I'm a Bad Person, Help

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HermiesAreGreat
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I'm a Bad Person, Help

Post by HermiesAreGreat » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:07 pm

My hermie was never, and I mean NEVER coming up out of the ground. His substrate is just EcoEarth and that's it. The humidity is always above what it is needed to be, but the temperature is averaging about 73-78 degrees Fahrenheit. I basically quit caring (no water/food) for him since I thought he died. For one reason or another, I decided to dig him up and he was alive and wasn't molting. I still quit caring for him, then swapped his 20 gallon tank for a 10 gallon since I got some goldfish and was setting up a tank for them. I now have started caring for him again and feeding/watering, but his food has not moved and the water doesn't show any signs of being used. (No EE particles from him going in the water) I am worried because he is buried all the time and he looked like he may have been dehydrated. I don't know if this goes on here or emergency, but I'm worried about his health. Please help asap.

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fandt94
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Re: I'm a Bad Person, Help

Post by fandt94 » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:27 pm

Sorry to hear this....you aren’t a bad person! Are you 100% sure he never came topside? How long has it been? I’m a newbie so take my advice with a grain of salt, but your temps definitely need to be higher...do you have a heat source?

You said you dug him up...are you sure he hadn’t molted or was in the process? When you dug him up what did he do. You mentioned you have started caring for him again...is he completely dug down in the sub? Sry, need more details...I’d suggest filling out the emergency template
Mom to 3 human boys, 2 dogs - Hemi & Athena, 2 cats - Fat a$$ (realname Spark Plug) & Batman & 5 PP’s - Monstro, Pinkie aka Little Bit, Shellie, other 2 unnamed


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HermiesAreGreat
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Re: I'm a Bad Person, Help

Post by HermiesAreGreat » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:43 pm

fandt94 wrote:Sorry to hear this....you aren’t a bad person! Are you 100% sure he never came topside? How long has it been? I’m a newbie so take my advice with a grain of salt, but your temps definitely need to be higher...do you have a heat source?

You said you dug him up...are you sure he hadn’t molted or was in the process? When you dug him up what did he do. You mentioned you have started caring for him again...is he completely dug down in the sub? Sry, need more details...I’d suggest filling out the emergency template
He was the same exact color as when I first had him and didn't show any signs. When I dug him up, I put him on my desk and he came out and started moving and looked kind of dehydrated. As soon as I got done setting his new tank up he immediately dug down into the substrate. And yea, he completely digs down. I am a night owl so I stay up very late, and I've seen him come topside once not long after I got him, it was around 2am. I never see him though, plus I am in high school so no one ever sees my tank from certain times cause it's in my room.

And ok, I'll fill it out. Thanks

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fandt94
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Re: I'm a Bad Person, Help

Post by fandt94 » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:51 pm

On a positive note...he is obviously still alive so that’s a good thing! He’s surviving on something (they DO eat the sub too and old food) he could have been eating and drinking small amounts without you noticing...most of the time I can’t tell if mine have eaten or not unless I see them or a dish is really disturbed. I’m a newbie and I’ve NEVER seen my crabs in my water pools nor really seen any evidence either. (I’m a night owl as well!). For now I’d fill out the emergency form and continue food and water....maybe someone here can help you out better.
Mom to 3 human boys, 2 dogs - Hemi & Athena, 2 cats - Fat a$$ (realname Spark Plug) & Batman & 5 PP’s - Monstro, Pinkie aka Little Bit, Shellie, other 2 unnamed


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HermiesAreGreat
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Slightly Neglected my Crab, not sure if he is going to live

Post by HermiesAreGreat » Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:12 am

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
100% EE and about 6-7 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?
Yes, I have one that measures both. It is on the substrate on the right front corner, on the opposite side of the tank from the UTH that is stuck to the side. The humidity can be 89% to 100% (higher 90's most of the time). The temperature is 73-77 degrees F.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, a UTH that was made for a 10 gal.

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)?
Both types of water are available, and I don't treat it because it is well water. I wasn't sure whether or not I had to treat it, and I'm not even sure how to treat it. I use InstantOcean salt 1/2cup per gallon.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Dried shrimp, banana, and coconut. Normally replaced daily except for shrimp, that's more of every 3 days or so.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had it since April of this year, and it is a PP.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Nope

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
A 10 gallon tank. Just recently moved him from a 20 gallon. He had two hides but now he has one. The lid is some kind of insulated foam with a foil tape or something on it, my dad made it for me.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how
large are they?
One crab and he's about 3-4 inches I think, maybe bigger.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
A lot, around 15 (I had 2 baby crabs compared to him that succumbed to PSS

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
Nope

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I haven't really had to clean the tank and I don't know how to tell when I need to. I once had a mold break out and I scooped it all out and it hasn't happened again.

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

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Nope

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.)?
My crab never EVER leaves his substrate. I have yet to see him do it. I'm not sure why. This led me to believe he wasn't alive, but I dug him up and found him to be alive and NOT molting. I didn't care for him for a while, not replacing water or food, and then dug him up again, still alive, and not molting. This time it was to swap his tank, and I started properly caring for him again.


16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
When I dug him up last he seemed like he may have been dehydrated? His legs looked weird. He could also be close to molting, but they look almost kind of shriveled. I know I didn't care for him and it is my fault. I need help now though. I don't know what to do to try and save him, and I'm not sure if his behavior of burrowing will even allow me to save him. I haven't seen ANY signs of him eating/drinking. His food hasn't moved at all, and there is no EE particles in his water as if he went in it. Someone told me to post this in the emergency section so I am. Please help me D:

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elly_bananas
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Re: Slightly Neglected my Crab, not sure if he is going to l

Post by elly_bananas » Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:15 am

Hi! Um, you could try introducing more proteins, nuts, raw honey, calcium like eggs shells or half a hard boiled egg, cuttle bone etc. Definetly more proteins.

Probably should avoid digging him up tho. Its highly recommended to leave them be once they go under and never to dig. Unless in emergency. Doing so could not only stress them out, but disfigure or hurt them as well.

I dont know much about well water, but i have read here that those owners still dechlorinate. Couldnt hurt.

May i ask why you moved him from a 20 to a 10?

What do you use as water containers?

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wodesorel
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Re: I'm a Bad Person, Help

Post by wodesorel » Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:51 am

I don't have time right this second to respond, but wanted to let all involved know that I merged the help questions with the original topic so it's all in one place.
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fandt94
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Re: I'm a Bad Person, Help

Post by fandt94 » Fri Oct 12, 2018 6:29 pm

A quick response on the well water...I also have well water and thought it was okay to to use...however, after much research on here I learned it still should be treated with a dechlorinator. I use Prime and it will last forever! Just 1-2 drops treats a gallon of water. I only use the dechlorinated well water for my fresh water pool, however, because I noticed a film using it for the salt water pool. So for my salt water I use dechlorinated spring/bottled water. We have a water cooler for our drinking water so I just fill a gallon jug, dechlorinate it, and mix in the salt.
Mom to 3 human boys, 2 dogs - Hemi & Athena, 2 cats - Fat a$$ (realname Spark Plug) & Batman & 5 PP’s - Monstro, Pinkie aka Little Bit, Shellie, other 2 unnamed

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