Crab Up Too Early, Missing Limbs, No Shell

[A.finn]

Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions as best you can. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
* *Playsand mixed with coconut fiber, about 7-8 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?
**Digital gadgets hanging in middle of tank, generally around 75 to 80% humidity and same numbers for temp.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
**Ultratherm on back of 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)?
** Both fresh and salt, use distilled water for both and Instant Ocean for salt, mixed in gallon batch according to package

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
**Organic food mixes bought from reputable seller on Etsy (hermit specific). Replaced every couple days, or when molding

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
**Two Purple Pinchers, one for five years other for four

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
**Multiple times, most recent went down in September, came up 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?
** 50 gallon glass fish tank, regular lid, rocks on lid to prevent them opening

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
**Two, crabs are similar in size, both being big enough to cover palm of hand (shell openings about 1 1/2 inches)

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
** around 6

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
**Maybe once a year. Move crabs to another container and wipe down tank with vinegar and water

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?
**Not since about July (climbing habitat stuff made from ash sticks and bamboo)

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.)?


16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
**Hermie is my crab I have had since 2020, belonged to a cousin a year before. Molts take much longer now due to size. She was the boss crab, but her companion died in a molt and I purchased Magnum from a pet store. Magnum became the boss (not aggressively, she just outgrew Hermie very quickly and Hermie was just a bully so she stepped down.) They do not fight.

Hermie went under in late September. I was not expecting to see her until probably December. Magnum dug around a lot and switched shells a lot and finally went under a few weeks ago.
Hermie reappeared last night. She was in a different shell (not the one that she had gone down in) and I was surprised to see her. I only barely saw her because I was turning off their light for the night, so I didn't notice anything strange.

This morning Hermie is shell-less and I saw now that she is missing two sets of legs. She only has two large legs, with only one of them having a claw. I turned their light off, carefully moved her under a gourd tent they haven and placed Magnum's old shell with her. At last check (10 minutes ago) she seemed to be investigating the shell.

Any advice is helpful, I am not sure what to do.

.

[curlysister]

Oh geez, this isn't a good thing. Your conditions sound ideal, I don't think that is the problem. It does sound like she was possibly injured by your other crab. The only time one of my crabs disturbed the other was when I didn't have deep enough substrate (upgraded tanks, crabs grew, etc). Luckily, mine only had one leg torn off.
Your first priority is for her to get back into a shell. Have you read our naked crab care sheet yet?

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=122302

Once in a shell, you will need to feed some high energy foods, like peanut butter and honey. Which claw does she have, the large one or the feeding one?
And she will need to be kept isolated from your other crab, so that he cannot injure her when she is vulnerable. Yes, the other one is underground, but you don't know when he will come up. She can re-grow her limbs in her next molt, but may choose to surface molt if she can't dig herself underground.

[A.finn]

She went back in a shell. She ate a bit of green sand and worm castings. The claw she has left is her large claw, but it has obviously been regrown as it is not the size it used to be.
She had reburied, but apparently came up last night. She is still alive because she moved when I covered her with one of their hides.
I will look at trying to set up an isolation tank. It might be too difficult because of winter, but I just remembered I do have another heat pad.

[curlysister]

You can isolate a crab within the main tank - if you have an empty margarine or food storage container, you can cut holes in the top so that it will be the same temp and humidity.
It's good that she is in a shell again.