Should I move my buried hermit?

[e_kilby86]

Hey! I was on vacation and made the impulsive decision to get three hermit crabs to keep in my classroom. I originally got a 5g tank with a sand and a hermit crab soil mixture. One crab buried itself day one. Both the others have changed shells at least once. I recently got a 10g tank to upgrade them but the one that buried himself is still gone. I was hoping to use the soil mixture from the 5g to help fill the 10g but I don't know if I should disturb the buried hermit.
Question should I move the buried hermit crab or leave the 5g alone until he resurfaces.

[GotButterflies]

Hello. Welcome to the HCA. You never want to dig up a buried crab.

Secondly - you mentioned you are using soil? I just wanted to make sure you aren't using actual dirt. Here at the HCA we recommend playsand mixed with ecoearth 5:1 ratio. The mixture should be moistened with dechlorinated marine saltwater or dechlorinated freshwater. Best wishes.

Please also check out our care guides.

[e_kilby86]

Thank you!!!

[GotButterflies]

Thank you!!!

Yw! Please let us know if you have any other questions!

[Alaina]

Is the crab molting? Butterfly is right its not good to dig up a crab. Can you move the others, then move the one who is buried when he cones up? I'd think that would be best, personally. Glad you were able to get a bigger tank. 3 crabs in a 5g isn't alot of room. Dep on size even 10 may be tight

[e_kilby86]

That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to go a head and remove the two into the bigger tank. Then take them to school. We will see if we need to upgrade further once the third one emerges.
For now the buried crabby will stay with me at home.

[e_kilby86]

Also, I don't know if he is molting. He buried himself shell and all. I can't even tell if he has come out to eat.
They were in a crazy situation at that store and I can only imagine it was super stressful on all of them.
I had the 6hr ride home to do research and I've been doing my best to give them a better life. But he disappeared the first day! So I'm hoping he is okay.

[e_kilby86]

Okay. New question.
A second one has buried himself. If they are all trying to bury themselves does that mean I'm doing something wrong?

[JoeHermits]

Not necessarily. They will bury for climate control but also for molting or recreation. Digging is normal and expected.


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[Alaina]

I have one that buries to sleep, one who sleeps on log and a wild card the just likes to burry himself for fun or to redecorate the tank lol.sometimes it's hard(esp at first) to know when they come up. Sometimes, when they are new to a home they get really nervous/stressed and hide out. Keep your eye out but Give them time and space. Keep the tank conditions correct and hopefully they will destress.

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