Surface Molt Questions

[MercifulRabbit]

I have a hermit crab that had began molting while I was asleep. I noticed he’d shed almost all of his skin in the morning about 4 days ago. My hermit crab is about a small/medium hermit crab.
How long would post-molt take? I’m trying to keep a journal for him, but also don’t wanna check on him every day so I won’t stress him out too much, but also try to record when he finishes and starts a new stage of the molt.
What could I do to try to ensure he has a safe molt? I’ve got the top half of a 2L bottle over him now, and a damp towel over the top for humidity. I’m assuming he didn’t have enough time to burry himself, since I have 6 inches of sand in the habitat.


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[crabby33]

What type of sand do you have in your tank? A surface molt is usually a sign that conditions are not ideal and it’s considered an emergency. Crabs will usually bury underground, shell and all and this forum advises against checking on your crab once it’s underground. It’s strongly recommended to leave it alone.


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[curlysister]

As Crabby said, surface molting means that something isn't ideal in the tank conditions.
Please fill in the Emergency Template so we can help trouble shoot for you (copy and paste into your reply):

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 27&t=46102

[MercifulRabbit]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
I have a mixture of play sand and EE

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
I’ve heard that digital temperature and humidity gauges are more accurate, so I’m having to order them online.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, I have a heat lamp.

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 have both salt and freshwater. I buy premixed saltwater, and use either bottled water, distilled water, or purified water.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed fruits, vegetables, meat, and grains. I almost always replace it each night.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
The crab I’m talking about is a Caribbean hermit crab, and I’ve had it for over 1.5 years now.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
No, this is the first molt experiences with this crab, and with any of my crabs for that matter.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
I have an aquarium lid on the habitat and a 10 gallon tank.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
I have three in total, two small crabs, and one small/medium crab.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
At the moment I have around nine shells in the tank.

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I check for poop daily, and clean the tank a couple times a year.

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

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
The newest crab added was added months ago, so I’d say no.



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[MercifulRabbit]

I had added eco earth to the play sand although my hermit crab had been digging around and showing signs of molt, and when I’d put everything back he slept next to some fake flowers, and started acting very lethargic. I’m assuming that he didn’t have enough time to bury himself for the molt.


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[PinchersAndShells]

Hello! I responded with P&S.

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
I have a mixture of play sand and EE
P&S: That's good, how deep is it? Hermit crabs need at least 6" of substrate or three times the size of your largest crab, whichever is deeper.

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
I’ve heard that digital temperature and humidity gauges are more accurate, so I’m having to order them online.
P&S: Most people on here use the brand Acurite which can be found for about $12. I'd recommend getting this ASAP because it is really hard to judge how warm and humid the crabitat is on your own!

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, I have a heat lamp.

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 have both salt and freshwater. I buy premixed saltwater, and use either bottled water, distilled water, or purified water.
P&S: All water needs to be treated with a dechlorinator before being used, even bottled water is still treated with chlorine! I strongly recommend the brand Seachem Prime, you get a lot of dechlorinator for the amount of money you pay. Pre mixed salt water is no good either, it doesn't contain all the trace elements found in marine salt water sadly. You want to get a marine salt meant for saltwater aquariums. I personally recommend the brand Instant Ocean, similarly to the dechlorinator you get a good amount for the price you pay!

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed fruits, vegetables, meat, and grains. I almost always replace it each night.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
The crab I’m talking about is a Caribbean hermit crab, and I’ve had it for over 1.5 years now.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
No, this is the first molt experiences with this crab, and with any of my crabs for that matter.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
I have an aquarium lid on the habitat and a 10 gallon tank.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
I have three in total, two small crabs, and one small/medium crab.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
At the moment I have around nine shells in the tank.

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I check for poop daily, and clean the tank a couple times a year.
P&S: You shouldn't have to do deep cleans on the tank often. It stresses the crabs out and if you set your tank up properly you should only have to churn the substrate every so often, or change it in the event of a bacterial bloom or flood.

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

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
The newest crab added was added months ago, so I’d say no.



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