Straws tend to die in or around salt water dish ?

[Guest]

I rescued a jumbo straw last month after Petco called and talked me into getting a big jumbo straw who came in fresh from harvest minus his large claw. I knew that meant stress big time but I got him anyhow.

He never seemed like he was stressed, never dug down to hide, ate well, temp and humidity were perfect for what the straw requires and also he had a salt water pool deep enough to soak in. He loved it. I use real ocean saltwater which is (as many know) actual ocean water that is filtered from the pacific. Anyhow, he sat in the saltwater dish for 15 hours off and on and finally just went to sleep.

I cried.

Meanwhile, after comparing notes on other crabber forums, other straw owners noticed the same thing when their straws would die. They were found either at the side of the saltwater pool or in it, after soaking for sometimes days before dying.

Any other straw owner that has sadly lost a straw notice this happening?

[Guest]

I'm sorry for your loss.

Many straws (ther species do it, too, but straws seem to do it more) hang around the salt water before they die. My two previous straws would sit in the salt water dish nonstop and drained the dish several times. I have no clue why they do this, though.

[dbolack]

I rescued a jumbo straw last month after Petco called and talked me into getting a big jumbo straw who came in fresh from harvest minus his large claw. I knew that meant stress big time but I got him anyhow.

There's some speculation that when Straws become severely salt deficient that they have a greater problem absorbing the salts (or possibly something else we're ignorant of that may or may not be present) from the salt water and as a result, gorge themselves trying to get it.

And I fall back on my "The larger the crab, the harder time they have adapting to new environments" theory as well.

I wonder if anyone has ever experimented with using a weaker salt mix (or in a case like yours, diluted down water to see if this helps prevent this tendancy.

[Guest]

I'm not sure I'm right, but because straws live close to the sea they are probably more exposed to sea salt. I have four straws. When I made up the EE I made it up using salt water. I have three moss pits, all with spagnum moss and moistened every day with salt water. I've noted that the crabs sometimes eat the moss. The crabitat is sprayed down with a weak salt solution every day. Both the day mix and the freshfood night mix are sprinkled with sea salt. I have a large fresh water bowl if the salt becomes too much. Knock on wood, but I just had my first straw molt, and it was perfect. I have another straw molting under the substrate now. I don't know if I'm on the right track with this but it seems to be working well so far. Any feedback would be appreciated. I'm so sorry for your loss Critter Keeper.

[Hermie Lover]

I'm sure *Kathy* will chime in on this soon, b/c I know she has had this happen before.

I don't know why it happens either. I do think Jumbos have a harder time as well, since I have lost one the same way, sitting in the dish all morning, all day, and when I came home, she was dead

I think a weaker solution of salt water is an idea....especially when introducing new crabs. It's something I will give a try.

[Guest]

I was told that Straws require stronger salt water rather than weaker. I also sprayed my tank with weaker salt water (also to prevent mold growth) and his fav place was the moss pit too. Temps and humidity were accurate, he didnt eat commercial junk food, and in fact, I had him eating the special food from the crab addiction made for straws especially. The salt water I used was NOT watered down, it was a good strong mix, not some special hermit crab soaking solution etc...Its called "real ocean" which is from the pacific ocean but it is filtered out. I was also advised to use that from several seasoned straw vets. I also mixed the EE with salt water as the above poster said....and I do this for my other tank too. I also provide de-chlor water for him as well, which he used to go to also but never sat there like he did the salt bowl. He used to lean back and just fill his shell, get out and go about his business. He wasnt a bit shy and used to let me pet him on his head, coming to the front of the tank when he saw me. I thought for sure he would be shy and dig down to chill for a while after I adopted him, but he didnt. Perhaps it would have been better had he taken time to de-stress?

I guess regardless of what we do, when it isnt meant to be, it isnt.

He came without his BP, and I knew that meant he was subjected to some serious stress at one point. I assumed he would molt soon to get his new BP and even had him eating pre- molting food full of calcium and other goodies needed for a good molt....also from the crab addiction.

My other 4 PPS are doing great: all four had perfect molts, two of them did surface molts in the moss pit, which freaked me out big time!!

I wont own another Straw until I know what it is that went wrong. I may never know.

[Guest]

It's true, it should be a stronger salt solution but when you first bring him home you should start out with a weaker solution and work your way up, especially if they've beem deprived of salt water.

