HCA: Hermit Crab Association

You will need to gently and carefully dig up your crabs. If you search this site, there are a number of threads about digging up crabs to move. Start in a corner and gently dig across, rather than digging from the top down - this way is less likely to collapse the caves. Be prepared to isolate the c...

You can just leave them in the tank their in they will be fine as long as the tank stays standing upright if you can use a heat pad that would be better for them for heat lamps can make heat spots in your tank and they can become a safety hazard for your crabs. And the temperature should be around ...

I can see your photo here. The tank is looking good to start! Your substrate looks a bit dry - is that just the surface? Is it moistened so it holds it's shape? What is your humidity? A heat lamp will often zap the humidity, so you may want to look into a heat mat instead. Hermit crabs love places t...

If he is dead, there is nothing to be gained by digging him up - he will just compost into the substrate and not harm any other crabs in the tank. If he is in the process of molting, you can harm him by digging him up. So it's best not to dig, unless there is an emergency like a flood or bacterial b...

I don't think that a fridge system will dechlorinate the water. Maybe filter but not dechlorinate. So you should use a dechlorinator. Be sure to read the 'water' care sheet to learn what you need to know about water.

You'll find many discussions about this topic, if you look around on our site. What used to be thought of as social behavior is now known to be more resource sharing. Crabs do just fine alone, in pairs, or in multiples. So you *can* get more crabs, but you don't *have* to. If adding new crabs, consi...

Can't see your photo, says I don't have access.
89 is a bit on the warm side for every day. If you bring the heat down a bit, does your humidity go up?

Crabs eat very little when they are small, so you may not even notice any food gone.
Also PPs tend to dip their toes in, so you may not see them ever fully in the pools.

There is no harm in keeping him isolated from the other crabs for a bit, until you are sure he's not weak and therefore at risk of being harmed by the others.

If you haven't already, read through the 'naked crab' care sheet. The priority will be getting him back into a shell. Once you do, try feeding high energy foods like honey and peanut butter. https://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=122302 You are correct, unfortunately, that ...

KapExpoka wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 30, 2023 4:17 pm

Have you considered isolating her temporarily to ensure her safety and dip her in fresh water before reintroducing her to the main tank after a surface molt?

The post you are replying to is over 2 months old.

Is he eating and moving around now?

Oh yes, crabs will often go underground to de-stress. Or if it's been a while since they had deep enough substrate to molt, they will go under for a molt right away.

For PPs, 72 to 85 F are safe temps. You can try insulating parts of your tank that don't have a heater - it doesn't have to be anything fancy, tinfoil wrapped around cardboard will work. Crabs eat so little when they are small, that you may not notice. I swear for the first couple of years I had my ...

Your tank conditions and care sound really good - I don't see anything obvious that could have caused this.
I think you did the right thing by isolating him from your other crab. Feed some high energy foods like honey and peanut butter.
Do you have any lighter shells for him?