Hi,
Ok before I start getting lectured on not digging up a molting hermit crab, let me explain.
I have 4 hermit crabs. All last month, I was gone away and my parents were taking care of my crabs for me. They were all on the surface when I left, and when I came back, there was only one on the surface. Seeing as there was no fishy smell, I assumed 3 of them were molting. I found it odd that they all decided to molt at the same time, but I knew better than to get curious and start digging. However, I became increasingly afraid that my one hermit crabs, the one on the surface, who is a known cannibal (past experience), was going to start eating the molters. Just today, however, one more crab came to the surface, freshly molted. By then, I was even more afraid that something wrong would happen because I had two crabs molting and two crabs not molting. So, I decided to dig up on of the molters in an effort to protect him. However, when I dug him up, I found that he was just laying there, shell-less, but still moving. It looked like that was still his old exo, too. There were exo parts laying off to the left of him, but that may be from the other molter. What's weird is that there was no shell near him. Anyway, In a panic, I plopped down a shell that looked about his size, even slightly larger, next to him. Then, I put a few of those exo parts next to him so he could eat, and I placed my half-log over him and covered up one of the openings with a decorative shell that acted as a wall. I left the other side of the half log open, and I reburied the substrate over it. This was before I knew that hermit crabs could suffocate. I should probably clarify that the eco-earth is about 4 inches deep, and he was near the bottom. So, I might have just accidentally suffocated him, and I don't know what to do. Furthermore, I'm concerned that there was no shell near him during his molt. What happened to it? I have no idea. Anyway, I would really appreciate some advice on what to do. We don't have any soda bottles in this house to properly isolate him, and I don't have an ISO ready. I did the best that I could with what I had, but I'm nervous that my intervening may have just killed him. What should I do?
Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
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soilentgringa
- Posts: 4352
- Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:18 pm
- Location: Dallas, TX
Re: Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
He needs to be reshelled asap. Then isolated in good conditions with the rest of his exo.
After that happens please fill this out:
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=46102
Sent from my LGLS665 using Tapatalk
After that happens please fill this out:
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=46102
Sent from my LGLS665 using Tapatalk
Re: Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
I isolated him within the main tank, and apart from forcing his body into a shell, the only thing I could really do was place a shell about his body size right next to him. Here are those questions:
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
4-5inches of EcoEarth
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
I have a temp/humidity tank on the upper left hand side of the cage, which reads about 75 for each. Then, I have another temp gauge on the upper right hand side of the cage, which usually reads about 80.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, it's one of those ones that sticks under the tank
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
I have a fresh water bowl and a salt water bowl available, I let the water sit out for a few weeks so the chlorine evaporates before using it for the crabs. I use All Living Things salt for the salt water.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed carrots, blueberries, spinach, almonds, cheerios, peaches, and apples.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had 3 of the crabs for 5 years, and one for 2 years. I believe they are all purple pinchers.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
2 are in the process, one just came out today, and the other has not.
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 gallon glass aquarium with a mesh lid.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
4 crabs medium sized.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
Usually about 10
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
once every 2 weeks, I take all the decorations and hideouts out, and all the crabs, and I take any left over food that's been thrown around out. I replace the substrate every year.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
4-5inches of EcoEarth
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
I have a temp/humidity tank on the upper left hand side of the cage, which reads about 75 for each. Then, I have another temp gauge on the upper right hand side of the cage, which usually reads about 80.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, it's one of those ones that sticks under the tank
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
I have a fresh water bowl and a salt water bowl available, I let the water sit out for a few weeks so the chlorine evaporates before using it for the crabs. I use All Living Things salt for the salt water.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed carrots, blueberries, spinach, almonds, cheerios, peaches, and apples.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had 3 of the crabs for 5 years, and one for 2 years. I believe they are all purple pinchers.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
2 are in the process, one just came out today, and the other has not.
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 gallon glass aquarium with a mesh lid.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
4 crabs medium sized.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
Usually about 10
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
once every 2 weeks, I take all the decorations and hideouts out, and all the crabs, and I take any left over food that's been thrown around out. I replace the substrate every year.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No
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soilentgringa
- Posts: 4352
- Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:18 pm
- Location: Dallas, TX
Re: Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
I should have been more clear. You have to pick him up and gently slide his abdomen into a slightly too large shell and allow him to seat himself.
