New to hermit crabs and molting

[Prayingmatis]

I got 2 hermits from my friend and one of them has moved to new shells several times but this time was different it was hanging almost all the wat out of it's shell last night and now it looks really bad. I wish I could send you the pictures I have so I could show you. This was a up above the sand molt.

[KyMart]

I got 2 hermits from my friend and one of them has moved to new shells several times but this time was different it was hanging almost all the wat out of it's shell last night and now it looks really bad. I wish I could send you the pictures I have so I could show you. This was a up above the sand molt.

The best thing you can do is provide the surface molting crab with high protein foods (peanut butter, honey, etc.) and isolate it from the other crab, you can do this by cutting the bottom off of a two liter bottle and putting it over the crab, make sure to poke a hole in the top so that way it has the same temperature/humidity as the rest of the tank. This kind of isolation will keep your crab safe from the other crab, and the high protein foods will hopefully give it more strength. I hope your little guy makes it through this!

[KyMart]

I got 2 hermits from my friend and one of them has moved to new shells several times but this time was different it was hanging almost all the wat out of it's shell last night and now it looks really bad. I wish I could send you the pictures I have so I could show you. This was a up above the sand molt.

Could you fill out this template? It's from the emergency section (I just removed the last part because it's describing the emergency situation and you already have), and I feel that it will help us understand why this is happening and be able to help you avoid this from happening again in the future! Thank you!


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?

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?

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?

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)?

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?

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.)?

[Prayingmatis]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Play sand and I put more in it last time so they could borrow if they wanted.

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? No friend forgot to give me it and still hasn't done so

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Under tank heating pad

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 use both kinds, Hermit crab drinking water conditioner and hermit crab salt water conditioner from zoo med and I try to follow the directions the best I can

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? hermit crab food medley and a little tiny bit of fruit. Not sure when I should replace the pellets and I just gave them a little tiny bit of carrot and strawberry yesterday but not sure if I need to remove it today

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? Purple pincher and I don't know the date I got them from friend

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? Last night

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 1o gallon tank. And I'm guessing about the lid but it looks wire mesh? and She told me to keep the towel over the lid.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? I have 2 I'm not sure

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? I have 10 in there plus I have a little bit extra

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? Not that I'm aware of but my brother's bedroom is not too far from mine and he likes using those defuse things and it smelled kinda like a campfire sent a wek or so ago.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how? So far I just do the weekly sand cleaning and look for left over food in sand and I spray their hut every morning for humidity.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? Yes 1 and I don't know how to clean it.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? We bought a fake plant from pet store but I don't remember when we bought it.

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 want you to know that I'm mentally handicaped and I've been wanting to have hermit crabs but mom never let me have any until Our friend's handicaped daughter lost interest in them and mom asked me if I wanted them and I was glad to take on their care. I also have anxiety and I worry a lot. I worry that I mess up and I don't mean to because I am a sensitive person and I really love animals and I never want to cause them pain or harm. If you guys could help me with my little buddies I would appreciate it a whole lot. Also Are they lonely with just two of them?

[myllkti]

Hey there! I added some feedback marked with mylk

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Play sand and I put more in it last time so they could borrow if they wanted.

mylk - great!

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? No friend forgot to give me it and still hasn't done so

mylk - okie dokes! Onces you get that it'll be much easier to check how conditions are Just as a side note, the digital ones will be much more accurite than teh clock looking ones, so if your friend's is analog, I can def give a few digital recommednations as needed

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Under tank heating pad

Mylk - Great! Just to clarify just in case, the pad should be on the back wall, and not actually under

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 use both kinds, Hermit crab drinking water conditioner and hermit crab salt water conditioner from zoo med and I try to follow the directions the best I can

Mylk - unfortunately those are not great ( Seachem Prime and Instant Ocean are most popular, but API aqua essential also works for fstep 1 and other marine salts (not aquarium!) also work for salt!

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? hermit crab food medley and a little tiny bit of fruit. Not sure when I should replace the pellets and I just gave them a little tiny bit of carrot and strawberry yesterday but not sure if I need to remove it today

mylk - the pellets are sadly toxic the food medley (at least the one Im thinking of, if you can ntell the brand that'll help) ad the fruit are good, but try to also add protein and calcium. A bit of raw unseasoned meat from the freezer and some crushed eggshell will work fine, or even the egg itself with the eggshell. Eggs and meat can be raw or cooked as long as it's unseasoned

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? Purple pincher and I don't know the date I got them from friend

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? Last night

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 1o gallon tank. And I'm guessing about the lid but it looks wire mesh? and She told me to keep the towel over the lid.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? I have 2 I'm not sure

mylk - I know it's a lot so dont feel pressured to do so tomorrow or anything, but once you are more settled in to the diet and water and such, please do try to get at least a 20 gal, preferable 29+ for two crabs! Within the next few weeks would be best. for now really make sure there's plenty of protein to minimize risk of aggression in a small tank

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? I have 10 in there plus I have a little bit extra

mylk- great! This will also help tide you over until you have a bigger tank!

