HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hey all! I'm very new on this website, so please understand any confusion! I also DESPERATELY NEED HELP!!
I have 6 hermit crabs and have had them for about 3 months now. One of them, violet or vi, molted the first day we got her, and it took roughly a week (give or take), and since then she HASNT MOVED. Day OR night. She just sits on a moss pit, even after upgrading the tank, and doesn't move. When we first put her in a new tank, she will look around for a bit, and then not move. When we first moved her, she went to the salt dish for about half an hour, then went to the moss pit and hasn't moved since, and it's been about a week!
We thought the problem was that there wasn't enough space, but even now, only with a small hermit crab that moves around alot at night, she doesn't move!!
I've noticed that almost like clockwork ever week, once a week, all of the food will be gone, and all over the tank, and I don't think the little dude is doing it, but I haven't seen her move since putting her in there, and it's common behavior in the previous tank as well! She seems to really like (on the few times she did move, which were once in a blue moon), she's go to the 27/7 mix of greensand, oyster flour, crushed eggshells and worm castings....
Should I be worried? I don't want to pick her up or scare her...and there isn't a fishy smell!!
PLEASE HELP!!

Hi and welcome to crabbing!

If you haven't already, check out the basic care sheet to make sure your tank is set up correctly:

https://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB ... 0&t=119273

Since she is fairly new, hanging in one spot may just be her way of destressing. Does she retract into her shell if you get near her or touch her? If so, she's probably fine. (Also, a crab that has passed will hang limp out of its shell when you pick it up). You'll want to just let her be so you don't stress her out. She's likely going to the food dish and water pools while you are sleeping and getting her munchies on lol.

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Thank you for your reply!!
Unfortunately when I was past her tank, or even put my hand in right beside her, she doesn't hide in her shell, or even really react. I also pay close attention to the food I put in each night, and it's usually barely eaten (I suspect the tiny hermit crab I have in there is the one eating), and I sure hope she does move when I'm not awake, because it stresses me out worrying about her! I've stayed up until ~midnight, and she still doesn't move, and what's more, she's in the same position she was I'm before I went to bed!
Thank you for replying, and for the tips, I'll be sure to watch even more closely!
Ps, when do most hermit crabs stop de-stressing? I have the 4 others in one tank, and they just immediately started climbing....

What happens if you pick her up by the shell? Does she fall out or stay in? Does she smell?

If I pick her up by the shell she hides a little before freaking out and having all her legs go all over, she doesn't smell as far as I can tell, but thankfully she isn't falling out of her shell

Okay, well she is alive and gets bothered when you pick her up - which is great! I honestly wouldn't do anything differently, just let her hang out in one spot if she wants. Keep the temp and humidity in a good range, offer healthy foods, appropriate shells and water, and let her do her thing! Like CL77 said, she may just be de-stressing. She CAN move, she is just choosing not to LOL.

Lol, thank you so much!
A little update: I think she might've been molting (it's been about 2 months since her last, unfortunately surface and molt,), but either way, she's WAYYY more active now! She has 3 spots she loves in another moss pit near the water, the food dish (right beside the moss pit, and then there's the log left to that), and the log!


I do have a slight concern in my other tank though...I have 4 (I believe PPs) in a 90 gallon, one like XL jumbo, (fills your entire palm and you need 2 hands for him to come out of his shell fully), and 2 larges with a medium. One of the larges was with a medium and a tiny hermit crab, and I believe was bullying them (and possibly ate one of the small ones (BEFORE I ADOPTED THEM!!!), they weren't in the best conditions unfortatently when I adopted them from other people), but he almost never sleeps, and seems VERY scared and wary of the jumbo...the other large and medium have both gone down to molt, so it's not that, and the worst thing is that the jumbo doesn't know how big he is!
(The previous owners of the jumbo stated he could be territorial, but from research that appears to just be from lack of space, and the 90 gallon is a reg, not tall, and has plenty of space for EVERYONE, so I doubt it'd be that, plus I haven't seen any hostility)
Thank you again!!