HCA: Hermit Crab Association

One of our new hermit crabs burrowed down soon after coming home, and when we came back a few hours later he was gone, and there wasn't even a hole in the ground where he was digging. It looks more or less like smooth sand again.

I am wondering if crabs always refill the holes they dig, or if something terrible has happened and one of the other crabs filled it in for some reason? And now he's going to suffocate all alone in his underground lair?

Common sense would tell me that they need their caves open in order to get air while they're down there, but I'm no expert. We have a 29 gallon aquarium with five small PPs and 6-7 inches of play sand/eco earth 5:1 mix for substrate, if that matters. Nice and moist with sand castle consistency, as everyone seems to recommend.

They will backfill as they go, especially when they are molting. They need to be isolated down there and be hard to find since they are unable to move for a while and will be extremely vulnerable. There is enough oxygen exchange through the sub for them to survive.

wodesorel wrote:They will backfill as they go, especially when they are molting. They need to be isolated down there and be hard to find since they are unable to move for a while and will be extremely vulnerable. There is enough oxygen exchange through the sub for them to survive.

That's good to know! I now feel relieved that he's probably OK down there. Thanks!