Euthanizing A Sick Crab - Yes or No?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 5:44 am

I had a hermie do a surprise molt on me. I just happened to check on my guys and noticed Meanie (truely a bully) attacking Cheese in a corner. When I moved Meanie I noticed that Cheese wasn't in his shell and there were legs and claws everywhere. We rinsed Cheese in treated warm bath water to remove all the sand and put him and all the parts into ISO. All conditions are good, he has food, water, a hiding spot and his shell. This happened 6 days ago. He has not moved into his shell, doesn't seem to be eating (how can he?), but moves around and is fairly strong, considering that he has his left front leg and a couple of stumps on both sides. I do not want him to suffer, but I have to wonder if he will be able to survive with only one good leg and no claws at all. Any advice would be GREATLY APPRECIATED. If I do euthanize him, what is the best way for him?

Nicole · Post by **Nicole** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 6:23 am

I don't think there really is a kind way of euthanizing a hermit crab. It's not like putting them "to sleep".If he is that bad off, honestly, he probably won't suffer very long. However, since you said that he was moving and fairly strong, you could try to keep him healthy in the event that he might try to molt again soon. This includes grinding/pulverizing all his food including the leftover exoskeleton, keeping shallow dishes of water and saltwater near to him, and offering a daily source of calcium to him as well, be it crushed baby shrimp, crushed krill, Calci-Sand, crushed cuttlebone, or clean crushed eggshells. Put his food and water dishes as near to him as possible and see if he approaches them at all to eat and drink. He can use his maxillipeds (mouth parts) to reach down into the food and water dishes. There are no guarantees, of course, but because crabs do regenerate their legs no damage is necessarily permanent, as it would be with another animal.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 10:11 am

Nicole has given you great advice, I'll just add a couple of things:I have bought crushed oyster shells (in the bird food/supply isle) and it is a *very* fine powder and that should be easy for him to eat.Along with that, offer some honey or peanut butter to get something in him, esp. if he refuses the calcium. My hermies, sick or healthy, have a hard time resisting that stuff.If he is still moving 6 days later, it is probably a good sign. Keep the humidity a little higher and if he has a hard time with shallow dishes, stick a sponge in a sea shell for both salt and fresh water so he can at least nibble if he can't soak. Keep things moist, warm, dark, and quiet and hopefully things will turn around for the poor baby!

Willow · Post by **Willow** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:46 pm

I had one that only had one leg. I don't know if he was attacked or lost limbs in a bad moult. I kept him in an in-tank iso, fed him finely ground "moulting food" (lots of calcium and dried shrimp), and every week or so I would dip him in "shell water" (half-strength salt water) so he wouldn't dry out. He moulted again after about 2 months and regenerated all his limbs just fine. Hopefully it will work out just as well for your little guy.