NAKED crab? (Out of Shell) Filled Out help request forms

[Lia_143]

Edit: I started a new emergency thread with the same title.

[Lia_143]

Hi Lia, you'll probably get more help if you start up your own thread in emergency, since it's easier for people who can help to find.

Thank you very much for the suggestion. I tried it reposting, let's see if I hear back from anyone else. Thanks again for your help!

[jesse0319]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Natural Play Sand from Lowe's. I mixed Peat Moss in with it, and it's about 3in deep

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?
Yes I have a temp/Humidity gauge combo. I Keep it suctioned to the back wall, on the same wall as the UTH, but on the opposide end. The temp. is a constant 80F, the humidity is 60-70% which I know is too low, however I have been unable to raise it.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
UTH on the back wall.

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 water

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Lettuce, peanut butter, unseasoned noodles, eggshell, beet, carrot

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have 2 PPs and 2Es, though the problem atm is with my smallest E. I have had them all roughly 2.5 months

7. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
The Es are smalls, the PPs are small-meds. They are in a 10gal with a plexiglas lid

8. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
4 total, 2 small-med PPs and 2 small Es

9. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
at least 7, usually 8. Technically more, as they tend to bury them, and since my PPs are under, I don't want to dig, so I just add a couple more

10. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No, never

11. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I take out the water bowl and food shell every two days to scrub them and replace their respective resources, and I take the shells out to rinse them every 3 or so days. I surface clean the substrate of poo, but I haven't deep cleaned since I have two crabs down and I have no clue where they dug.

12. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
Yes, one, and I rinse it regularly with hot water. However I'm considering getting rid of it.

13. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No

14. 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.)?
I don't take them out, I scare them too much. I try not to walk in front of the tank, because my shadow especially scares one of my Es, Reggie. The tank is 10gal. I have a large, open shell (clam shell?) with peat moss in it. I spritz the tank with water at least 2x a day, but it doesn't seem to get the humidity up. I haven't used Cocofiber/EcoEarth because my mom is TERRIBLY allergic to coconut, and we don't know if I am too or not. We try not to bring any coconut things into the house.

15. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
My smallest E, Hermes, usually digs a little ditch under the moss shell. He doesn't dig a tunnel, just a little ditch so he's covered by the big shell, but he can still peak out at the tank. When moving the moss shell, I noticed that he was under there, out of his shell. I assumed he was molting, and placed the shell back.

Later, I found him streaking! I used the help of the members and forums to get him into a clean ISO and he put his old shell back on. I've added a few more shells his size, but I hope this doesn't happen again. I'm hopefully going to be getting a 20gal soon, so I can add nicer things to it for them. Any suggestions for what I can do with my 10gal will be appreciated!

[Guest]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? 4-5 inches of Eco Earth/sand mix

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? I have a digital reader and manual gauges. They generally read around 75-80 degrees F and 70-85% humidity

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? I have an undertank heater and a heatlight which uses a normal 40 watt incandescent bulb which puts out enough heat to keep the 30 gallon stable at around 80 degrees

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)? I have a freshwater fountain in the tank (which also helps with humidity) and a saltwater bowl for them. I use API dechlorinator and a non-iodinized sea salt which I dissolve into the warm treated water.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? I use the recipe on http://www.hermit-crabs.com/food.html and make my own food. I also offer treats like meat and fruits. I replace the food every 3 days

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? I have had this ecuadorian for about 6 months

7. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? I have a 30 gallon tall tank with lots of cover, climbing branches. It has a wire mesh top which I place towels over to preserve the humidity and heat.

8. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? I have 6 crabs who are small-medium in size.

9. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? I have at least 6 empty shells in the tank of various sizes at all times.

10. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? no

11. How often do you clean the tank and how? I check it regularly and clean as needed

12. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? I do not put sponges in the water dishes.

13. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? No

14. 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.)? I actually don't take the crabs out for playtime. I just like to leave them alone and watch them doing their thing.

15. Please describe the emergency situation in detail

This crab was in the middle of molting. Instead of going back into his old shell, when he was ready to start walking around again, he started walking around naked. I surrounded him with a selection of empty shells but he has no interest in them. I am concerned that the other crabs will hurt him. I have never had a streaker before. What should I do? Thanks!!!!

