HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I have been a hermit crab on owner for about three years now. One of my youngest crabs is now way too big for his shell and he won’t come out. I can’t even see his antenna’s anymore. It’s like he’s frozen. One of the other hermit crabs was right next to him and literally put his arm around him and was looking at the shell I had placed right beside him with the hopes it would encourage him to come out. Changed the food, changed the water, even got a brand new sea sponge. I thought I saw him move but it’s questionable. He’s so big, he’s crammed in there and I did blow on him but he didn’t move but he’s still pink in color. No smell of a dead carcass either. I caught one of my bigger crabs teaching another crab how to get into a new shell but that crab is molting right now and can’t come out to help. I don’t want my poor crabby to die crammed his shell. He has plenty of options to go to in terms of a new shell. Help! What do I do?

You can’t force a crab to switch shells, only offer options and hope they like them. Check out our shell guide for preferred shells (PPs like turbos a lot).

Are you sure he’s still alive? Their antennae will sometimes “stick” to each other upon passing.


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