HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Okay so moo can only get his abdomen in his shell even though he and his only friend have a selection of like ten... I pick him up and he just stares blankly, he doesn't stink or flop out of his shell. He is stable and still in there and hard, so I'm pretty sure he's not dead. He will move his legs but he won't walk. He just finished his second molt in the same shell, and in case he needs to molt I turned "his" coconut shell over as you will see in the pics.

http://m.imgur.com/GTNvGH1,npMAGed,WLZJ ... Gy,O1N71Zu

Wow! He really needs to be out of that she'll, in my opinion. Of course he can't walk...his belly is so smushed in there, he can't get his legs fully out! I wonder if he got stuck at some point and quit trying to get out?? If there was a way to break the shell from around him without hurting him, and then reshell him in a bigger one....It seems like that is what he needs. See what others say, but if he were mine, that would be my plan.

Can I (lightly) hit it with a hammer or like cut into it and pull it off?

Salt&Peppy wrote:Okay so moo can only get his abdomen in his shell even though he and his only friend have a selection of like ten... I pick him up and he just stares blankly, he doesn't stink or flop out of his shell. He is stable and still in there and hard, so I'm pretty sure he's not dead. He will move his legs but he won't walk.

http://m.imgur.com/GTNvGH1,npMAGed,WLZJ ... Gy,O1N71Zu

hermieluv1 wrote:Wow! He really needs to be out of that she'll, in my opinion. Of course he can't walk...his belly is so smushed in there, he can't get his legs fully out! I wonder if he got stuck at some point and quit trying to get out?? If there was a way to break the shell from around him without hurting him, and then reshell him in a bigger one....It seems like that is what he needs. See what others say, but if he were mine, that would be my plan.

Maybe I can look lightly hit it with a hammer of cut into it?

I can't see the pics but please do not try to break the shell with a hammer! You could seriously injure him.

My sister once had a hermit crab stuck in his shell. Like really, truly stuck - could not leave it. She very carefully cut away on the shell, I think with nail clippers, until he was able to get out. Stuck or not, this will be very, very stressful for your crab. I do not recommend this unless you're sure he's really stuck in that shell.

I think first I would try giving him a saltwater bath with a few shells to choose from. Maybe soaking for a while will help him. Afterwards, whether he's changed or not, place him in/near the freshwater so he can then balance out his shell water.

Hi! I don't really have any good ideas. (Sorry) I also think his shell is too small. But, just wondering, if he is in a painted shell there could be paint on the inside of the shell that is keeping him in. That's probably just a useless idea. I really like the assortment of shells he can choose from. Good luck.

Has he ever changed shells since you've had him? Is he in a painted shell? My first thought is maybe the shell was painted with him inside and he's stuck in the shell? I have no experience with this but, that's the only reason I can think of for why he won't change shells. How long have you had him?

Also, is that coconut hut painted? If so, you should get a natural one instead. Crabs can eat paint and get sick.

Good luck. I hope you can figure out a solution. If you decide to cut him out, the nail clippers seem like the best option.

By the droopiness of his eyes and legs, he looks like he's dying. They have this look to them when they start to shut down, but it can mimic a surface molt really closely so keep him safe and wait it out. That should have nothing to do with the shell, although he shouldn't have wanted to stay in a shell that shape at all with turbos around. How has he been acting while you've had him? You said he molted once before?

It might be a good idea to do the help template, so that we can spot if something more is going on.

(Calla, there's links at the top of the photo that say Second Photo, Third Photo, etc. I didn't notice them at first either.)

Lburns wrote:Has he ever changed shells since you've had him? Is he in a painted shell? My first thought is maybe the shell was painted with him inside and he's stuck in the shell? I have no experience with this but, that's the only reason I can think of for why he won't change shells. How long have you had him?

Also, is that coconut hut painted? If so, you should get a natural one instead. Crabs can eat paint and get sick.

Good luck. I hope you can figure out a solution. If you decide to cut him out, the nail clippers seem like the best option.

No he hasn't changed I know better then to let him change into those ugly shells! I've had him like two weeks. And he's its painted. Thanks for te advice!

wodesorel wrote:By the droopiness of his eyes and legs, he looks like he's dying. They have this look to them when they start to shut down, but it can mimic a surface molt really closely so keep him safe and wait it out. That should have nothing to do with the shell, although he shouldn't have wanted to stay in a shell that shape at all with turbos around. How has he been acting while you've had him? You said he molted once before?

It might be a good idea to do the help template, so that we can spot if something more is going on.

(Calla, there's links at the top of the photo that say Second Photo, Third Photo, etc. I didn't notice them at first either.)

