two weeks before going below. I've been sending him "healing vibes" every day and telling his sibling to leave him alone under there. First molts are stressful with healthy crabs...this one is rubbing against my anxiety disorder!