Surface Molting out of shell, and in the stage where it can’t move

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Smlaskey91
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2020 5:29 am
Location: Coos Bay

Surface Molting out of shell, and in the stage where it can’t move

Post by Smlaskey91 » Thu Oct 15, 2020 1:35 pm

]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! [/color][/i]


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? coconut substrate, 2 gallon, 3-4 inches


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

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


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)?
Fresh treated water

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? every day, hermit crab food, popcorn fruits veggies anything that I’m making that day I’ll put a little something from it in there


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

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? I believe he’s in the process of the exoskeleton hardening part, the other one is molding now too


8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Clear plastic tank with pink lid with plastic covering hole in the middle and vented holes through out the rest

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 2 and a couple inches


10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
2

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Haven’t cleaned it yet because they’ve been molting and are new didn’t want to stress them out

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
Yes every day

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? a couple smooth stones (street being rinsed)


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.)?
Crab was molting, less Scottish then the other one more active, seen outside of his shell and had part of his tail hardening white, he went around the tank and got into s curled up position and hasn’t moved for 3 days but seems like he might be trying to move, looks like he’s trying to move but can’t, he’s like ashy color, (white and Greyish and has turned more so and has more white on his tail, eyes are in a V shape. I rinsed out shells and put them by him but he wouldn’t do anything and I put them in separate room so they didn’t get stressed out now I’m concerned if he’s dead or not


16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.


.


jonathon1989
Posts: 345
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2015 5:30 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Surface Molting out of shell, and in the stage where it can’t move

Post by jonathon1989 » Thu Oct 15, 2020 2:16 pm

Smlaskey91 wrote:
Thu Oct 15, 2020 1:35 pm
]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! [/color][/i]


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? coconut substrate, 2 gallon, 3-4 inches

Substrate should be seven inches.


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

You need temperature and humidity gauges. Hermit Crabs need 75-80 DEGREES and 75-80 Humidity. Without this they will die because they breathe using modified gills.

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

Stop using this. You are going to burn your hermit crabs to death. The HCA has an approved list of heating lamps.

Heating and Lighting: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=92543


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)?
Fresh treated water

They need saltwater to survive. I recommend using Instant Ocean Sea Salt Mix

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? every day, hermit crab food, popcorn fruits veggies anything that I’m making that day I’ll put a little something from it in there


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

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? I believe he’s in the process of the exoskeleton hardening part, the other one is molding now too


8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Clear plastic tank with pink lid with plastic covering hole in the middle and vented holes through out the rest

They need at least a 10 gallon glass tank and an aquarium lid to keep in the humidity.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 2 and a couple inches


10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
2

You should five shells for each crab.

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Haven’t cleaned it yet because they’ve been molting and are new didn’t want to stress them out

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
Yes every day

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? a couple smooth stones (street being rinsed)


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.)?
Crab was molting, less Scottish then the other one more active, seen outside of his shell and had part of his tail hardening white, he went around the tank and got into s curled up position and hasn’t moved for 3 days but seems like he might be trying to move, looks like he’s trying to move but can’t, he’s like ashy color, (white and Greyish and has turned more so and has more white on his tail, eyes are in a V shape. I rinsed out shells and put them by him but he wouldn’t do anything and I put them in separate room so they didn’t get stressed out now I’m concerned if he’s dead or not

First, you need to place the crab back into a shell, then ISO this crab in another tank. Place him into a hut and cover it up with a plant or other decoration so he has complete darkness. Right now he is vulnerable and the other cab could attack him. He needs to borrow so he can molt. You really need to set them up in the proper tank with right substrate, temperature, and humidity, if you want them to survive.

HCA NAKED CRAB GUIDE: viewtopic.php?f=27&t=122302

HCA Hermit Crab Care Guide: viewtopic.php?f=120&t=119273


16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.


.

