HCA: Hermit Crab Association

ok so I got my third hermit crab from petco yesterday to be a buddy for my other one that is currently molting right now. the first one was near death when I got him from petsmart and died a day later. the second one from petco was active but I think I was messing with it to much when it was trying do get used to its surrounding and died of stress. but this third one I decided not to touch or do anything with for a week or two. In the store he would not come out of his shell and will only pinch you. when I bought it and immediately put him in a superior tank instead of the poor pet store tank he immediately popped out of his shell and started to walk around the tank. He is much more active now then at the petstore and I think he likes his new place now. but I noticed something weird. when he was sitting on a piece of wood I saw it was wet and he put his claw on hit and brought it to his mouth drinking it. were did that liquid come from? the water dishes had no water in it but this crab magically made some appear underneath him. My other one did the same thing sometimes when he would be on a rock and I check on him and its all wet were he is and he looks like he is drinking it.

Maybe the water came from inside his shell.

Yea that's what I was thinking. But I wonder why they decide to drink it. I thought it was just used to cool down their abdomens not for drinking.

Maybe he was hoarding water to go That coukd have been the really good stuff, from the wild, special occasions only! He was celabrating his homecoming!


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YYWW wrote:Maybe he was hoarding water to go That coukd have been the really good stuff, from the wild, special occasions only! He was celabrating his homecoming!

Ah, the old secret-Dom-Perignon-stash-in-the-shell trick!

LOL!!! That's some highy quality shell-H2O!


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YYWW wrote:LOL!!! That's some highy quality shell-H2O!


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Dork

KellyCrabbieLove wrote: Dork

And proud!


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Haha!

well he is now dead. I have NO idea how this is happening. this was the third one and he died in only a day that's a new record the last one took around 3 before he croaked. also This ones limbs fell off to just like the last one. I saw if when I was getting the body and he was in the igloo when he died but I left the body in for a long time and there was mold growing on the limbs. It seems like my tank is nice enough for mold to grow so I got the right temperature and everything for them. I was about to be done with crabs and just have the one I have die alone but my dad brought a new one today from petsmart for me. He has that faded look that crabs get when they are close to a molt. he looks so pale I should call him snow white. now he has to get used to a new area AND do a molt soon. I might as well get the body bag ready right now! hes active right now and is climbing around but I know thats not going to last long with my luck.

If you fill this out we can help you make sure your conditions are where they need to be. Sometimes PPS can't be helped and if they died so quickly it was probably something you couldn't have avoided. I'm thinking this cold weather is taking its toll on crabs being shipped to pet stores anyways, can't hurt to check your conditions.


ETA: viewtopic.php?t=46102#p411841

Sounds like PPS, maybe as a result from the time of year (cooler temps during shipping). You may have better luck waiting until warmer weather or adopting. Let us know how the new guy does.



PPS: http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 67&t=92531

Edit: oops. Should have refreshed before sending.

well he is still alive. or should I say SHE because I just saw those things that female crabs have on her. I guess calling her snow white yesterday was appropriate. I saw them when she was climbing the coconut wall and she was hanging off of it by the side and scrapping the glass with her legs. at least she had some fun before her eventual death soon. the other two never climbed the wall so good for her. she is now in her shell and has been in the same spot since last night. no limbs are falling off or anything yet but im not keeping my hopes up.

Don't give up hope just yet. Keep conditions right and do not disturb her unless absolutely necessary. Good luck!

Any news?