New Hermit Crab ontop of Substrate Hasn't Moved

[loveFoof]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
I have about a 5 to 1 ratio of playsand to ecoearth in my tank. It 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?
Yes, they are located in the middle of the tank, and they read 78% humidity, and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
There is a UTH on the back side 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)?
There is a fresh water pool and a salt water pool. I use prime and instant ocean. For the salt water, I use the instructions on the box to mix a gallon, which I then pour into smaller quantities.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
When crabs are out and about, I feed a variety of fresh fruits and veggies that I change out every other day. Right now I am providing only dry foods and I have green sand, worm castings, freeze dried shrimp, oats, eggshells, and bloodworms.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had both of my two crabs for 18 days. They both look like purple pinchers to me, but I could be wrong.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Neither of my crabs have molted with me yet, unless they are in the process of doing so now. One of my crabs is under the substrate and has been under for about 10 days. The other one has stayed ontop of the substrate not moving since I got them.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
They are in a 75 gallon tank, and they have a cardboard lid, covered in aluminum foil. It fits perfectly into the tank, but the humidity was too high, and everything was molding, so now there are air holes in the lid to keep the humidity at about 78%.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
There are two crabs in the tank. They are both about the size of a golfball. The one ontop of the substrate is slightly bigger than the other crab that is under.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
I have 12 extra shells their size in the tank.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
None that I know of.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I haven't had the tank long enough to clean it, but every few water changes, I wipe down and clean out the sides of their waterbowls.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No sponges.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Everything that is in the crabitat has been there since before I adopted my two crabs.

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.)?
When I adopted my crabs, the lady I adopted them from said that they had been drinking and staying a lot near the waterbowls recently.



16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.

One of my two new crabs (mango) has not moved since the day that I adopted him. When I first adopted these two crabs together on the first of june, they were both very active. They were crawling around in the box with airholes that was used to transport them to my house, and when they first were placed in the tank, they were very active. Mango and my other crab (Papaya) were trying on all the new shells in the tank, and then Mango went to hide under the half-log I had in my tank. He was partially was buried, but at all times, his shell, and the tips of his claws were visible.

Over the first week of owning them, Papaya continued to be very active (was drinking lots of water and eating a lot, climbing on the exercise wheel, and checking out all the corners of the tank.) Mango continued to stay in his hiding place under the half-log. About 10 days ago, Papaya went under the substrate and started digging tunnels. Around that day, I started to get paranoid that the log that Mango was under might not be safe for hermit crabs, so I disposed of the log, and put a temporary plastic hide over Mango to keep the area dark.

It is now day 18 that Mango has not moved. Should I be concerned? As extra info, I haven't handled Mango since I put him in the tank since I first got him, and I have been staying up at night with the lights off to see if he has been moving at night (he hasn't been). Is there anything I can do to help him, or is this normal?

[hermitcrablover2]

Maybe they're molting? Usually hermit crabs molt underground, but sometimes they molt on the surface of the substrate. Recently my crabs did a similar thing, one of them had dug underground and I could see the top of the other one's shell, but when they stopped molting they were both okay . I'm guessing they're probably molting, but maybe sniff your tank for a fishy smell, I guess if hermit crabs are dead they smell fishy. You're taking very good care of your crabs, so I would think they're probably molting. Also don't dig around for them because if you disturb them during molting they can get stressed out.

[curlysister]

Your conditions sound pretty much perfect, nothing that I could suggest needs improvement.

If you are certain he/ she has not moved at all in 18 days, there is a real possibility that they have passed away. You could try picking them up and see. But there would also be no harm in waiting a bit longer. Most times when crabs pass away on the surface, they do have a strong odor, but not always.

[loveFoof]

Thanks for the advice. I picked him, up and found out he isn't dead. I left him alone after that, and he found a different spot to hide in the tank.

[curlysister]

Happy to hear that!