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Re: Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
I picked him up very gently with a spoon and extremely carefully put him into a shell slightly larger than him. He did not attempt to grab on to the shell, he's just kind of in there. It seems as if he is dead. He didn't seat himself, he's just now placed inside his shell instead of outside. I isolated him within the tank from the other crabs, but I don't think there's any use. I think there will be a fishy smell in a day or two. I'm hopeful, though, so we'll see what happens. 
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soilentgringa
- Posts: 4352
- Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:18 pm
- Location: Dallas, TX
Re: Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
I wanted to go through your answers one by one, as I'm on my computer now instead of my phone and typing is much, much easier.
I'm going to paste the entire template and type my responses out in another color, in bold font so that they can be read easily.
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
4-5inches of EcoEarth
Many crabbers have successfully used Eco Earth alone in their crabitat, however it is important to make sure that the substrate is at least three times deeper than your largest crab. Most crabbers use a mix of Eco Earth and playsand, sold in 50 lb bags for childrens sandboxes. This provides a safe alternative to calcium sand, and the mixture of eco earth and sand make it easier to sustain tunnels and caves for the molting crabs.
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
I have a temp/humidity tank on the upper left hand side of the cage, which reads about 75 for each. Then, I have another temp gauge on the upper right hand side of the cage, which usually reads about 80.
Are these gauges analog or digital? All gauges should be calibrated and analog are notoriously inaccurate, as they are cheaply made and can be shocked easily by dropping them or rough treatment in transit. Acurite digital gauges can be purchased at Walmart for less than $10
We recommend temps and humidity to be at least 80 for both. The crabs are from tropical environments and the average temperature year round is in the mid 80s. Prolonged low temperatures can cause lethargy, and organ failure. Low humidity can cause gill damage as well.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, it's one of those ones that sticks under the tank
Is this applied to the back side of the tank above the substrate or underneath? These heaters aren't designed to warm up several inches of substrate and can overheat the sub, causing crabs to become too warm. They can also be a fire hazard when applied underneath a crab tank. The substrate should always be cooler than the air in the tank.
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
I have a fresh water bowl and a salt water bowl available, I let the water sit out for a few weeks so the chlorine evaporates before using it for the crabs. I use All Living Things salt for the salt water. While the chlorine may evaporate from your tap water, other harmful elements will still be present. Any heavy metals in the water can potentially be harmful to crabs. The All Living Things products are unfortunately insufficient for hermit crabs, actually almost anything marketed towards hermits will either kill them or be useless. Most of us use SeaChem Prime because it is cheap and easy to find and one small bottle will last ages. Both salt and fresh water need to be treated with a product that removes chlorine, chloramines, ammonia, and heavy metals before giving it to the crabs. The salt water must be a marine grade salt mix, for mixing the saltwater in reef tanks. Instant Ocean in the purple and white box is readily available and so is Oceanic, I believe. Mix according to package directions. IO is 1/2C per gallon of water. There are over 70 elements from seawater that the salt mix provides and will allow the crabs to thrive and have healthy molts. They have to have marine grade saltwater, not freshwater aquarium salt (the API brand).
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed carrots, blueberries, spinach, almonds, cheerios, peaches, and apples.
If your crabs have not had any sort of protein, chitin, or calcium sources for several years, this could attribute to their declining health. They live mainly off of decaying vegetation and other organisms in the wild. They need animal/fish proteins, dried shellfish/shrimp, dried insects, mealworms, eggs, eggshell, leaf litter, and a variety of foods. You can feed them very cheaply from their own kitchen. I know some crabbers in the past have stated that cheerios are safe, but I would not feed my crabs Cheerios, as they contain added sugars and salt. Check out the Safe Food List in the care guides or Food and Water subforum for a huge list of foods that crabs can eat. There are also good online vendors now with several types of easy to serve mixes that offer a wide variety of nutrition. Raw honey, bee pollen, smashed boiled egg with shell, and all natural peanut butter are great energy boosting and healing foods to feed a crab.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had 3 of the crabs for 5 years, and one for 2 years. I believe they are all purple pinchers.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
2 are in the process, one just came out today, and the other has not.
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 gallon glass aquarium with a mesh lid.
Is the lid wrapped at all to keep humidity in?
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
4 crabs medium sized.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
Usually about 10
We recommend 3-5 shells at least per crab, so it sounds like you have enough to start with, if they are all in good shapes and sizes for your buddies.
