HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions as best you can. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Regular playsand pretty close to 5 to 1 ratio with eco earth
About 7 inches deep or so

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 accurite digital setting on substrate. It will be moved very soon. Temp 78 humidity 90

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, ultratherm 11x47 75 gallon 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)?
Fresh and salt. Both treated with prime and the saltwater is instant oceanq

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Dried crickets, coconut, dried blood worm, raisins, raw honey. Raw sunflower seeds. Baby river shrimp

Every couple days changed out. Sometimes get fresh fruits as well as veggies

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
Pp, had this one maybe few weeks

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Molted today above ground

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

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
6 crabs, 4 are between small and medium. 2 large

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
Maybe 20 various sizes

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Havent needed to yet. Other than picking out food scraps

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?
The entire tank and setup is fresh. Just upgraded to this tank and transferred crabs into yesterday

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.

Didnt bother to answer all questions as I should! I'm sorry

My crab was found in corner appeared to be very weak and limp but still little movement. I placed him in the shallow salt water dish for little bit and then in food very carefully.

After about ten minutes I noticed him pushing his exoskeleton off and he's almost got it all off.

What can I do???? Once he sheds will he be ok in tank with the others? All his limbs look to be good

Also forgot to mention...I was transferring the crabs yesterday and I believe I dug this one up. I know! Very bad!! Definitely will NEVER do this again. I just wanted them all to be in the new tank because I dont have thermostat for a second tank yet. I was very careful but I think that could have been my issue :'(
.

Sorry kinda freaked out while posting this. He isn't limp it was his exoskeleton hanging out and I've never seen this before so I assumed was him

Also, now has completely shedded the exoskeleton

his new exo will be soft and vulnerable after molting, so for now it would be best to separate him from the other crabs.

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if you have a container (like an iso) you can put some substrate in it and then the crab with its exoskeleton. you can also put some food on caps like bee pollen, crushed egg shells, dried shrimp (I use omega 1), and a fatty food like organic extra virgin olive oil or an egg yolk. You should also put some fresh and saltwater in the too. Make sure both waters are declorinated with a conditioner like aqueon tap water conditioner or prime, and the salt water has a marine salt with good minerals like instant ocean. Keep the container in the tank if you can and don't let it back in until its new exoskeleton hardens, and is ready to come out. The temperature and the humidity should be around 75/85 (F), and the substrate should be 5-6" deep or 3-5 times as deep as your biggest crab. probably whichever is deeper. If you don't have a therm/hydrometer you should probably get one.Calcium sand can harden when wet, which can cause a hermit crab to get trapped. I use silica based playsand with eco earth with about 3 parts EE and 4 parts playsand. It could be surface molting because your substrate is too shallow, it isn't the right consistancy, or the right kind of sand. I hope your crab makes it! You might want to fill out the template so other members can give you advice

also if you put it back in the tank the other hermit crabs might want to try to eat it unless its exo is hardened.

Oliviet#1 wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2019 5:09 pm

also if you put it back in the tank the other hermit crabs might want to try to eat it unless its exo is hardened.

Post has been edited to answer the questions.

How long should he be in iso? I put a kritter keeper in the 75 with a little substrate fresh and salt water and some food as well. Just hope I didnt hurt him. Every since he sheded the exoskeleton he stays curled up in shell. Is this normal?

I think my mistake was digging him up. I know this is the worst thing to do. I've learned my lesson on that one and wont do that again. He seems fine just stays in his shell now. I guess it really stressed him out because he was ready to molt?

Oh and I put his exoskeleton in the iso as well

He should probably stay in the iso until its exoskeleton hardens. Some people also wait until their crab is like let me out! It is probably normal for it to curl up. It might be good if you put something over it like a cocohut or something because the like to be in the dark while they are molting. maybe next time when you are ready to move the crabs to the next tank wait till they are all up or until you have another thermostat. I have collapsed one of my hermit crab's tunnels before. I was moving a piece of cholla wood and I opened its tunnel. I didn't have any 2 liter bottles in hand so I got a regular water bottle, and while i was digging it in the substrate the tunnel collapsed! I dug him up and since his exo was comepletely hardened he was ok to stay (I prepared an iso anyways).

He's still in the iso and yesterday caught him out eating finally so that's good his colors are coming in slowly as well every day gets better. I'm just not sure how to know when his exoskeleton is hard enough?