What's the help template? He used to be extremely active then went down for like a week and he looked "new" when he came up which is why I assumed he molted. I noticed he seemed stuck in his shell but he still moved and then now...

I'm trying to figure out the timeline - you've had him two weeks, and you say he's molted twice? It's almost impossible for a crab to molt that many times in two weeks, since one full molt cycle usually takes a month or more. Molting involves digging into the substrate completely, shedding their old skin, eating it, and then coming back up. Aside from his color - which could be from a moist and humid environment, were there any signs he molted? Shed exoskeleton, sharp black toes?

This is the help template - it has everything we need to know to figure out what might have happened! http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 27&t=46102

wodesorel wrote:I'm trying to figure out the timeline - you've had him two weeks, and you say he's molted twice? It's almost impossible for a crab to molt that many times in two weeks, since one full molt cycle usually takes a month or more. Molting involves digging into the substrate completely, shedding their old skin, eating it, and then coming back up. Aside from his color - which could be from a moist and humid environment, were there any signs he molted? Shed exoskeleton, sharp black toes?

This is the help template - it has everything we need to know to figure out what might have happened! http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 27&t=46102

It must've been a wrong thing if I said twice, but he did dig down for his first week and his claws were pointy like but no exoskeleton, but I can't actually even tell when a crabs molted even when I'm told. I also assumed because he was a lot bigger when he came up.

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 by coping and pasting this list into a New Topic. 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. Thanks!

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Eco earth 5" 3X the size of my largest crab.

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 but I am getting one, I mist the tank twice a day beside it's only ten G and it feels always warm.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Heating pad.

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)?
Bottled water and I'm picking up a salt water dish and Instant Ocean when I go the the let store today or tommorow, because I know PP don't need it as bad.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Only fruits and veggies never commercial food. Sometimes birch leaves and meal worms.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
Two weeks Pp

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
I think it molted and like four days ago.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
TenG mesh lid

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
Two, one about the size of five quarters anotjer two quarters

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

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
Never

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Barley, take out the substrate and wipe down the tank with salt and fresh 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?
Shells

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.)?
No

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
See above

Can someone please respond? This problem isn't just going to disappear.

It isn't that everyone is ignoring this post. Many of us don't know and even the most knowledgeable members and mods do have outside lives. This is not a paying job, it is 100% voluntary and the attitude doesn't help your situation or the fact that as people our lives are not dictated to us by the internet.

I wish I had an answer for you as to what is going on, but I don't. With everything I have learned in the past 10 months I know that crabs will not change shells until they are ready. I have not experienced a paralyzed crab except during a suface molt. If your little guy isn't surface molting this is the end of my "why is this happening" knowledge. The only thing I can think of is to boost his energy by hand feeding him honey on a q-tip. It is good for that. Try rolling it in crushed cuttlebone or something similar.

Hi! First off, sometimes we are not able to respond immediately, although the mods volunteer tons of their time to to this forum, sometimes life or work or children or illness happens. Everyone genuinely makes an effort to respond as soon as they can, especially to emergencies.
With that said, there are several points of concern when reading your conditions:
1. 3X as deep as your largest crab is good, just remember that they grow. You may want to bump that up to a minimum of 6" or more in the future.
2. Depending on where you live "feeling warm" could still be too low. Most crabs are active and happy at around 80°F. It is very important to have gauges. Humidity must be a minimum of 75% at all times.
4. Is your heating pad on the side or bottom of the tank? Always remember to stick it on the back or side of your tank. (Disregard if it is correctly placed above the substrate and on the back of the tank.)
4. All land hermit crabs need fresh and salt water daily. I am not sure where you heard that PP don't need it as badly but that is very untrue. PP need the minerals provided in Instant Ocean or other marine grade salt. Seachem Prime or another dechlorinator is necessary to treat your water for making fresh and salt. Bottled water is not always safe or free of the trace chemicals that will harm crabs.
5. Your hermit crabs need a balanced mix of foods offered daily. They always need a protein source, krill, mealworms, crickets, shrimp, or unseasoned meats, oats, flax meal, pieces of fresh fruit and veggies off the safe food list are important for general well being. Crushed shells, eggshells and cuttlebone for calcium are super important to exoskeleton health.
6/7. If you have only had the crab for two weeks it may or may not have just been destressing and not molted. After it molts it would have sharp black nail tips and hairy legs. Most new crabs bury for weeks and molting can take a couple of months.
8. A ten gallon is fine for 2-3 small crabs but they will need more room as they grow.
10. PP like shells with round openings such as turbos or magpies if they don't already have them. At least 3 per crab so you are doing fine there.
12. It is not necessary to take the substrate out to clean the tank. What kind of salt are you wiping the tank with? Table salt has chemicals added to keep it from clumping or other reasons and this is harmful to crabs. Even sea salt marketed for human consumption has anti caking agents added. This rids the tank of beneficial bacteria that builds up over time. This bacteria aids in breaking down waste. Also if you are just using straight Eco Earth, is it moistened with dechlorinated water? You might mix in some playsand. A 50 pound bag is less than $5 at Home Depot or Lowes (US) and you would have more than enough to deepen your sub. Meeting minimum requirements is great but the crabs seem to do best when they have more digging room.