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
once every 2 weeks, I take all the decorations and hideouts out, and all the crabs, and I take any left over food that's been thrown around out. I replace the substrate every year.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
I'm not sure if I didn't copy the entire form but I have responded to the answers that stuck out at me as far as what could be attributing to your crabs illness. Sometimes they can survive for a while, but they aren't really thriving, and unfortunately there is so much inaccurate or outdated care info out there that we all start off with this idea that crabs are an easy to care for pet. It sounds like you have been trying hard to provide them with a good habitat, you've been using the Eco Earth and have offered a decent amount of space for them with the 20 gallon tank. After a few things have been adjusted, you may notice your crabs health improving.
I'm going to paste the entire template and type my responses out in another color, in bold font so that they can be read easily.
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
4-5inches of EcoEarth
Many crabbers have successfully used Eco Earth alone in their crabitat, however it is important to make sure that the substrate is at least three times deeper than your largest crab. Most crabbers use a mix of Eco Earth and playsand, sold in 50 lb bags for childrens sandboxes. This provides a safe alternative to calcium sand, and the mixture of eco earth and sand make it easier to sustain tunnels and caves for the molting crabs.
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
I have a temp/humidity tank on the upper left hand side of the cage, which reads about 75 for each. Then, I have another temp gauge on the upper right hand side of the cage, which usually reads about 80.
Are these gauges analog or digital? All gauges should be calibrated and analog are notoriously inaccurate, as they are cheaply made and can be shocked easily by dropping them or rough treatment in transit. Acurite digital gauges can be purchased at Walmart for less than $10
We recommend temps and humidity to be at least 80 for both. The crabs are from tropical environments and the average temperature year round is in the mid 80s. Prolonged low temperatures can cause lethargy, and organ failure. Low humidity can cause gill damage as well.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, it's one of those ones that sticks under the tank
Is this applied to the back side of the tank above the substrate or underneath? These heaters aren't designed to warm up several inches of substrate and can overheat the sub, causing crabs to become too warm. They can also be a fire hazard when applied underneath a crab tank. The substrate should always be cooler than the air in the tank.
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
I have a fresh water bowl and a salt water bowl available, I let the water sit out for a few weeks so the chlorine evaporates before using it for the crabs. I use All Living Things salt for the salt water. While the chlorine may evaporate from your tap water, other harmful elements will still be present. Any heavy metals in the water can potentially be harmful to crabs. The All Living Things products are unfortunately insufficient for hermit crabs, actually almost anything marketed towards hermits will either kill them or be useless. Most of us use SeaChem Prime because it is cheap and easy to find and one small bottle will last ages. Both salt and fresh water need to be treated with a product that removes chlorine, chloramines, ammonia, and heavy metals before giving it to the crabs. The salt water must be a marine grade salt mix, for mixing the saltwater in reef tanks. Instant Ocean in the purple and white box is readily available and so is Oceanic, I believe. Mix according to package directions. IO is 1/2C per gallon of water. There are over 70 elements from seawater that the salt mix provides and will allow the crabs to thrive and have healthy molts. They have to have marine grade saltwater, not freshwater aquarium salt (the API brand).
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed carrots, blueberries, spinach, almonds, cheerios, peaches, and apples.
If your crabs have not had any sort of protein, chitin, or calcium sources for several years, this could attribute to their declining health. They live mainly off of decaying vegetation and other organisms in the wild. They need animal/fish proteins, dried shellfish/shrimp, dried insects, mealworms, eggs, eggshell, leaf litter, and a variety of foods. You can feed them very cheaply from their own kitchen. I know some crabbers in the past have stated that cheerios are safe, but I would not feed my crabs Cheerios, as they contain added sugars and salt. Check out the Safe Food List in the care guides or Food and Water subforum for a huge list of foods that crabs can eat. There are also good online vendors now with several types of easy to serve mixes that offer a wide variety of nutrition. Raw honey, bee pollen, smashed boiled egg with shell, and all natural peanut butter are great energy boosting and healing foods to feed a crab.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had 3 of the crabs for 5 years, and one for 2 years. I believe they are all purple pinchers.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
2 are in the process, one just came out today, and the other has not.
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 gallon glass aquarium with a mesh lid.
Is the lid wrapped at all to keep humidity in?
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
4 crabs medium sized.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
Usually about 10
We recommend 3-5 shells at least per crab, so it sounds like you have enough to start with, if they are all in good shapes and sizes for your buddies.
