HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Any ideas? This crab has done this several times in the month and a half that we've had it. If we move too close or fast by the tank is goes back into the shell in a hurry.

The temp is 77, humidity over 76, shell a bit small probably but the crab picked it over the painted shell it was in last week and this behavior predates the shell change. Crab was eating and drinking overnight.

Not overly worried since the crab has done this before, just curious.

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As a plus, you can kind of make out a gel leg in the glare

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Another view

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Iv seen my crabs do this too. I usually turn on my fogger to cool them down (in case that's it). But a lot of times it looks like they are cleaning out their shell. Just my guess tho!

Usually crabs hang out of their shells when they overheat, or to clean/groom themselves.

One of mine is wedged in a corner doing this. Same thing going on?



He's not hanging out of his shell as much as he was when I found him.

Edit: The picture is sideways. In case you didn't notice already lol.

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With your temp and humidity where it is, I'd say he's probably just cleaning out his shell.

Just in case....
Is he constantly like that? Does he seem weak at all? Are you sure your gauges are reading correctly? Any chemicals or cleaners sprayed in or around the tank? What are you feeding him?

Your substrate looks a little low, but that may just be the angle of the picture. You want it to be at least 3x as deep as your largest crab is tall.

Has he molted with you yet?

CallaLily wrote:With your temp and humidity where it is, I'd say he's probably just cleaning out his shell.

Just in case....
Is he constantly like that? Does he seem weak at all? Are you sure your gauges are reading correctly? Any chemicals or cleaners sprayed in or around the tank? What are you feeding him?

Your substrate looks a little low, but that may just be the angle of the picture. You want it to be at least 3x as deep as your largest crab is tall.

Has he molted with you yet?

Who is this to? Lol sorry.
My guy hasn't molted with me yet and it's been about 2 months or so /:
I hope my gauges are reading correctly but I plan on getting a better Hygrometer soon just in case.

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CallaLily wrote:With your temp and humidity where it is, I'd say he's probably just cleaning out his shell.

Just in case....
Is he constantly like that? Does he seem weak at all? Are you sure your gauges are reading correctly? Any chemicals or cleaners sprayed in or around the tank? What are you feeding him?

Your substrate looks a little low, but that may just be the angle of the picture. You want it to be at least 3x as deep as your largest crab is tall.

Has he molted with you yet?

No, not constantly or even mostly like that. He went back to a normal position after a while. Not weak, though he's less active than when I first acquired him but is still active at least some nights. I think that night he hauled himself and his shell over a stick to get to the salt water (I didn't realize that it was in a position to be tricky for him but he did it)

Sub is about 6" deep. He hasn't molted with me yet. I've had him about a month and a half. Previous owner had him about a year. Pretty sure he did not molt in that time. The response when I asked if the two crabs had molted was "we change the bedding every week" !!! I'm hoping he'll molt soon and get that leg back. It would be best if he'd wait until after I get taxes done and set up a larger tank.

I feed a variety of foods, fresh and dried, protein daily. Last night was an egg salad with hard boiled egg and olive oil, dried mealworms, dried banana, dried parsley. I think they got a steady diet of freeze dried shrimp from previous owners (no mention of feeding anything else). Fresh and salt water both now that they're with me.

No chemicals, I don't like them around my kids either. I'm confident in the temp, the humidity reads a bit low, from calibration.

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Same crab in his old painted shell.

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This guy had been hiding in a decorative cave but I thought I saw something moldy and when I was getting that out I noticed that the top level of substrate was pretty dry so I pulled him out to re-wet it. His gel leg has gotten a lot darker and it's easier to tell where it's segmented. Fascinating! I can't wait until he molts and gets that leg back.



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