Your crab can also be suffering from PPS. These guys are plucked off a beach, shipped around the world, and are usually kept in not great conditions. This stresses them out and injures them. Hermit crabs can be injured or ill for a while before showing any signs. Sometimes no matter what, they just don't survive all the handling and moving.
Don't bathe your crab and try to avoid handling it. If you have raw honey and some all natural (no oils or sugars added) peanut butter, mix some and add crushed eggshell and put it on the end of a qtip. Gently offer it to your crab or prop it in the sub close to it.
The ASAP things are to fix your temp/humidity and waters. They keep water in their shells and they must be able to balance out the concentration of salt. They will soak in salt water then adjust by adding fresh until it is right.

I am sure an admin or mod will be along soon but if you haven't read the care guides here that is a good place to start.

soilentgringa wrote:Hi! First off, sometimes we are not able to respond immediately, although the mods volunteer tons of their time to to this forum, sometimes life or work or children or illness happens. Everyone genuinely makes an effort to respond as soon as they can, especially to emergencies.
With that said, there are several points of concern when reading your conditions:
1. 3X as deep as your largest crab is good, just remember that they grow. You may want to bump that up to a minimum of 6" or more in the future.
2. Depending on where you live "feeling warm" could still be too low. Most crabs are active and happy at around 80°F. It is very important to have gauges. Humidity must be a minimum of 75% at all times.
4. Is your heating pad on the side or bottom of the tank? Always remember to stick it on the back or side of your tank. (Disregard if it is correctly placed above the substrate and on the back of the tank.)
4. All land hermit crabs need fresh and salt water daily. I am not sure where you heard that PP don't need it as badly but that is very untrue. PP need the minerals provided in Instant Ocean or other marine grade salt. Seachem Prime or another dechlorinator is necessary to treat your water for making fresh and salt. Bottled water is not always safe or free of the trace chemicals that will harm crabs.
5. Your hermit crabs need a balanced mix of foods offered daily. They always need a protein source, krill, mealworms, crickets, shrimp, or unseasoned meats, oats, flax meal, pieces of fresh fruit and veggies off the safe food list are important for general well being. Crushed shells, eggshells and cuttlebone for calcium are super important to exoskeleton health.
6/7. If you have only had the crab for two weeks it may or may not have just been destressing and not molted. After it molts it would have sharp black nail tips and hairy legs. Most new crabs bury for weeks and molting can take a couple of months.
8. A ten gallon is fine for 2-3 small crabs but they will need more room as they grow.
10. PP like shells with round openings such as turbos or magpies if they don't already have them. At least 3 per crab so you are doing fine there.
12. It is not necessary to take the substrate out to clean the tank. What kind of salt are you wiping the tank with? Table salt has chemicals added to keep it from clumping or other reasons and this is harmful to crabs. Even sea salt marketed for human consumption has anti caking agents added. This rids the tank of beneficial bacteria that builds up over time. This bacteria aids in breaking down waste. Also if you are just using straight Eco Earth, is it moistened with dechlorinated water? You might mix in some playsand. A 50 pound bag is less than $5 at Home Depot or Lowes (US) and you would have more than enough to deepen your sub. Meeting minimum requirements is great but the crabs seem to do best when they have more digging room.

Your crab can also be suffering from PPS. These guys are plucked off a beach, shipped around the world, and are usually kept in not great conditions. This stresses them out and injures them. Hermit crabs can be injured or ill for a while before showing any signs. Sometimes no matter what, they just don't survive all the handling and moving.
Don't bathe your crab and try to avoid handling it. If you have raw honey and some all natural (no oils or sugars added) peanut butter, mix some and add crushed eggshell and put it on the end of a qtip. Gently offer it to your crab or prop it in the sub close to it.
The ASAP things are to fix your temp/humidity and waters. They keep water in their shells and they must be able to balance out the concentration of salt. They will soak in salt water then adjust by adding fresh until it is right.

I am sure an admin or mod will be along soon but if you haven't read the care guides here that is a good place to start.

Thanks for all the info, I use instant ocean water to wipe down my 40G at my dads, I haven't cleaned my 10G yet though I just said that cause I will when I do ever clean the tank. I am getting gauges today, and instant ocean. And yes my EE is moist.