HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I have two crabs in my bedroom, Gary I have had for almost three weeks, the other, who is yet to be named(YTBN), since Thursday. Gary is crazy active, but today he changed shells again and now is lethargic. YTBN is pretty submissive but changes shells like crazy. He changed yesterday has been lethargic. Why the change?

"Judge a man not by his answers, but by his questions"

I am just in the researching stage, so you may want to wait for someone who is experienced on here to answer you but, from what it sounds like your crabs are getting ready to molt. If this is indeed the case you should still put them into seperate molting containers, with moist deep substrate so they can dig and molt safely with out the risk of one getting done quicker than the other and cannibalizing the slower molter.

I know there are some recources both on this forum, and on other sites that can help you with setting up proper molting enclosures, and I would suggest checking them out for more accurte information.

Gryfinthegreat wrote:I am just in the researching stage, so you may want to wait for someone who is experienced on here to answer you but, from what it sounds like your crabs are getting ready to molt. If this is indeed the case you should still put them into seperate molting containers, with moist deep substrate so they can dig and molt safely with out the risk of one getting done quicker than the other and cannibalizing the slower molter.

I know there are some recources both on this forum, and on other sites that can help you with setting up proper molting enclosures, and I would suggest checking them out for more accurte information.

Thank you, I just don't want them to be dying. I have to buy a lot more stuff for them

"Judge a man not by his answers, but by his questions"

Hello and welcome
All crabs are different. He could be preparing to molt, destressing, or (worse case scenario) sick/dying. I know that's harsh, but it is the nature of the beast. Some crabs have had such a hard time transitioning from being ripped out of the wild, being shipped, and pet stores that they can slow down and die. No reason to get upset yet. Almost every new arrival crab I've ever had do the same exact thing to destress. Like mentioned above he could be preparing to molt.
You absolutely do NOT have to isolate a molter (unless hes surface molting). In fact it will cause unnecessary stress for your crabs. We give 6+ inches of sub to avoid cannibalism. Hope this helps!


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I brought home 2 pp's from SC again this year. Used my plastic container from the ones I got last year. Took coco esrth, 4 inches, with us. Also food and water dishes. One was under the substrate in a couple hours. Have not seen it since 10/3. The other one digs holes and comes up to eat daily. Also has changed shells a few times. I have the plastic container in my 10 gallon aquarium with heater. 80 degrees and 90 humidity. They will stay there until the first one comes up again. I also have my largest crab in a molt in the larger tank. When all are up, we have a swim party you get to know each other.