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
once every 2 weeks, I take all the decorations and hideouts out, and all the crabs, and I take any left over food that's been thrown around out. I replace the substrate every year.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
I'm not sure if I didn't copy the entire form but I have responded to the answers that stuck out at me as far as what could be attributing to your crabs illness. Sometimes they can survive for a while, but they aren't really thriving, and unfortunately there is so much inaccurate or outdated care info out there that we all start off with this idea that crabs are an easy to care for pet. It sounds like you have been trying hard to provide them with a good habitat, you've been using the Eco Earth and have offered a decent amount of space for them with the 20 gallon tank. After a few things have been adjusted, you may notice your crabs health improving.
Re: Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
I forgot to mention that I also will feed my crabs crushed egg shells as well as a safe (I checked the ingredients) pellet food that has all the necessary nutrients for hermit crabs. I will start feeding them more calcium-rich foods, and get a different kind of salt for them. Thank you for your help.
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soilentgringa
- Posts: 4352
- Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:18 pm
- Location: Dallas, TX
Re: Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
Would you mind sharing the brand and the label?
Most pellet foods contain preservatives or other ingredients that interfere with the molting hormone (ecdysone).
I would really recommend ditching the pellets.
Hermie's Kitchen on Etsy, Alaska Hermit, Crabotanicals, Hermit Crab Patch, Claw of the Wild, and Hermit Crab Garden (when they are open) have some great foods, that are decently priced.
You can also find dried insects and shrimp at Walmart in the fish section.
Most pellet foods contain preservatives or other ingredients that interfere with the molting hormone (ecdysone).
I would really recommend ditching the pellets.
Hermie's Kitchen on Etsy, Alaska Hermit, Crabotanicals, Hermit Crab Patch, Claw of the Wild, and Hermit Crab Garden (when they are open) have some great foods, that are decently priced.
You can also find dried insects and shrimp at Walmart in the fish section.
Re: Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
I actually use Hermie's Kitchen. However, I have a much more pressing issue now!
My hermit crab (the one that is either molting or dead) is now growing mold on him! It's white, and it's just in patches all over his body. There is no fishy odor yet, though... I am honestly so confused.
My hermit crab (the one that is either molting or dead) is now growing mold on him! It's white, and it's just in patches all over his body. There is no fishy odor yet, though... I am honestly so confused.
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GotButterflies
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Re: Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
Sorry about your hermit crab! Hopefully he/she is not dead!
One thing I didn't see, and it is possible I overlooked it, but are your water dishes deep enough for them to submerge in?
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One thing I didn't see, and it is possible I overlooked it, but are your water dishes deep enough for them to submerge in?
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Truly blessed to have incredible creatures, wonderful friends and my amazing family in my life!! I'm very thankful & grateful for all of them! www.thehealthyhermit.com
Re: Dug Up a Crab, He's Shell-less and Molting??
I had the same problem several months ago. Almost the exact same situation occured. I found a pre moulter nude under the soil. He even had his nutrient bubble on his abdomen. I immediately removed him and placed him in ISO with as many shells as possible. Unfortunately, he did end up dying, I think because for some reason he did not get into a shell (and absolutely refused to grasp onto one when I tried to coax him; for fear of handling too much I decided not to push it). It really was a mysterious death, but there's only so much you can do.
I kept the ISO tub quite humid, and bathed him in salt and fresh water daily (and very gently). He was even crawling around the first couple of days. After that he was still naked and very lethargic. When I noticed he hadn't moved from one corner, I decided to do a Tetracycline treatment as the last resort (very risky, it only helps with bacterial infections, but I was sure it was risk it, or he would die anyway). He did pass after the Tetracycline treatments.
Animals get sick and some are more susceptible to changes and sickness than others. Sometimes there is only so much we can do. So sorry about your hermie.
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I kept the ISO tub quite humid, and bathed him in salt and fresh water daily (and very gently). He was even crawling around the first couple of days. After that he was still naked and very lethargic. When I noticed he hadn't moved from one corner, I decided to do a Tetracycline treatment as the last resort (very risky, it only helps with bacterial infections, but I was sure it was risk it, or he would die anyway). He did pass after the Tetracycline treatments.
Animals get sick and some are more susceptible to changes and sickness than others. Sometimes there is only so much we can do. So sorry about your hermie.
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