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? Reptisand and cocofiber


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? Near the top, about 70F and 50% humidity


3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Yes, heat mat about 85F


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, not treated because its well water


5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? pellets mixed with a powder thing we got when we got the crabs, replaced about once a month


6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? About 2 years, not sure the breed


7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? Yes, about a month ago


8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 10 gallon glass tank, screen top


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


10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 10 think?


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


12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Spot clean every other day, deep clean every 2-3 months


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.)? They had mites for a little while, hermit crab started doing all this right after i finish treating them


16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail. Two days ago, my hermit crab was sitting in a corner, without his shell. I gave him about an hour and kept an eye on him so that the other crabs wouldn't bother him, but he didn't go into a shell, so I put him in a smaller container with a bunch of shells and even went out and bought new ones. He finally picked one, so I put him back in the tank and he sat exactly where I placed him for 24 hours straight, not in a hide or anything, just right out in the open. I read somewhere that you could feed them raw honey to give them energy, and I did, but he only moved a couple inches and hasn't moved since. I placed him near the food and water bowls a few minutes ago, but he still hasn't moved. I'm pretty worried about him because he's always been extremely active.


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1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Reptisand and cocofiber
Curly - Repti sand is calcium sand, which can get hard like cement when it gets wet and is not safe for crabs. You want to get play sand instead, which is cheap by the 50lb bag at hardware stores.

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? Near the top, about 70F and 50% humidity
Curly - Your humidity is far too low for crabs to survive. They have modified gills, and need humidity around 80% in order to breathe.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Yes, heat mat about 85F
Curly - I'm not sure if your heat is 70F or 85F? 70 is too low for crabs. 80 is what we shoot for, but between 75 and 85 is safe. The heat mat should be mounted on the back or side of the tank, not underneath it.

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, not treated because its well water
Curly - Crabs need both fresh and salt water. The salt water needs to be marine salt - Instant Ocean is a popular brand, but there are others (see the 'water' care sheet for full info).

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? pellets mixed with a powder thing we got when we got the crabs, replaced about once a month
Curly - Crabs need a varied diet in order to get all the nutrients they require. They need animal protein and calcium daily. Pellets don't provide all the nutrients crabs need, and many contain preservatives that are harmful. You will want to feed meats, vegetables, fruits, greens, leaves, nuts, seeds, grains, eggs and egg shells, etc. They can eat much of what we eat. If feeding fresh foods, it will need to be replaced every day or two; if using dried, they can be left in up to a week or so.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? About 2 years, not sure the breed


7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? Yes, about a month ago


8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 10 gallon glass tank, screen top
Curly- You will want to cover the screen with something impermeable - you can use glass or plexi glass, or even just plastic wrap.

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


10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 10 think?
Curly - HCA recommends 3 to 5 extra shells per crab. Read through the 'shells' care sheet to be sure you are offering the appropriate types of shells for the species of crab you have.

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


12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Spot clean every other day, deep clean every 2-3 months
Curly - When you have proper substrate, you don't need to clean often unless there is an emergency like a bacterial bloom or flood. Some people deep clean once a year or so, but some not even that often.

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.)? They had mites for a little while, hermit crab started doing all this right after i finish treating them
Curly - Were the mites in the tank, or on the crabs? What did they look like? How did you treat them?

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail. Two days ago, my hermit crab was sitting in a corner, without his shell. I gave him about an hour and kept an eye on him so that the other crabs wouldn't bother him, but he didn't go into a shell, so I put him in a smaller container with a bunch of shells and even went out and bought new ones. He finally picked one, so I put him back in the tank and he sat exactly where I placed him for 24 hours straight, not in a hide or anything, just right out in the open. I read somewhere that you could feed them raw honey to give them energy, and I did, but he only moved a couple inches and hasn't moved since. I placed him near the food and water bowls a few minutes ago, but he still hasn't moved. I'm pretty worried about him because he's always been extremely active.
Curly - You have a number of things that need to be improved in your tank, to give your crabs the best chance at survival. He is likely weakened from poor conditions and nutrition over the years. Correcting things as soon as possible so that tank conditions are ideal is the best thing you can do for him.