HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Another dead crab. The active one. I'm really sad, I thought conditions were great. I'm going to replace all of the sand and substrate and try again, but still have one (very lethargic) living crab. Would it be okay for them to be moved to a tupperware container or smallish (meaning smaller than a 10 gallon) plastic container, or should I wait till they're good or do I need to buy another tank??? Sorry, I'm sort of down after this loss, I am very sad. I don't know what happened, he was very active. I was stupid and picked him up in the bubbling salt water pool and I probably shouldn't have, but would that kill him?? If so, I am severely sad, I can't believe I could've done something like that. I didn't think that a crab would get so stressed by that they would die, really. I'm hoping it wasn't me.....

Anyway, the container question? Thanks.

So sorry for your loss You moving him from the MSW pool should not have affected him or caused him to die. Don't blame yourself!! If you think the sub may be an issue, then I would go ahead and move the crabs and change out the sub. Good luck!

This URL will take you to the emergency template. Answer the questions and we can help you better http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=46102

Oh, no! Jules, I'm so sorry. ((hugs)) I hope you find the cause soon, it's heartbreaking to not know if/what you can do. Fill out emergency template as Franckinator suggests?

Jerome: thanks for the support. It really helps.

Franckinator: I did the emergency template when I built this new crabitat and there were no obvious problem areas. My answers wouldn't be any different, except that there is a bit more substrate and I added bubblers for increased humidity. I really, really appreciate the concern though, thank you.

hprmom: Thank you, that helps a lot. The other guy is still alive but staying in the exact same area. I know he hasn't been leaving the cocohut but he has been changing positions everyday and responds to light. I really don't know what is up.

Thanks everyone.

Have you checked your gauges for accuracy. Maybe they need calibrated. New crabs slould be left alone to acclimate to their new home. Could be the little guys were just sick to begin with. So sorry for your loss!

I'm sorry as well. I feel the pain as I've had two new crabs pass on me recently. Keep up the determination, though. Just try to be very cautious with handling new crabs - don't do it unless they are in some sort of danger, really. Until they molt a few times, they can still be extremely stressed.

If you want to move your crab(s), I'd say to not pick him up directly. Perhaps, scoop the sand underneath him into a cup and set that into a proper tank or container with a small amount of sand and food with humid air and all that. If he's real still, try to be quiet and not touch him directly and, if you can, my intuition would say to do it at night so it would be a more natural time for the crab to be moving and awake.

oh i am so sorry to hear that it was nothing you did they may have just been too sick

JulesRolyCrab wrote:Another dead crab. The active one. I'm really sad, I thought conditions were great. I'm going to replace all of the sand and substrate and try again, but still have one (very lethargic) living crab. Would it be okay for them to be moved to a tupperware container or smallish (meaning smaller than a 10 gallon) plastic container, or should I wait till they're good or do I need to buy another tank??? Sorry, I'm sort of down after this loss, I am very sad. I don't know what happened, he was very active. I was stupid and picked him up in the bubbling salt water pool and I probably shouldn't have, but would that kill him?? If so, I am severely sad, I can't believe I could've done something like that. I didn't think that a crab would get so stressed by that they would die, really. I'm hoping it wasn't me.....

Anyway, the container question? Thanks.

Please don't blame yourself. I just lost one myself. Sometimes there is just no explanation. My conditions were also perfect in both my main tank and my iso were he passed. I always feel terrible. Thank God for finding this forum. I very rarely lose crabbies and haven't lost one for a long time.

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Sorry for your loss it's something we all fear. I would def calibrate your gauges just to make sure i have 2 sets of gauges both calibrated in my tank which i monitor like a hawk.

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