HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello all my jumbo straw Godzilla just molted a few weeks a go (first time with me) and things have been going good so far!!! Until this morning another particular PP Names charlie has a grabbing on and not letting go problem! but this morning godzilla was walking around naked EEEEEEEECK And I looked and Charlie was holding onto his shell so i took charlie off put the shell back near godzilla and thank god he got back into it!! Put charlie on the side of the tank and godzilla in the opposite corner!!! looked an hour later and godzilla was naked again and charlie was near his shell again, but this time I noticed two legs laying in the sand I took charlie out of the tank put two shells near godzilla and blocked his half of the tank off from the others (which are sleeping) but he won't get in a shell! from 8:30-11:20 the time now he has been naked
and I am so worried about him he is my giant baby, yes my favorite i put fish tank background the tank and made it as dark and quiet as i can......but i know the longer he stays out the less hope he'll make it.....god i wish there was something more i could do!! :roll:

Quick thinking on your part to separate them. Good job blocking off Godzilla from the rest of the tank. You've done everyting you can. Keep him quiet and warm. Offer cuttlebone & honey...lots of protein. Hopefully he will reshell for you.

Good luck! Keep us updated!

Its always nerve wracking when this kind of thing happens. I hope your straw pulls through ok.

I put mine in a glass with a shell to get them to re-shell. It has always worked.

^ the glass method works but she has a jumbo & and am not sure if there is a big enough glass unless u used a buckte. besides it is a straw and that might stress godzilla out even more

rose- i hope eveything turns out ok!!

Will washing the shell help? Do they have scents like other critters-- maybe washing the shell will make it nice and fresh and take charlie's "scent" off it? just a thought. :roll:

i have had a lot more luck boiling they shell and then giving it to the crab.

Well got home last night after a party (house was quiet all day) and he was still walking around naked!! I decided to empty the shower caddy but it upside down in the tank with him and the shell in it......Woke up around 3:00am and he was still naked but when I woke up at 9:00am he was in the shell but upside down (but left it anyway) He is still in the shell! Should I empty my iso and put him in it with food and water? Rather torn because right now charlie is in an iso container but afraid to put them together?? Its so hard cause they can't talk and straws are so sensative etc..... :roll: any imput would be appreciated!!

Sounds like you need some advice from some people good with straws. I havent had any experience with them unfortunately. I would be thinking about iso, but that might stress him too. Hopefully someone here can better advise you.

Seems charlie is the stressor and I wouldn't put the two together for sure unless partitioned off from one another. Isn't charlie in ISO because he is in "time-out"? If so, you could put him back in the main tank and Godzilla in ISO to calm down a little since he is the most sensitive. :roll: