My crab will not stay in his shell

[CrabbyCakes]

Will do! I am heading over to the store to get him some scallops too. I want to get out the big guns.

[DragonsFly]

Maybe it's a chronic low-level nutritional deficiency, maybe lack of UV light, maybe lack of exercise, maybe bacteria or viruses we are unaware of that attack because their immune systems get weak in captivity from one of these factors or something else we don't even imagine is important.

I had not thought about the light. Do you have a special bulb you put on your tank?

Sorry--I did not mean to add confusion, I was just listing issues that people have brought up that MIGHT cause problems, but we don't know about. There has been a lot of back-and-forth about UVB, and some people have gone to the trouble to set their tanks up with them, but it is difficult (because glass screens it out, so you have to have a set-up that allows for the lamp to shine directly into the tank) and apparently also expensive; plus there is no real evidence that it IS a problem for land hermit crabs; we know it is for some reptiles, nobody knows for sure about crabs. So there's ongoing anecdotal "experimentation," where some people are using it, others are not (I do not), and POSSIBLY in a few more years we might actually have some indication whether that is important or not. At this point, unless you just want to, I would not worry about that, but just make sure to cover all the bases that we KNOW for sure are important--temp, humidity, air exchange, proper water sources of both types, varied fresh diet, proper substrate, etc., etc. One step at a time! Good luck!

[CrabbyCakes]

Today he is back out of his shell

[DragonsFly]

I'm so sorry. You can try gently re-shelling, and again make sure all conditions are as ideal as they can be, then give darkness (cover with a cocohut or clean margarine container or something), quiet, and being undisturbed, but as soilentgringa already said, when they repeatedly go shell-less, it is usually a sign that they can no longer function. All you can do is the best you can, and then wait to see if they are able to recover--or not.

[CrabbyCakes]

*update* he is still alive and in a shell but he is propped out of it and slowly moves back in a little when he sees movement. So at this point I am thinking it will not end well. Bummer. I am glad this place is around because people think I am quite mad when I talk about my sick hermit crab. Poor guy.

[mool]

We do understand because we've all been through it.

As for your sick little crabbie, just keep doing what you are doing. You are right about the probable outcome but as long as it is alive, keep offering it healing foods and make sue conditions are as near perfect as you can get them.

[CrabbyCakes]

Today he is really bad. He is just sitting in salt water. Okay. Not to sound like a bad person, is it bad to put him down? If he was a dog I would take him to the vet to be put to sleep. It is just so sad to watch. He can't be feeling well. It feels like I am just letting him suffer.

[CrabbyCakes]

I just spoke with my friend who is an exotics vet at a major zoo. She as advised I put him down. Sorry for the sad update. I sent her pics and she said it was best. My local vet said he would do it.

[DragonsFly]

Very sad situation.

We have had discussions here about just how to go about "putting a crab down"--most of the experienced crabbers agreed that, since you really never know whether they might recover or not, their choice would be to try to provide the best possible conditions and "wait and see," so we never really settled the issue of what, in a case where someone did decide it seemed best to "put a crab out of its [apparent] misery", would be the best way to do that. So I can't help wondering, if your vet is willing to put a crab down, just exactly what he would (or did) do?

[mool]

I don't think a humane end to evident suffering is ever "wrong", nor do I think taking a wait and see approach is wrong. It's each individual pet owner's choice. I probably would not have opted for euthanasia because I don't think crabs necessarily suffer the same as "higher" animals.

I'm sorry he didn't make it. Kudos for giving him a chance.

[CrabbyCakes]

At this end of the day I am very happy with my decision. I took Rick to the vet and they put him in a jar with cotton balls with a sedative on it. After a few minutes of that they gave him an injection. It was very peaceful. I was not sure I was making the right choice until it was over. He had been out of his shell for two weeks. I have no idea what they can feel but it was $20 and gave me that 100 times over in relieve. Again I have no idea if they can "suffer" but I am glad it is over.

[DragonsFly]

Thank you for sharing that; I'm sure it was difficult, but I appreciate knowing what they did.

[marandashermies]

At this end of the day I am very happy with my decision. I took Rick to the vet and they put him in a jar with cotton balls with a sedative on it. After a few minutes of that they gave him an injection. It was very peaceful. I was not sure I was making the right choice until it was over. He had been out of his shell for two weeks. I have no idea what they can feel but it was $20 and gave me that 100 times over in relieve. Again I have no idea if they can "suffer" but I am glad it is over.

Sorry for your loss. That could not have been an easy decision or experience for you. Your little guy is at peace in crabby heaven now.

[CrabbyCakes]

Thank you. I loved the heck out of Rick. He was a funny sweet crab. Taking him to the vet might have been a bit much and maybe not needed but it made me feel better. I just buried him by my birdbath.