[dbolack]

It's true, it should be a stronger salt solution but when you first bring him home you should start out with a weaker solution and work your way up, especially if they've beem deprived of salt water.

That was my thinking. That, and a general hope that it might discourage the gourging. Possibly crush some salt over the food as well, we've done that before and some crabs have shown interest, but I diddn't take notes or recall well enough as to what kind.

[Guest]

It's true, it should be a stronger salt solution but when you first bring him home you should start out with a weaker solution and work your way up, especially if they've beem deprived of salt water.

I had him for a month and he didnt sit in the salt water dish like that until the day he died.

I wont have another straw till I am sure I wont kill another

I cried ...he let me pet his head! He was so sweet and friendly...

[Guest]

Yes. I have lost 4 straws to PPS, which I noticed were soaking in the salt water dish for extenended periods of time a few days before passing.

I truly believe that one of the reasons for this, is that when straws or Indos go for extended periods of time without saltwater, when they finally do receive it, they simply can't absorb the salt. They litterally drink themselves to death trying to absord the salt. I notice that these crabs have very bloated abdomens after their death. I don't know if there is a realationship or not, but it does make sense.

[Guest]

I'm sorry, I have had this problem before too.

I'm trying to get my mind around this, but.....I'm not sure how deluted salt water would help a straw absorb it more easily. Are they dying from salt toxicity, or this absorbtion problem? If it is an absorbtion problem I just don't see how lowering the saltinity would help......

[dbolack]

I'm sorry, I have had this problem before too.

I'm trying to get my mind around this, but.....I'm not sure how deluted salt water would help a straw absorb it more easily. Are they dying from salt toxicity, or this absorbtion problem? If it is an absorbtion problem I just don't see how lowering the saltinity would help......

My hope - and its quite unscientific - is that it *may* be less tempting to drink too much if it's weaker and they can't tell it's there.

But that could be entirely wrong headed. It may be saner to go, shortly, without saltwater and add the crystals, crushed, to their food.

Or perhaps the salt water needs to be much stronger than usual.

Or maybe it's not the salt they're looking for but some other missing trace element.

[Guest]

The only problem I have with the salt water theory is that he didnt do that for the first month I had him. He showed more interest in he salt water pool and not much in the freshh (dechlor) water and he stayed in it for several minutes more than my PPs ever have but he came out only to eat and drink at night mostly, and again, soaked in the salt pool for...I dunno.....15 minutes maybe?

I was waiting for him to dig down and de-stress which he never did. Maybe if he did that....

But who knows.

I will tell you all that I may be lucky and have some kind of answer next week. I donated his body to my exotic vet to do a necropsy. He didnt make any promises, and its almost more or less experimental, but I did tell him about the salt water etc...which he did not really agree with and he said that most animals that die bloat with gases etc..almost right after death. He is in no way an expert on hermies, but he is about as good as it gets short of a marine biologist. I may never know anything, but on the other hand, he may see something visible right off.

I will let you know what I hear.

[Guest]

The water I use (salt water) is called "real ocean" and it is actual real ocean water from the Pacific Ocean, only has any bacteria etc....filtered out. I was told by people that have nothing but good luck with their straws this is the next best thing for straws other than the real deal from their natural enviroment.

I guess we will need to know is: How long is "too long" to be without proper salt water. I know all in all he probably went a few days during harvest without it but at the petstore they knew enough to provide salt water for all the crabs, esp. straws.

Ah well we can guess till we are blue in the face I suppose....

[Hermie Lover]

The only problem I have with the salt water theory is that he didnt do that for the first month I had him. He showed more interest in he salt water pool and not much in the freshh (dechlor) water and he stayed in it for several minutes more than my PPs ever have but he came out only to eat and drink at night mostly, and again, soaked in the salt pool for...I dunno.....15 minutes maybe?

I was waiting for him to dig down and de-stress which he never did. Maybe if he did that....

But who knows.

I will tell you all that I may be lucky and have some kind of answer next week. I donated his body to my exotic vet to do a necropsy. He didnt make any promises, and its almost more or less experimental, but I did tell him about the salt water etc...which he did not really agree with and he said that most animals that die bloat with gases etc..almost right after death. He is in no way an expert on hermies, but he is about as good as it gets short of a marine biologist. I may never know anything, but on the other hand, he may see something visible right off.

I will let you know what I hear.

Let us know what your vet says, I am interested to hear their findings...

Thanks for all your sharing of details...