Hermit Crab Molted Underground Without Shell and Other Crab Took Shell

[M's_Hermies]

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?
I use loose coconut fiber substrate the Eco Earth brand, mixed with some calcium sand (not sure what brand but I think its mostly used for lizards). The main part of the tank where the hermit crabs bury usually is about 4 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? My temperature gauge is broken and on the opposite side of the heating pad and my humidity gauge is in the middle of the tank near the top and I try to keep it around 60 - 70. I am also not sure if the gauge is completely accurate because the humidity goes down really quickly. I have to use a spray bottle multiple times a day and spray a lot just to keep it humid enough. Also I have a lot of dehumidifiers in the house (not near the tank) because mold in our house was a problem, so turning them off isn't really an option. Is this affecting the humidity? What should I do about that if it is?


3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? I use 2 heating pads that stick to the sides of the tank the are stuck on 2 side on one of the corners 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)?
I have 2 water dishes in 1 I use fresh deer park spring water in the other I use the same water with some added Instant Ocean salt. I use about 1/8 teaspoon of the salt with the water, maybe a couple tablespoons? Not quite sure.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed them Jurassic Diet pellets. I know that pellets are not recommended, but I have been feeding it to them for years and I worry if I take them away completely it might damage the hermit crabs by switching their diet so suddenly. I also put either shrimp or these dried whitefish that are high in calcium for their food, so the pellets are kind of just a safety measure to make sure they have enough nutrients. Occasionally I also feed them fruit or vegetables. I change their food and water every day.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
They are purple pinchers I think and I have had them for almost 10 years

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
My bigger one just molted very recently, it is still not moving, still curled up, but I did see its abdomen move a bit.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
I use a 20 gallon tank I believe, it is a rectangle and it has a mesh lid that I cover completely with a towel

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
there are 2 hermit crabs and if they are without their shell and curled up I would say about the size of a golf ball, so pretty big

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
There are a bunch of shells in the tank but, some of them are not turbo shells and I think my hermit crabs will only wear turbo shells, they are kind of picky. I recently bought some new shells but they did not seem to like them, maybe they are too small or too heavy or too thin.

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I rarely do I full tank clean where I take out everything and wipe the empty tank down, but I scoop the poop and add water to the substrate every couple weeks to a month depending if they are busy molting or not.

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 most recent thing I added was the 4 new shells I got

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.)?
I have a cork log that the like to hide under and eat also the smaller hermit crab seems to get really impatient whenever the big one buries and starts digging up the tank after a couple days and he wont stop usually until the big one unburies or he finds him. Also something that is really important is not too long ago the smaller one dug up the big one who was buried and started attacking him (the big one is more of a gentle giant and the little one seems pretty energetic usually) the little one had his claws grabbing the big one and there was croaking noises coming from them. I managed to get the smaller one off by spraying with water and lightly pulling and the big one seemed uninjured, as I caught the situation pretty early. I put the aggressor into a separate travel tank for a bit then moved them back and after a while they seemed fine. I thought the reason for this attack might be because the smaller one wanted the bigger ones shell so I went and bought new shells immediately after. This all happened about 2 weeks ago.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Here is what I am posting about. My bigger hermit crab has been buried for about a week now and the little one has been kind of digging up the tank, but this morning I saw the smaller hermit crab changing into the bigger ones shell. My first question and problem is why was the big one molting without his shell? Because the molting crab was still buried, it didn't look like the smaller crab took it off his body. And also the main emergency right now what should I do? The big one was still molting and asleep, but I did see his abdomen move a bit. I put some substrate into a Tupperware with holes at the top and scooped up the naked molting crab with a plastic spoon carefully, I also put some shells in the Tupperware with him and made sure to put his exoskeleton under the crab to eat if needed. I wrapped the container in a towel and put him in about the same spot in relation to the heating pads from where he was buried, except now on the surface of course and I left him alone for a bit, (it has been about an hour). Is this set-up ok? And what should I do now? Should I add more food or check on him often? Should I just leave him alone for a while and how long? If the bigger hermit crab wakes up but refuses to put on a shell should I put him in a travel tank for a couple days while I order new shells? And also when I do put them back together will the bigger one attack the smaller one to get his shell back and how should I prevent that? By the way, the hermit crab in the Tupperware is still asleep.

.

[hermitcrablover2]

I think the big hermies current housing should be all right for a bit, maybe you could keep the towel moist so it keeps the tupperware humid? I would say just keep an eye on the molter, when he wakes up put some food in there, and if he wont take any of the shells you might have to get more. once hes back in the tank again, i dont think he would try to attack the smaller one as long as the big one is happy with his current shell. recently one of my hermies was murdered, the murderer wanted his shell ): once the molter is back in the normal tank try to keep an eye out and listen for any squeaking

[curlysister]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
I use loose coconut fiber substrate the Eco Earth brand, mixed with some calcium sand (not sure what brand but I think its mostly used for lizards). The main part of the tank where the hermit crabs bury usually is about 4 inches deep
Curly - your substrate should be at least 2 to 3 times deeper than your largest crab, throughout the entire tank. Four inches is probably not deep enough for the size of your crabs. Calcium sand can harden when it is wet, but there are some crabbers who use a small amount of it with mostly eco earth. Substrate needs to be moistened with dechlorinated water, so that it holds it's shape when crabs dig tunnels and caves, and does not collapse. Moist substrate also helps boost humidity.

