Hi everyone. I've had my crabs about a week and a half now (three smalls in a ten gallon, about 5.5 inches of moist sand substrate that passes the pencil test, 80-85% humidity, 77-80 degrees temperature).
One of the crabs has not moved in about four to five days now. Three days ago I picked him up briefly to scoop some nearby poop and realized he'd gone limp. I did a sniff test on him and he did not have a rotten fishy smell, but there was a definite faint odor emitting from him that the other two crabs don't have. I'd say it's vaguely chemical in nature, like drying paint or glue. Hoping he was setting up for a molt, I put him in a soda bottle protector with some capfuls of food and water. It's been three days since I put him in and he hasn't moved, tried to dig or bury, or eaten anything. He still has the same smell, it has not gotten any stronger or more intense and there's still no salty/fishy/rotten quality to it; I haven't picked him up or disturbed him since then but when you sniff at the top of the bottle you can smell it faintly. I thought maybe my nose was playing tricks on me so I asked my roommate to sniff around and see if he noticed anything, and he also said he detected a paint-y smell. I'm still hoping he's just setting up for a possible molt but I have no idea what that smell is, and I have no idea how long it normally takes for the death smell to kick in if he has passed on.
Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
Sounds like the molting smell?
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"Judge a man not by his answers, but by his questions."
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
Okay, so molting smell is a thing, then? I could have sworn I remembered hearing that molting crabs had their own smell but when I Googled it today I found no info; all the results just said that if it smelled like fish it was probably dead and otherwise it shouldn't have a smell.
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LadyJinglyJones
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 12:01 pm
- Location: The 6ix, Ontario, Canada
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
People do describe the molting smell as chemically, or like iodine. Probably just wait & see what happens. Keep it dark in the ISO bottle.
"Gaze upon the rolling deep..."
Quince the fat tailed gecko; Amazonian minnows; and now Harry & Luis, Bede & Aster, Chandra & Jace, Pax, & Piccolo, my adopted PPs.
RIP Vegita :(
Quince the fat tailed gecko; Amazonian minnows; and now Harry & Luis, Bede & Aster, Chandra & Jace, Pax, & Piccolo, my adopted PPs.
RIP Vegita :(
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
Thanks everyone. Piggyback question to the last one -- how long does it usually take for the rotting smell to start if he has passed on? Very worried right now because I definitely jostled him good when I picked him up three days ago because I didn't know he'd decided to go limp.
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LadyJinglyJones
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2016 12:01 pm
- Location: The 6ix, Ontario, Canada
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
You'll want someone with more experience to answer that. I have the impression from reading that it can take a couple of days. (?)
"Gaze upon the rolling deep..."
Quince the fat tailed gecko; Amazonian minnows; and now Harry & Luis, Bede & Aster, Chandra & Jace, Pax, & Piccolo, my adopted PPs.
RIP Vegita :(
Quince the fat tailed gecko; Amazonian minnows; and now Harry & Luis, Bede & Aster, Chandra & Jace, Pax, & Piccolo, my adopted PPs.
RIP Vegita :(
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
darn, I spoke too soon, I came home from work tonight and now he's fishy 
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
Hermit crab smell test:
If your crab(s) smells like
An old boot = bacterial infection
Moldy = mold in the back of the shell (though some substraite can cause this)
Slight stink but not offensive and no signs of stress = molting
Iron-like metallic strong smell (and dark brown bile near the mouth) = too hot
Pancake syrup = normal
Very offensive fish smell that hits you like a sludge hammer and not moving = dead
It sounds like yours may have gotten too hot. Some crabs do better in the 75-77 degree range, especially PPs. My experience anyway. Only a few degrees can make a difference. Maybe stabilize the temps around 77 to see and keep the humidity at 80, not 85. Usually a crab that is too hot will start showing signs of stress by spitting up brown bile. Then they may become very weak. Once they get weak they will die. If you notice the bile and catch it before they start acting funny, you may be able to extend their life. Buy some liquid aloe (not the gel sold with lotions) and literally pour it over their head and in their shells, pouring out any extra from the shell. They will likely hate you for this but it can help. Then separate them and give them a dish with the aloe in it. It is safe to drink and it gives them an energy boost. You can find it in health food and vitamin shops.
