HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Allison has been down for over two weeks at least now. I know my crabs dig tunnels, I'm just worried about her being dead, would I still smell her even though I have so much subtsrace? could that block the smell of a dead crab. Or is she molting because I got her and she needed a good molt. Any advice? I hate how I can't see them.

Advice: Leave her alone, let her do her thing and try to stop worrying.That said, I have found it impossible not to worry. If she has been under the substrate for a couple weeks, that is a good thing, she is very likely molting. Give her at least another 2-4 weeks before you start expecting to see her. Since this is her first molt with you and she was in need of one when you got her, it may take even longer. Keep the conditions in the tank ideal, change food out as usual. Is she alone in this tank or are there others? If she's alone, you can probably get away with changing waters out once a week or so and put in dry foods every couple days. If she has died under the substrate, you probably won't smell her until you start digging and open up to her body, if then. There isn't anything you can do if she has died BUT if you go looking for her too soon and she is alive but hasn't molted yet or is freshly molted, you can kill her so leave her alone for a couple months before you even think about digging.

Agree with everything Geranium said. You'll only do more harm than good if you go digging.

She is in with all of the other crabs, they have all created a big tunnel through the bottom of the tank, So I couldn't tell you we're she is it, or any of them.. I always worry about someone dying... I have so much paranoia about it.. But I won't dig right now... out of all of my 16 crabs only five or six are up, it's very unusual...