[iluvhermies]

My littlest hermie got out of her shell last night, when I found her she was naked and trying to bury herself in the sand next to one of my giant hermies. She molted probably about a month ago. Her skin appears to be very light right now, kind of greyish-tan. I have done the following to get her back in to her shell:
1. Washed the shell in dechlorinated water, and soaked her in the same.
2. Gently tucked her back in to her original shell, abdomen first. - She immediately vacated and began trying to bury herself in the substrate. At this point another of my small hermies came over and inspected her shell by turning it around and around over and over.
3. I re-washed the original shell and another shell of a similar size, rinsed her off, placed shells and her in an upside down cup. This morning the cup was overturned, the original shell was moved far away from her, and she was half buried in the dirt. When I mist her, she moves her legs.

I use 1/2 dirt and 1/2 sand substrate, there are at least 3 - 4 inches to bury in. The temperature is reading around 65 - 70 degrees. I use a warming pad, a heat lamp, and a space heater that turns on and off intermittently to warm the tank. The humidity reads around 40 - 50% when the lamp is on, but if I switch it off it jumps to 90%+.

I use fresh and salt water in the bowls, the treatment is "All Living Things" brand. The food is "Hermit the Crab". Food is refreshed every 2 - 3 days.

I have had this hermie for 6 months. My crabs are housed in a 10 gallon glass tank with a screen lid that I have covered in plastic to help retain humidity. There are a total of 7 crabs in the crabitat. Two are giant, one is large, the other three are medium-small. There are approximately 6 empty shells of varying sizes in the tank. I haven't yet cleaned the tank, but intended to this month (every 6 months is the plan, I've only had these guys for 6 months) until my hermie went naked. No fumes or chemicals near the tank.

[maymay]

My littlest hermie got out of her shell last night, when I found her she was naked and trying to bury herself in the sand next to one of my giant hermies. She molted probably about a month ago. Her skin appears to be very light right now, kind of greyish-tan. I have done the following to get her back in to her shell:
1. Washed the shell in dechlorinated water, and soaked her in the same.
2. Gently tucked her back in to her original shell, abdomen first. - She immediately vacated and began trying to bury herself in the substrate. At this point another of my small hermies came over and inspected her shell by turning it around and around over and over.
3. I re-washed the original shell and another shell of a similar size, rinsed her off, placed shells and her in an upside down cup. This morning the cup was overturned, the original shell was moved far away from her, and she was half buried in the dirt. When I mist her, she moves her legs.

I use 1/2 dirt and 1/2 sand substrate, there are at least 3 - 4 inches to bury in. The temperature is reading around 65 - 70 degrees. I use a warming pad, a heat lamp, and a space heater that turns on and off intermittently to warm the tank. The humidity reads around 40 - 50% when the lamp is on, but if I switch it off it jumps to 90%+.

I use fresh and salt water in the bowls, the treatment is "All Living Things" brand. The food is "Hermit the Crab". Food is refreshed every 2 - 3 days.

I have had this hermie for 6 months. My crabs are housed in a 10 gallon glass tank with a screen lid that I have covered in plastic to help retain humidity. There are a total of 7 crabs in the crabitat. Two are giant, one is large, the other three are medium-small. There are approximately 6 empty shells of varying sizes in the tank. I haven't yet cleaned the tank, but intended to this month (every 6 months is the plan, I've only had these guys for 6 months) until my hermie went naked. No fumes or chemicals near the tank.

I'm sure a more experienced member could help you out more but the crab might be stressed out. Your tank seems quite crowded. Normally the giant ones aren't housed in anything less than a 55gallon I believe...maybe even bigger (I have no jumbos so not quite sure). Is the hermie still naked? My advice is the best thing you can do is get your habitate conditions perfect. If you check out the care guide section on here it'll tell you everything you need to know to make conditions optimal. And if the hermie is still naked maybe separate it in a tubberwear with a lid (keep the tubberwear in your main tank though and make sure that the lid is either cracked open for air or has lots of holes in it for air) with some salt water access and some shell choices (don't put the tubberwear upside-down over the hermie). And I'm sure by the time you do that and read up on optimal conditions someone else more experienced on here will come on to help you. Good luck!

oh! and you might want to start your own thread on this in the emergency section (make sure you fill out the emergency template)

[Guest]

My Crabbie went from acting normal to running around w/o its shell. i tried everything to get it back in its shell. it seems lively, but refuses to get in a shell!


1. Substrate used? Beach sand

2. Humidity % level in crabitat? not sure

3. Temperature of substrate in crabitat? also not sure

4. Temperature of crabitat? stays around 80f

5. Location of gauges? 2 to 3 inches above sand

6. What is your heat source? one heating pad

7. Types of water available? de-chlorinated water, and sperate bowl of salt water

8. Dechlorinator used? the kind you use for fish tanks (pet store recommended it)

9. What do you feed? hermit crab pellets, dried shrimp, hermit crab treat

10. How long have you had the crab in question? month or two

11. Do you know the species? no

12. Do you bath them, if so how often and with what? no, the water bowl is slanted so if they wanted to submerge themselves in water they can, and get back out easily.

13. What type of housing are they in? Tank

14. What size is your tank? 55 gallon

15. How many crabs are in the tank? What size are they? 4

16. How deep is the substrate? 3-4 inch

17. If you take your hermies out daily to exercise, do you mist their gill area first? sometimes take them out, do not mist them

18. Has there been any cleaners, paints, perfumes, air fresheners, candles, or smoking near the crabitat? yes

19. How often do you clean/sterilize and how? i clean the sand once a month

20. Any unusual odors? no

21. Do you use sponges? Are they rinsed daily with dechlor water? Are they exchanged every 2 days for a sterile one? yes and no, but i do wash them when i change the water

22. Do you feed fresh food? When do you remove it? yes. every other day.

23. Are your hands clean before handling? yes

24. Has there been anything new added to your crabitat recently? no

[jarteta97]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
eco earth/sand mixture: six inches

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?
Yes, they are located in the back, right above the substrate. the temp is usually between 70 and 80, while the humidity can read anywhere between 60 and 95. I have a screen lid covered with towels, and I mist at least twice a day and pour 4 cups of water into the substrate twice a week.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Dome lamp fixture on left side of lid. 150 watt daylight bulb for day, 60 watt night bulb at night. (the 60 watt is when the temp drops to around 70, but I thought that making it hotter during the day would make it more like a day/night cycle. Maybe I need a 100 watt?)

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 and salt water bowls, deep enough for bathing. I use natural spring for the FW and a salt water conditioner for the salt.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Everyday I feed them a variety in a very large clam dish. typically I have peanut butter, ham, maybe sausage, carrots, blueberries, almonds and pistachios, bread or croutons, a slice of orange, spinach, lettuce, cheese, and then maybe a piece of egg shell. (I change the dish everyday)

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had the crab for maybe a month now. I believe it just came up from a two week molt, and had changed shells right away. It's ecuadorian.

7. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
I keep them in a 40 gallon glass terrarium and am working on a 20 gallon iso, which I will have the materials for after I adopt five crabs from someone nearby. Like I said, the screen is mesh, but I cover about 80% of it with two towels. (the other 20% is for the dome lamp)

8. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
I currently have eight crabs. I have 1 large, 2 medium/large, 4 medium/small, and 1 small.

9. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
Around 25

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

11. How often do you clean the tank and how?
About every 3-5 months I will deep clean the tank, changing out the substrate and washing out the tank with water, no chemicals.

12. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
I have two sponges, one in a small water dish, one in my large saltwater dish. I rinse them out every other week when I clean my water dishes.

13. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
This tank is only about 2 weeks old, so a good amount. I added some plastic plants and a small exo terra waterfall in the last week.

14. 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.)? no

15. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I went to bed last night, and everything was fine. The crab was in its new shell, and five of my crabs were out eating and playing. My mom woke me up this morning and told me that the crab's shell was empty and she could see it in my cave. I lift it up and the crab for some reason is out of its shell. It is moving and living, but it is moving very slowly. I put the crab with its old shell in a bowl of shallow spring water, and tried to get it to go back in. I tried curling the abdomen in, but the crab wouldn't hold itself in the shell. Right now, the crab is in a wire cage inside my main tank, isolated. I have a water dish, some food, and eight shells around its size in there. Currently it is slowly moving, and I hope that it is choosing a shell, but I would like to know how this could have happened. Could it have to do with its recent molt? I installed my waterfall yesterday with some river rocks, don't know what bad that could do. I keep the humidity up the best I can, as well as the heat, and the conditions are pretty ideal. Suggestions?