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? My temperature gauge is broken and on the opposite side of the heating pad and my humidity gauge is in the middle of the tank near the top and I try to keep it around 60 - 70. I am also not sure if the gauge is completely accurate because the humidity goes down really quickly. I have to use a spray bottle multiple times a day and spray a lot just to keep it humid enough. Also I have a lot of dehumidifiers in the house (not near the tank) because mold in our house was a problem, so turning them off isn't really an option. Is this affecting the humidity? What should I do about that if it is?
Curly - A humidity of 60 to 70 is too low. Crabs have modified gills and need higher humidity in order to breathe. You will need to get a thermometer so you know the temperature, as temps below 70 are dangerous.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? I use 2 heating pads that stick to the sides of the tank the are stuck on 2 side on one of the corners 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)?
I have 2 water dishes in 1 I use fresh deer park spring water in the other I use the same water with some added Instant Ocean salt. I use about 1/8 teaspoon of the salt with the water, maybe a couple tablespoons? Not quite sure.
Curly - Spring water is kind of an unknown because it is not regulated. We would recommend using a dechlorinator even in bottled spring water. Instant Ocean needs to be mixed to the strength on the box - you can mix smaller amounts than a gallon, for example one tablespoon to 2 cups of water is the correct ratio.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed them Jurassic Diet pellets. I know that pellets are not recommended, but I have been feeding it to them for years and I worry if I take them away completely it might damage the hermit crabs by switching their diet so suddenly. I also put either shrimp or these dried whitefish that are high in calcium for their food, so the pellets are kind of just a safety measure to make sure they have enough nutrients. Occasionally I also feed them fruit or vegetables. I change their food and water every day.
Curly - Crabs do well with a variety of dried and fresh foods. They need a source of protein and calcium daily. Changing their diet suddenly is not a problem.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
They are purple pinchers I think and I have had them for almost 10 years

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
My bigger one just molted very recently, it is still not moving, still curled up, but I did see its abdomen move a bit.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
I use a 20 gallon tank I believe, it is a rectangle and it has a mesh lid that I cover completely with a towel
Curly - Your tank may not be large enough for two ten year old crabs. Be sure to check our care sheet on tank size/ how many crabs in a tank according to their size. A mesh lid covered with a towel will not hold in the humidity. You need something non-pourous such as plastic, glass, or plexi glass.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
there are 2 hermit crabs and if they are without their shell and curled up I would say about the size of a golf ball, so pretty big

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
There are a bunch of shells in the tank but, some of them are not turbo shells and I think my hermit crabs will only wear turbo shells, they are kind of picky. I recently bought some new shells but they did not seem to like them, maybe they are too small or too heavy or too thin.
Curly - Yes, as PPs grow, they definately prefer turbo shells. HCA recommends 3 to 5 appropriate extra shells per crab. Were the new shells turbos? Did you measure the shells they are currently in?

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I rarely do I full tank clean where I take out everything and wipe the empty tank down, but I scoop the poop and add water to the substrate every couple weeks to a month depending if they are busy molting or not.

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 most recent thing I added was the 4 new shells I got

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.)?
I have a cork log that the like to hide under and eat also the smaller hermit crab seems to get really impatient whenever the big one buries and starts digging up the tank after a couple days and he wont stop usually until the big one unburies or he finds him. Also something that is really important is not too long ago the smaller one dug up the big one who was buried and started attacking him (the big one is more of a gentle giant and the little one seems pretty energetic usually) the little one had his claws grabbing the big one and there was croaking noises coming from them. I managed to get the smaller one off by spraying with water and lightly pulling and the big one seemed uninjured, as I caught the situation pretty early. I put the aggressor into a separate travel tank for a bit then moved them back and after a while they seemed fine. I thought the reason for this attack might be because the smaller one wanted the bigger ones shell so I went and bought new shells immediately after. This all happened about 2 weeks ago.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Here is what I am posting about. My bigger hermit crab has been buried for about a week now and the little one has been kind of digging up the tank, but this morning I saw the smaller hermit crab changing into the bigger ones shell. My first question and problem is why was the big one molting without his shell? Because the molting crab was still buried, it didn't look like the smaller crab took it off his body. And also the main emergency right now what should I do? The big one was still molting and asleep, but I did see his abdomen move a bit. I put some substrate into a Tupperware with holes at the top and scooped up the naked molting crab with a plastic spoon carefully, I also put some shells in the Tupperware with him and made sure to put his exoskeleton under the crab to eat if needed. I wrapped the container in a towel and put him in about the same spot in relation to the heating pads from where he was buried, except now on the surface of course and I left him alone for a bit, (it has been about an hour). Is this set-up ok? And what should I do now? Should I add more food or check on him often? Should I just leave him alone for a while and how long? If the bigger hermit crab wakes up but refuses to put on a shell should I put him in a travel tank for a couple days while I order new shells? And also when I do put them back together will the bigger one attack the smaller one to get his shell back and how should I prevent that? By the way, the hermit crab in the Tupperware is still asleep.
Curly - Crabs don't "sleep" like hibernate when they molt. And they don't leave their shell. The fact that he has been dug up twice, and is now without his shell is not a good situation at all. A crab without a shell will die. But if he is in a weakened state from molting, he will likely not be able to get into a shell on his own. But manually re-shelling him may also cause problems. Don't add any food, crabs only need to eat their exo when they are molting. You can try to get him into a shell very very gently, but it may already be too late for him.
You have a number of things that will need to be improved for your crabs long term health. The smaller crab may have been trying to get to the larger one's shell, but this may also be a case of opportunity - the substrate is not deep enough and the tank is not large enough, so when digging for whatever reason (they do just dig sometimes for fun) he may have come across the molting crab accidentally and just happened to notice it was the shell he wanted.