Naked crab won't go in shell

[Madi.crab]

Hi guys, I woke up this morning to find my smallest crab Uma walking around naked next to her shell. I put her in ISO with shells food and some water. I am at school at the moment so mum is keeping me updated. I think she went back into a shell. What do I do? I don't want her to die


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[heyitseggs2]

You may need to help her go in by guiding her abdomen into a shell. Please fill out the emergency template here viewtopic.php?f=27&t=46102
But, either than that it sounds like your doing the right thing!
I'm hoping for the best and sending luck you way!

[Madi.crab]

Mum said she went back in a shell but she is still in an isolated container. She seemed pretty weak when walking around this morning. I'll have to fill out the template when I get home. Thank you for you help.

I'm also having a dilemma with my other crab Kaz. He has all of the molting symptoms but has been in ISO for a month but has done nothing. Do I leave him in ISO or put him back in the big tank?


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[curlysister]

Crabs do not need to be isolated in order to molt. The emergency template will help us help you further.

[Madi.crab]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
I use play sand which is 6 inches deep

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 do use a humidity and a temp gauge which usually reads 85% humidity but the temperature jumps (it was -1 this morning- I do have a heat mat though)

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Heat mat on the back of 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 both fresh and salt water, I use aquatopia hermit crab salt

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I usually feed them salmon, baby shrimp, coconut, walnuts, cranberries and I have a piece of cuttlebone and an eggshell in the tank

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had Uma for a couple of months and she is a Aussie

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
She hasn't molted with me yet

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
I have a 132 litre tank with a glass lid and a towel over the lid to keep the heat in.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
I have had six crabs in that tank but just moved my seventh out of ISO (the one that had the molting symptoms)

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
I keep at least twenty different shells in the tank and a range of sizes, a couple per crab at least.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No there haven't been.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I clean the tank once a year as it's a big tank but I top up the sand with fresh stuff once every couple of months.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No there aren't.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No here hasn't been.

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
I usually just let them walk around on my hand and up my arm. That's pretty much it

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
One of my hermit crabs was out of its shell naked when I woke this morning. Later on today my mum said she got back into her shell and is walking around.


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[Madi.crab]

I thought you had to isolate crabs when they were molting. Don't they eat each other?


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[heyitseggs2]

No, they don't. Crabs very rarely eat each other

[Madi.crab]

Oh. I read somewhere that the smell of a molting crab smells tasty to them so they go to eat them


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[heyitseggs2]

I used S for Sophia when replying, read this over thoroughly.

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
I use play sand which is 6 inches deep
S- Good

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 do use a humidity and a temp gauge which usually reads 85% humidity but the temperature jumps (it was -1 this morning- I do have a heat mat though)
S- What temperature is our tank?

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Heat mat on the back of the tank
S- Good

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 both fresh and salt water, I use aquatopia hermit crab salt
S- We recommend Instant Ocean marine salt. Any other type of marine salt is normally fine. I'm not sure about that brand, normally things marketed for hermit crabs aren't good for them.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I usually feed them salmon, baby shrimp, coconut, walnuts, cranberries and I have a piece of cuttlebone and an eggshell in the tank
S- Sounds good. Check out the Nutrition by Kilimanjaro post to help you feed them a more balanced diet here: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92554

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had Uma for a couple of months and she is a Aussie
S: //

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
She hasn't molted with me yet
S://
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
I have a 132 litre tank with a glass lid and a towel over the lid to keep the heat in.
S: The tank size is exactly how much you need for your amount of crabs. (I'm American so I had to convert it to gallons) 5 gallons per crab, you have about 35 gallons, so you have just enough room for your crabs. You might wanna upgrade in the future when they get bigger.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
I have had six crabs in that tank but just moved my seventh out of ISO (the one that had the molting symptoms)
S: //

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
I keep at least twenty different shells in the tank and a range of sizes, a couple per crab at least.
S: The HCA recommends 3-5 shells per crab. You'll should get a few more

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No there haven't been.
S://
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I clean the tank once a year as it's a big tank but I top up the sand with fresh stuff once every couple of months.
S: There's no need to put fresh sand on top, it's actually better to have the same sand in there at all times. Just do some surface cleaning (Picking up food that fell, poop etc) and you should be fine.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No there aren't.
S://

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No here hasn't been.
S://

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
I usually just let them walk around on my hand and up my arm. That's pretty much it
S://
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
One of my hermit crabs was out of its shell naked when I woke this morning. Later on today my mum said she got back into her shell and is walking around.
S: Read below.


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Keep her in iso. Give her calcium and protein-rich foods like honey and eggshell. Find more foods for her at Kilamanjaro's which I mentioned previously but I'll give you the link again viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92554
I wish you the best and I hope for her full recovery!

[Madi.crab]

Thank you. I do try to balance the diet out. I should probably feed them some more chicken and egg in the future. All of my crabs are buried but two which counts Uma. She is out and about wondering around the container. How long should I keep her in ISO for? Would she have left her shell because of how cold it was this morning? At the moment it is 22 degrees because I have the heater on and the heat mat. I do t usually have the heater on overnight though so that could be why it got so cold


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[Hermiesguardian]

Oh. I read somewhere that the smell of a molting crab smells tasty to them so they go to eat them


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As long as the conditions are right, (deep substrate, sandcastle consistancy, enough protein, calcium) that is very rare.

[heyitseggs2]

I'm not sure why she would leave her shell. Keep her in iso until she is back to her normal self again. What was the temperature when you discovered she was streaking (out of her shell)?

[heyitseggs2]

I just converted your temps to Fahrenheit and -1 degrees Celcius is 30 degrees Fahrenheit. That's below freezing. I don't know if I misread but I don't know how your tank can be that low.

[Madi.crab]

That was the temperature outside overnight. I'm not sure what it dropped to in the tank. She seems to be alright at the moment. Still looks a little weak but she has been moving around.


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[wodesorel]

Seven crabs in a 34 gallon tank with six inches of sub is bordering on overcrowded, if it isn't already because of the size of the crabs. Is there any way of at least increasing the sub depth? When they don't feel safe they put off molting for as long as possible.