Hope this helps. Sorry for your loss.
If your crab(s) smells like
An old boot = bacterial infection
Moldy = mold in the back of the shell (though some substraite can cause this)
Slight stink but not offensive and no signs of stress = molting
Iron-like metallic strong smell (and dark brown bile near the mouth) = too hot
Pancake syrup = normal
Very offensive fish smell that hits you like a sludge hammer and not moving = dead
It sounds like yours may have gotten too hot. Some crabs do better in the 75-77 degree range, especially PPs. My experience anyway. Only a few degrees can make a difference. Maybe stabilize the temps around 77 to see and keep the humidity at 80, not 85. Usually a crab that is too hot will start showing signs of stress by spitting up brown bile. Then they may become very weak. Once they get weak they will die. If you notice the bile and catch it before they start acting funny, you may be able to extend their life. Buy some liquid aloe (not the gel sold with lotions) and literally pour it over their head and in their shells, pouring out any extra from the shell. They will likely hate you for this but it can help. Then separate them and give them a dish with the aloe in it. It is safe to drink and it gives them an energy boost. You can find it in health food and vitamin shops.
Hope this helps. Sorry for your loss.
You've got it all wrong....we are the pets, not them!
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
nifty. do you happen to know what to do for some of those problems? they'd be good things to know. also my Pp's are most active in high to mid 80s. didnt seem to mind low 90s. i think where you live also affects this. also would aloe bother or coat their gills?Jackolope wrote:Hermit crab smell test:
If your crab(s) smells like
An old boot = bacterial infection
Moldy = mold in the back of the shell (though some substraite can cause this)
Slight stink but not offensive and no signs of stress = molting
Iron-like metallic strong smell (and dark brown bile near the mouth) = too hot
Pancake syrup = normal
Very offensive fish smell that hits you like a sludge hammer and not moving = dead
It sounds like yours may have gotten too hot. Some crabs do better in the 75-77 degree range, especially PPs. My experience anyway. Only a few degrees can make a difference. Maybe stabilize the temps around 77 to see and keep the humidity at 80, not 85. Usually a crab that is too hot will start showing signs of stress by spitting up brown bile. Then they may become very weak. Once they get weak they will die. If you notice the bile and catch it before they start acting funny, you may be able to extend their life. Buy some liquid aloe (not the gel sold with lotions) and literally pour it over their head and in their shells, pouring out any extra from the shell. They will likely hate you for this but it can help. Then separate them and give them a dish with the aloe in it. It is safe to drink and it gives them an energy boost. You can find it in health food and vitamin shops.
Hope this helps. Sorry for your loss.
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
Aloe LIQUID does not bother their gills, the gel would. i have left it in their dish overnight, they really seem to like it.
The bacterial infection is a little harder to cure. Some have tried 250mg Tetracycline powder (for Ick for fish) mixed ratio of 1 part Tetra and 4 parts bottled water (half a capsule or packet mixed with about a quart of water) and then you can pour it over them. With mold you can also try the tetracycline. The only thing is you really want to make sure you do it in the warmest parts of the day. For me bacterial infections, once they get to the point you can smell them, are almost always a death sentence. Luckily I haven't had too many of those.
The bacterial infection is a little harder to cure. Some have tried 250mg Tetracycline powder (for Ick for fish) mixed ratio of 1 part Tetra and 4 parts bottled water (half a capsule or packet mixed with about a quart of water) and then you can pour it over them. With mold you can also try the tetracycline. The only thing is you really want to make sure you do it in the warmest parts of the day. For me bacterial infections, once they get to the point you can smell them, are almost always a death sentence. Luckily I haven't had too many of those.
You've got it all wrong....we are the pets, not them!
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
I have had my PPs survive as low temps as 65 degrees when my heater died in the middle of the night in winter. I wouldn't recommend it, but they are hardy beasts.
You've got it all wrong....we are the pets, not them!
Re: Unusual smell on limp crab that's not the death smell???
im very happy so far my hermits have all been happy and healthy! i agree Pp's are stocky little creatures ive had a few temp scares bring it to the low 70s mid 60s at worse. still all doing well and kicking.