Need help with crabs please

Shannon_LHC · Post by **Shannon_LHC** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:14 am

hello I'm new to this site and owning crabs…. we let my son bring some home from a shop in myrtle beach… after one died i started researching and have found out all the stuff required to keep them alive… i have put together a home i think is suitable based on my research and yet I'm having problems with them still… the most pressing one is the biggest crab we have is not in his shell…. i changed the substrate and added some stuff to the tank yesterday, he seemed very happy exploring (which prior to this he had been sitting by the heater not moving much) i noticed him in the salt water bowl very streched out looking as if he was going to come out (he changed his shell a day after we got him so i thought that is what he must be doing) this morning though his shell is in the salt water bowl and he is in the corner of the tank…. he might be dead? it is not too hot in the tank, in fact i think i might need another heater i have a thermometer on either end but they both read the same temp of about 71 (this crab I'm speaking of also had a little salt water bath before i put him back in the tank yesterday after changing out the substrate) another crab i have (which was bought from petco) is missing… (as of yesterday after substrate was changed) i don't think there is anyway he could have gotten out so i thought maybe he buried himself… wouldn't i see a hole or some signs of digging if he was under ground though? my third crab (also from petco/as replacement to the boardwalk one that died) is the most happy and active of them all but since substrate was changed yesterday he has been hiding in his log and hasn't come out) lastly (another one from the boardwalk) has been sitting in the same spot of the tank (pre substrate change) for a few days before i checked him, he was def alive so i put him back… yesterday when i changed substrate i took him out and put him back where he had previously been sitting… he is still alive but still not moving…. he is very tiny I've read about the surface molting so i guess thats what he could be doing? i haven't isolated him and nobody seems to be messing with him. please help??? what is going on??? I'm trying very hard to keep all these little guys alive and happy.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:07 am

@Shannon, first I would like to say that I'm sorry your having such issues with your new hermitcrabs and that I/we are here to help you. Hermitcrabs only ditch their shells for a couple different reasons one being that they are to weak(normally due to sickness or stress) or they are overheated but from what you've told me overheating isn't a possibility so I'm leaning more towards the crab being too weak to carry the shell any longer.I would definitely get an additional heat pad but first I need to know what size enclosure you have so I can give you the right size pad to get.

Shannon_LHC · Post by **Shannon_LHC** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:16 am

It's a 10 gallon tank and the heating pad is zoo med for a 10 - 20 gallon tank and is on the right side of the tank.... I read the resins of them ditching their shell and since it's not too hot and since he had previously seemed active I don't know why he would do this... I softly touched his pincher and tentacles but there is no movement so I'm wondering if he is dead.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:04 am

If he didn't move when you touched him it is likely that he might have passed already which is unfortunate as these animals can live twenty plus years in captivity.Deceased hermits will smell like rotten fish after twenty-four to forty-eight hours so if its only been a day you can wait a day longer and see if you start to notice any smell.For the heat, you need a pad rated for a thirty gallon to get the right heat output as heat pads are meant for reptile enclosures where the substrate is dry and shallow and so don't work as effectively on hermitcrab enclosures.It always recommended to side or back mount the heat pad never bottom mount as this puts burrowed or molting hermits in danger of overheating because the depth and dampness of the substrate required for hermitcrabs actually acts as an insulating barrier trapping the heat being generated by the pad against the pad where it will build up to well over one-hundred degrees essentially cooking the poor crab/s.Theres also a secondary issue with bottom mounting heat pads which is the risk for fracturing or splitting the glass as the heat generated causes the glass to expand so if any cool water should suddenly make its way to the bottom of the enclosure and come into contact with the expanding glass the glass will try to contract at the same time resulting in an explosive shattering which would spill out the substrate and any occupants.Its recommended to give your newly purchased hermits a four week isolation period where they are completely by themselves and completely undisturbed by us you can still change out food and water as this will give them the best chance to molt if need be, de-stress, switch shells and tank up on nutrients in peace which greatly increases the odds of survival.Being that all of your crabs were purchased so close to each other you were unintentionally adding stress to the original crab/s and to the new additions, it would have been best to allow the original crab/s to have their isolation timethen bring in the others though you would need a separate tank to isolate them in as well as just lumping them in with the established crabs puts both parties at risk but as you didn't know anything about this you did the best you could and believe me we all started out in the same boat at some time so please don't feel judged.

Shannon_LHC · Post by **Shannon_LHC** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:48 am

yes i read that the heaters need to be on the side of the tank so mine is on the far right side i just need to get a bigger one…. the reason i bought 2 from the pet store is to replace one of the 3 we bought from the boardwalk (ideally without my son knowing) and an the second was to have 4 total because i read you should have them in pairs… i didn't know though that you need to isolate them etc… thanks for letting me know.

Shannon_LHC · Post by **Shannon_LHC** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:49 am

they were bought about 3 days apart and that was over 2 weeks ago so I'm not sure if that really had anything to do with the ones that are dying.

Shannon_LHC · Post by **Shannon_LHC** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 12:57 pm

the one that is out of its shell is lifeless… is he gone or could he be molting???

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:03 pm

@Shannon, a surface molt is not typical though not completely unheard of either though I don't think this is what your seeing as a surface molt would be very noticeable the shed exo would be kind of huddled up in a very odd position, it wouldn't have a head as hermitcrabs don't actually shed the skin on the head and the newly soft crab would be tucked way back up inside the shell for protection.