Hermit crab appears to be molting under prosthetic log has exoskeleton hanging out of shell firmly.

[Happygeek]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
I use store bought sand and eco earth mixed. It is approx. 15cm 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 not.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
There is no heat source in the tank. I live in a naturally hot area.

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)?
He has dechlorinated drinking water and dechlorinated bath water with aquarium salt.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
He gets a mix of grains, dried shrimp, dried fruits and other things that are store bought from the brand Krabooz.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I do not know what species, but I do live in Australia and I believe they are gathered here, if that helps.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
My crab has previously molted, about 3-5 months ago.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
The crab is kept in a transparent, plastic circle dome like enclosure. The size is unknown, but plenty for one crab. The lid is plastic, and closes shut on top of the dome with holes for ventilation..

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
There is only one crab in the tank who is medium size.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
Right now there are only two because of unavailability. One small, one large.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I don't really clean the tank, but I do clean food and water dishes when topping up.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
There is a sea sponge used in the bath. It is washed with tap water by rinsing and squeezing 3 times before being dried and used again.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Not really.

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 do not spray the tank as I see mold growing when I mist with salt water. I rely on the sea sponge to increase humidity.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I was topping up my crabs food and water, when I realized I couldn't see him anywhere. I lifted up a prosthetic log and I saw the top of his shell. I lifted it up and discovered what appeared to be some kind of exoskeleton in the shell (assumed by his empty eye slits). It looked extremely weird and dry but did not smell or look decomposed so I quickly put him back, assuming a molt. I don't know what I saw, but it was very strange. Kinda like a tangled mass, with his claws and body in a weird spot. I was told by someone I might have caught him mid-molt, but I'm still not sure. He does not seem to be molting underground, which I initially dismissed as he did so in a similar manner the last time he shedded successfully, but I have been told otherwise that it is not normal and not good. I might sound selfish and cruel, but school and work has caught up to me and I do not wish to spend any more money on this crab (other than for food, etc.) as I fear he will die and the money spent will be all for nothing as I do not wish to get another crab. What do I do? Am I in trouble? Should I expect the worst? Forgive my inexperienced ramblings and bad caretaking and please help me!

[CrabbyLover77]

I'll post my suggestions under your answers. Hope it helps!

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
I use store bought sand and eco earth mixed. It is approx. 15cm deep.

CL77- Is it moistened with dechlor fresh or marine salt water to sand castle constancy?

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 not.

CL77- It is extremely important to monitor temp and humidity with crabs (especially humidity). Crabs have modified gills and and need moist air to breathe. For temp, purple pinchers need 24-30°C (75-85°F). Exotics need 27-30°C (80-85°F). Optimal humidity is 80%+. I'd be sure to grab a digital hygrometer asap.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
There is no heat source in the tank. I live in a naturally hot area.

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)?
He has dechlorinated drinking water and dechlorinated bath water with aquarium salt.

CL77- Aquarium salt won't hurt your crab, but it doesn't give them the trace minerals they need. You'll want to purchase a marine salt like Instant Ocean. Are your pools big enough that the crab can submerge but still have easy access out?

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
He gets a mix of grains, dried shrimp, dried fruits and other things that are store bought from the brand Krabooz.

CL77- That's a good start. Variety is key. Are you offering a constant source of protein and calcium? You can use crushed eggshells, cuttlebone, calcium powder, lobster/crab exo, oyster shells, for calcium. Here is the safe food list:

viewtopic.php?t=92557

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I do not know what species, but I do live in Australia and I believe they are gathered here, if that helps.

CL77- Possibly an Australian land hermit crab?

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
My crab has previously molted, about 3-5 months ago.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
The crab is kept in a transparent, plastic circle dome like enclosure. The size is unknown, but plenty for one crab. The lid is plastic, and closes shut on top of the dome with holes for ventilation..

CL77- The minimum recommended size for hermits is appx 38 L (10 gal). Anything smaller than that is ok for isolation purposes, but not for permanent living arrangements.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
There is only one crab in the tank who is medium size.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
Right now there are only two because of unavailability. One small, one large.

CL77- The HCA recommends 3-5 extra shells per crab.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I don't really clean the tank, but I do clean food and water dishes when topping up.

CL77- Spot cleaning for food and other tidbits is ok. Full substrate replacement is only necessary in an emergency, like a bacterial bloom or flood.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
There is a sea sponge used in the bath. It is washed with tap water by rinsing and squeezing 3 times before being dried and used again.

CL77- Sponges harbor bacteria when wet, so you can take it out of the bath. It's ok to leave in the tank dry for the crab to munch on though.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Not really.

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 do not spray the tank as I see mold growing when I mist with salt water. I rely on the sea sponge to increase humidity.

