Molting info

rmf · Post by **rmf** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 8:01 am

Hi. We are new hermit crab owners of 4. They all buried themselves about 3 weeks ago and have not come up at all. I hope they are surely molting, but how do I know they didn't bury themselves and die? I smoothed the sand on top so that I would be able to tell if they've come up to eat or drink and they have not. My daughter is very concerned about them. Any info is greatly appreciated.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Sun Apr 26, 2015 3:42 pm

Hermitcrabs molt at different rates depending on species and size so three weeks may or may not be a long time relative to the size of the crabs.For hermitcrabs in the size range of Dime to Penny they typically molt once every week, hermitcrabs in the size range of nickle to quarter molt every two weeks or so.Larger hermitcrabs molt less frequently and take longer to get through each molt taking from two to four weeks to complete a molt and typically molt once a month to every eighteen months for the extremely large jumbo baseball to softball sized crabs.If I may ask what size is your crabs? Here is a link to a thread of mine that contains everything you need to know about hermitcrab molts and molting.

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 8:05 am

Mine which are just smaller than a golf ball if you count the shell can and usually do take up to 2 months underground and molt 2-3 times a year.

Horsejazz34 · Post by **Horsejazz34** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 2:23 pm

In that case I'd give them at least another month no real way to know until they other come up or once the 3 months are over you dig out and find empty shells or desceased crabs, at least no way I know of.

Laurie LeAnn · Post by **Laurie LeAnn** » Wed Apr 29, 2015 6:22 am

I had 2 that went down in Feb. Only usually takes my crabs 2 months, I waited and found one dead. I don't usually reccomend digging up crabs but if you have Crabs no bigger than golf balls and they down longer than 3 months with no coming up then you might go looking. Double make sure the crab is dead and not back in the shell alive.