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AwesomeHermit
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Re: Surface Molting out of shell, and in the stage where it can’t move

Post by AwesomeHermit » Fri Oct 16, 2020 7:40 pm

I think you made a mistake putting two gallons for your tank size. If that's the case, this whole situation is completely different
One or hopefully two Clypeatus
Goodbye my little E. See you soon.
Bye Fred. You lasted almost 4 years with me. Hope you're with my E now! See you soon Reeba as well. I can't believe I lost you only after a month.
Crabbing for 4 years!


Topic author
Smlaskey91
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2020 5:29 am
Location: Coos Bay

Re: Surface Molting out of shell, and in the stage where it can’t move

Post by Smlaskey91 » Sat Oct 17, 2020 7:03 am

Ok thank you, I bought them from nature gifts and they sent us the whole set up and with instructions and the heat lamp, they have a lid and you can see it’s humid because of the moisture in the substrate. I will do what I can... I feel terrible, I’m surprised they would sell them this way if it’s such a dangerous way of having them:/ the other one seems to be doing just fine so I’m not sure, this is our first time, I got them for my kids so we’re can learn about them never imagined it would be like this.

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wodesorel
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Re: Surface Molting out of shell, and in the stage where it can’t move

Post by wodesorel » Sat Oct 17, 2020 7:06 pm

jonathon1989 wrote:
Thu Oct 15, 2020 2:16 pm
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? heat lamp yellow

Stop using this. You are going to burn your hermit crabs to death. The HCA has an approved list of heating lamps.

Heating and Lighting: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=92543
Dude, heat lamps can be a valid method of warming the tank safely. We aren't a dictatorship, there is no "approved" anything here. Heat lamps are heat lamps, they all work the same way though some variations have more cons than others.
Want to see all my crazy pets? @waywardwaifs on Instagram

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AwesomeHermit
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Re: Surface Molting out of shell, and in the stage where it can’t move

Post by AwesomeHermit » Sun Oct 18, 2020 6:41 am

wodesorel wrote:
Sat Oct 17, 2020 7:06 pm
Dude, heat lamps can be a valid method of warming the tank safely. We aren't a dictatorship, there is no "approved" anything here. Heat lamps are heat lamps, they all work the same way though some variations have more cons than others.
That’s a good point. I used to use a heat lamp, but it became a problem when the tank wasn’t warm enough at night. OP, did you mean you have a 2 gallon or 20 gallon tank?
One or hopefully two Clypeatus
Goodbye my little E. See you soon.
Bye Fred. You lasted almost 4 years with me. Hope you're with my E now! See you soon Reeba as well. I can't believe I lost you only after a month.
Crabbing for 4 years!


jonathon1989
Posts: 345
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2015 5:30 pm
Location: Florida

Surface Molting out of shell, and in the stage where it can’t move

Post by jonathon1989 » Sun Oct 18, 2020 7:46 am

wodesorel wrote:
Dude, heat lamps can be a valid method of warming the tank safely. We aren't a dictatorship, there is no "approved" anything here. Heat lamps are heat lamps, they all work the same way though some variations have more cons than others.
My name is Jonathon. Not dude. And not all heat lamps can be used for hermit crabs, especially ones made for reptiles. And a heat lamp for a two gallon tank is too much heat.


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wodesorel
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Re: Surface Molting out of shell, and in the stage where it can’t move

Post by wodesorel » Sun Oct 18, 2020 12:04 pm

Heat lamps for reptiles are what I and other crabbers have always used. What kind of lamps are you even talking about? Reptile heat lamps are made to handle the high temperatures, and are safe. Both the fixtures, and the bulbs.

Safely heating a 2 gallon using any method would be delicate. A heating pad could be just as dangerous as there would be no way to escape excess heat.

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AwesomeHermit
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Re: Surface Molting out of shell, and in the stage where it can’t move

Post by AwesomeHermit » Sun Oct 18, 2020 12:18 pm

I think the fact that the enclosure is two gallons, is more important then the need to fight over whether heat lamps are harmful or not.
One or hopefully two Clypeatus
Goodbye my little E. See you soon.
Bye Fred. You lasted almost 4 years with me. Hope you're with my E now! See you soon Reeba as well. I can't believe I lost you only after a month.
Crabbing for 4 years!

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