CL77- Be careful when misting with salt water. Because salt doesn't evaporate, it can cause an unnatural buildup of salt in the substrate. I'd recommend misting with fresh dechlor water when needed. Always be careful not to over mist, as this can cause flooding.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I was topping up my crabs food and water, when I realized I couldn't see him anywhere. I lifted up a prosthetic log and I saw the top of his shell. I lifted it up and discovered what appeared to be some kind of exoskeleton in the shell (assumed by his empty eye slits). It looked extremely weird and dry but did not smell or look decomposed so I quickly put him back, assuming a molt. I don't know what I saw, but it was very strange. Kinda like a tangled mass, with his claws and body in a weird spot. I was told by someone I might have caught him mid-molt, but I'm still not sure. He does not seem to be molting underground, which I initially dismissed as he did so in a similar manner the last time he shedded successfully, but I have been told otherwise that it is not normal and not good. I might sound selfish and cruel, but school and work has caught up to me and I do not wish to spend any more money on this crab (other than for food, etc.) as I fear he will die and the money spent will be all for nothing as I do not wish to get another crab. What do I do? Am I in trouble? Should I expect the worst? Forgive my inexperienced ramblings and bad caretaking and please help me!

CL77- I do believe you caught him surface molting, which isn't normal. I believe if you follow the suggestions I gave you, you can improve his crabitat conditions, which will help him return to normal behavior. If you are unable to afford his upkeep, you could always place him up for adoption. There is an adoption board here on the HCA. I'll give you the link:

https://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/p ... .php?f=112

You can always check out the list of people willing to adopt crabs in your area here:

https://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/p ... .php?f=113

I'm not sure where in Australia you are located, but @aussieJJDude is in Melbourne Australia and is on the page of people willing to adopt.

I hope this helps!

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[GotButterflies]

IMO, substrate should be 6 inches or 3 times the height of your largest crab (whichever is deeper). Substrate should be mixed with dechlorinated marine saltwater or dechlorinated freshwater to make the substrate sandcastle consistency. I personally mix mine with dechlorinated marine saltwater.

You need to know what the humidity and the temperature is for your crabs. IMO, minimum heat and humidity should be 80/80. Hermit crabs have modified gills and need the humidity to breathe.
Also IMO analog gauges can be a little wonky and unreliable. If you are interested, you can buy an Acurite guage from Amazon, digital, runs on batteries, tells you temp and humidity currently as well as low and high for last 24 hours: https://smile.amazon.com/AcuRite-00325- ... 184&sr=8-2

Aquarium Salt is not sufficient. That is glorified table salt. Aquarium salt is for the health of freshwater fish. A lot of us use a product called Instant Ocean which is what aquarium hobbyists use to make saltwater aquariums. It has the essential trace elements that hermit crabs need. You also need a dechlorinator that removes chlorine, and chloramine as well as neutralizes ammonia and heavy metals. A lot of us use a product called Prime. As far as salt, you need marine salt, to mimic the ocean. You have to use the dechlorinator for both freshwater and marine saltwater. Both pools should be deep enough for them to fully submerge in and safe enough for them to get out of.

Double dish water pools - http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... le+dish+yo
This will prevent you from doing what happened this past time!

Hermit crabs can eat a lot of the same things that we eat. Just check to make sure the item is on the safe list. Foods should be organic when possible. Hermit crabs are sensitive to pesticides and fertilizers.
You also want to provide one or more calcium sources at all times. Examples would be Cuttlebone, Organic Eggshell, Oyster Shell, Lobster Exo, Shrimp Exo.
Make sure you cover all aspects of food pyramid
Safe food list: http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92557
Unsafe food list: http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92556
Food pyramid: http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92554

Definitely don't mist with saltwater. Be careful with misting - that can lead to flooding.

Being that you only have the one crab, just leave him alone. Don't rebury him. You definitely need to get him a proper tank that will hold heat and humidity. Without proper heat and humidity he will not survive.

[Happygeek]

I regret to inform that he has passed away. Thank you for all your help.

Hermit crabs are not for me, but however are marketed as an 'easy, low maintenance pet', which I fell for. I don't have the equipment or money available to manage them, so I will not be getting more.

Once again, thanks.

[CrabbyLover77]

I regret to inform that he has passed away. Thank you for all your help.

Hermit crabs are not for me, but however are marketed as an 'easy, low maintenance pet', which I fell for. I don't have the equipment or money available to manage them, so I will not be getting more.

Once again, thanks.

I'm sorry to hear he passed away.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[GotButterflies]

I'm sorry for your loss. Yes, it is unfortunate that the pet stores market them that way.