Failing molt ?

[AriannaMarra1]

Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions by coping and pasting this list into a New Topic. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. Thanks!

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
- sand and eco earth in a 5:1 ratio. 5in deep

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?
I have the circular gauges. Not sure the proper name for them but they are NOT digital. Humidity is around 80-85% trmpature is 80 currently. They are located on the furthest wall from the heater.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
There is a reptile heating pad on the outside of the tank. Partially “under” the sand and partially above.

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)?
- I have both fresh and salt water pools. I don’t dechlorinate it I use bottled drinking water for both and use “hermit crab salt water conditioner part 2”

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
- food is replaced every day and is also different all the time. They get a healthy mix of fruits and vegetables along with eggshells, worm castings and a mix I bought off Etsy

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
- 2 purple pinchers for 1 year

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
- they have both molted twice. One of them is on there 3rd molt. I believe it finished in November and went back down in December and I havnt seen it since.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
- 20gal tank with a glass lid

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
- 2 and there both medium

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
- 14

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
- no but we did have a mold issue Wich has since been resolved

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
- don’t normally clean it. Water gets replaced weekly, good every day. Once a month I’ll wipe down the tank walls with plain water and i move things around all the time bc they are constantly destroying it

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
- no

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
- yes but they were molting during the addition so it should be a non factor

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.)?<br /

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Not sure if it’s emergent or if I’m just over worried. But I have 2 crabs, one has always been so much more active than the other. And the other has been very shy and takes longer molts and is up for less time then the other. This past molt we had an extreme mild issue due to high homily and a reptile hammock that wasn’t working out. It has been discarded but when the mold was present they BOTH went under the sand. About a month later 1 came back up and has been up and the other is still down. It’s now been 2.5 months. He’s in the corner all the way down to the bottom and I can see him becouse he’s so close to the wall. I just noticed he was there maybe 3 weeks ago. The substrate hasn’t been disturbed and my other crab is incredibly active. I’m worried he’s failing his molt. I want to do smth but I feel like there’s nothing to do. Hermit crabs can’t contract diseases so the mold likely isn’t the cause but maybe stressful ???? Help


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[JoeHermits]

Can you still see the crab in the corner? Has it moved at all?

Two and a half months is a long time for molting, so they’re either just enjoying the solitude or deceased at this point

In this case you can probably justify digging to satisfy your curiosity, though at this point I doubt there’s much you can do to help the crab


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[AriannaMarra1]

Can you still see the crab in the corner? Has it moved at all?

Two and a half months is a long time for molting, so they’re either just enjoying the solitude or deceased at this point

In this case you can probably justify digging to satisfy your curiosity, though at this point I doubt there’s much you can do to help the crab


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I can still see him and he has not moved.


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[AriannaMarra1]

Can you still see the crab in the corner? Has it moved at all?

Two and a half months is a long time for molting, so they’re either just enjoying the solitude or deceased at this point

In this case you can probably justify digging to satisfy your curiosity, though at this point I doubt there’s much you can do to help the crab


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So I “dug him up” and it turns out it wasn’t him just a cave. There’s no rotting smell so I’m holding the faith until 4 months.


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