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? Not that I'm aware of but my brother's bedroom is not too far from mine and he likes using those defuse things and it smelled kinda like a campfire sent a wek or so ago.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how? So far I just do the weekly sand cleaning and look for left over food in sand and I spray their hut every morning for humidity.

Mylk - sounds good! Shouldnt need spraying, but we wont know for sure until the hygrometer comes in However is sand is wet and you have two water dishes then most likely you can stop

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? Yes 1 and I don't know how to clean it.

Mylk - to clean it, you should boil and dry or just bake every 24-48 hours. However, you can just throw it away, it's more effort than it's worth haha

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? We bought a fake plant from pet store but I don't remember when we bought it.

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 want you to know that I'm mentally handicaped and I've been wanting to have hermit crabs but mom never let me have any until Our friend's handicaped daughter lost interest in them and mom asked me if I wanted them and I was glad to take on their care. I also have anxiety and I worry a lot. I worry that I mess up and I don't mean to because I am a sensitive person and I really love animals and I never want to cause them pain or harm. If you guys could help me with my little buddies I would appreciate it a whole lot. Also Are they lonely with just two of them?

Mylk - two is fine! And as long as you care and try, that's first and foremost. Just being here and being open to feedback is a great sign and I look forward to the day you and your hermies can all feel more settled in! Enjoy your new pets!!

[myllkti]

That is the general care stuff, Kymart covered the the immediate actions needed for your unwell baby <3

[Prayingmatis]

Mom won't let me buy more things. She thinks what my friend provided is good enough. I had a hard time even getting her to let me buy the plant and cuttle bone. My mom likes animals but she's not like I am about animals. I don't know what to do if I can't buy the right stuff for them. What do I do?

[curlysister]

The best thing you can do is provide the surface molting crab with high protein foods (peanut butter, honey, etc.) and isolate it from the other crab, you can do this by cutting the bottom off of a two liter bottle and putting it over the crab, make sure to poke a hole in the top so that way it has the same temperature/humidity as the rest of the tank. This kind of isolation will keep your crab safe from the other crab, and the high protein foods will hopefully give it more strength. I hope your little guy makes it through this!

A crab that is molting only needs it's exoskeleton to eat. Once it has eaten that and is moving around inside the isolation area, other foods can be offered.

[curlysister]

Mom won't let me buy more things. She thinks what my friend provided is good enough. I had a hard time even getting her to let me buy the plant and cuttle bone. My mom likes animals but she's not like I am about animals. I don't know what to do if I can't buy the right stuff for them. What do I do?

I used a ten gallon tank for my crabs for a couple of years before I upgraded, so that is one expense you don't need to have right away.
Perhaps you can show your mom the 'basics' care sheet, which even has a photo of a ten gallon tank that is set up! There are a few things that Mylk outlined that really are necessities for crabs, and aren't that expensive (for exampbe, a thermometer/ hygrometer combo is less than ten dollars). Crabs can eat much of what you eat, just without sauces and stuff (so little scraps of meat, veggies, fruits, grains, leaves, nuts, seeds, eggs), you don't need to buy special food. You can put plastic wrap over the top of the tank to keep humidity in. You can wash out an empty yogurt or margarine container and cut a 'door' in it for something for them to hide in. You can find a branch from somewhere that doesn't use chemicals, wash it off, and put it in the tank for climbing.
If you are unable to purchase the basics that are needed to keep the crabs healthy, the kindest thing may be to find another home for them. As sad as that would be, you would know that they are with someone who could provided everything they need. But hopefully if you show your mom the 'basics' sheet, she will agree that they are worth the small amount of money that would need to be spent on them!

[Prayingmatis]

When a hermit crab molts does it look dead before it moves?

[myllkti]

A crab that is molting only needs it's exoskeleton to eat. Once it has eaten that and is moving around inside the isolation area, other foods can be offered.

Whoops shouldve read more carefully before replying affirmatively, sorry about that! /gen /npa

[myllkti]

When a hermit crab molts does it look dead before it moves?

It can definitely seem that way, but it's always recommended to try your best to help them recover until you get confirmation via a fishy or seafood smell

[hermitsinnc]

The shed exo may also look like a dead crab.

[KyMart]

I got 2 hermits from my friend and one of them has moved to new shells several times but this time was different it was hanging almost all the wat out of it's shell last night and now it looks really bad. I wish I could send you the pictures I have so I could show you. This was a up above the sand molt.

I just read your tribute post, I'm so sorry for your loss. < 3

[Prayingmatis]

Thank you. How do I make sure that doesn't happen like that again?