HCA: Hermit Crab Association

wodesorel wrote:You can do it, but it takes a while. I only use bare hands when molters are down. Start at one end of the tank where you're pretty sure none are and clear a trench to the very bottom so you have a clear area shaped like a perfect U. Then scrape away at the exposed edge of the sand - keeping as straight an edge as possible - and move slowly across the tank that way. With luck you'll feel the molting cave give way with your pinky and can extract the crab out sideways - less risk of collapsing the cave from the top or missing valuable exo that way. Move all crabs into the iso into a slight depression and cover with a cocohut or dish. Any crab found underground should be considered a molter, no matter what it looks like. The only time the crab should be moved back in with others is after it's been active and moving all around the ISO for at least one day, preferably two or three. I've had crabs killed by rushing it and moving them, only to have them surface molt in the main tank!

Just watch your hands around the crack. If the glass has slipped you could cut yourself.