He is burrowed in bad tank, do I move him?

[Pumpkin the Crab]

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 as best you can. 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. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? a mix of coconut substrate (mostly) and some crab sand


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?
Yes, in this old tank they are in a corner and read 72 degrees and 45% humidity.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? yes, in this old tank it is bulbs with an automatic plug that turns off and on


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)?
Salt (recommended amount on directions) and fresh (with hermit crab dechlorinator)

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Sometimes dried peas, usually a mix of fruit and oats (he doesn’t like bugs) replaced every week because he has some live plants and wood to eat and I cannot afford to feed him more often (let me know if i need to change it more)

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
1 year (he is 3 years old) purple pincher (i think)

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Yes, 3 months maybe

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Wooden currently and i just bought a new one that is glass so I can use a side of tank heater and a humidifier

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 1 currently but I want 2 more


10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? LOTS of natural shells he is spoiled because I can’t tell which one he likes


11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Honestly not often enough it’s a 29 gal (current wooden tank) and I cleaned it about once a month bc I was so busy and also depressed (im trying to do better for him)

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?
Not to the wooden tank

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.)?
No playtime bc he hates me lmao I’ll get there with him eventually

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I am moving Pumpkin into a better tank that will allow for proper conditions to be maintained at a much better rate than the current tank will allow. I moved everything except for HIM and his substrate. He is burrowed. I have done a little bit of poking around but not enough that his hole could collapse. Should I leave him be burrowed even if the current tank cannot hold good humidity and heat? Is there a way I can coax him out?

Btw I am only 16 I am very sorry if I am doing something wrong for Pumpkin, please let me know!! I want him to be happy. I am working to get him to the right conditions, but he was a rescue and I am a broke high schooler. The wooden tank picture is the current tank and the glass tank is my new setup. Ok actually idk how to attach photos… but just know the new setup is a lot better (functionality wise, there is no substrate yet and it isn’t set up for decorations)

[curlysister]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? a mix of coconut substrate (mostly) and some crab sand
Curly - What do you mean by 'crab sand'? What brand is it? You can get play sand really cheap at a hardware store, it comes in a 50 pound bag for less than 10$. You want your substrate to be moistened with dechlorinated water so that it holds it's shape, but not so wet that water pools in the bottom. It should be 2 to 3 times as deep as your largest crab.

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?
Yes, in this old tank they are in a corner and read 72 degrees and 45% humidity.
Curly - As you know, this is not good conditions - it's great that you are planning a new tank!

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? yes, in this old tank it is bulbs with an automatic plug that turns off and on


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)?
Salt (recommended amount on directions) and fresh (with hermit crab dechlorinator)
Curly - Be sure that you are using an appropriate dechlorinator that removes everything that needs to be removed - SeaChem Prime is a commonly used brand. And that the salt is marine salt - Instant Ocean is a commonly used brand. What brand are yours?

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Sometimes dried peas, usually a mix of fruit and oats (he doesn’t like bugs) replaced every week because he has some live plants and wood to eat and I cannot afford to feed him more often (let me know if i need to change it more)
Curly - Crabs do best with a varied diet. You don't have to spend money on their food - you can find many things in your kitchen and bits of what you eat! They do need animal protein daily, as well as calcium. Some ideas include meat (chicken, pork, beef etc, but not processed kinds), seafood (shrimp, fish etc), grains (oats, rice, flax, quinoa, chia, hemp etc), fruits (any of them), veggies (any of them), eggs and egg shells, greens (lettuce, kale, spinach, chard etc).

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
1 year (he is 3 years old) purple pincher (i think)

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Yes, 3 months maybe

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Wooden currently and i just bought a new one that is glass so I can use a side of tank heater and a humidifier
Curly - You will need to be careful with the humidifier, so as not to cause a flood. If you have moistened substrate, and your lid is mostly sealed, your humidity may very well stay up where it needs to be, without misting or running a humidifier. If you don't have the heat mat yet, shop by physical size, not by how many gallons it says it will heat. You want a mat that goes across the back of your tank, and is mostly positioned above the level of the substrate.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 1 currently but I want 2 more
Curly - How big is the new tank?

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? LOTS of natural shells he is spoiled because I can’t tell which one he likes


11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Honestly not often enough it’s a 29 gal (current wooden tank) and I cleaned it about once a month bc I was so busy and also depressed (im trying to do better for him)
Curly - Tanks don't need to be cleaned often - just remove bits of food they have dragged around, and any poop that you can see.

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?
Not to the wooden tank

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.)?
No playtime bc he hates me lmao I’ll get there with him eventually

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I am moving Pumpkin into a better tank that will allow for proper conditions to be maintained at a much better rate than the current tank will allow. I moved everything except for HIM and his substrate. He is burrowed. I have done a little bit of poking around but not enough that his hole could collapse. Should I leave him be burrowed even if the current tank cannot hold good humidity and heat? Is there a way I can coax him out?
Curly - How long has he been underground? Any poking around is a risk to collapse a tunnel. If he's been down a while, and your tank conditions aren't great, I would risk digging him up if your other tank's conditions are good. You only have the one crab, so won't need to worry about isolating him from other crabs if he is mid-molt - but if he is in the middle of molting, you will want to put him in a smaller container inside the main tank so he is in the dark with his exoskeleton. If you do dig, start in a corner and go horizontally, so that you come into a molt cave from the side - less risk of collapsing it that way. And then you will want to get the sub into the new tank and get the heat and humidity in a safe zone asap.

Btw I am only 16 I am very sorry if I am doing something wrong for Pumpkin, please let me know!! I want him to be happy. I am working to get him to the right conditions, but he was a rescue and I am a broke high schooler. The wooden tank picture is the current tank and the glass tank is my new setup. Ok actually idk how to attach photos… but just know the new setup is a lot better (functionality wise, there is no substrate yet and it isn’t set up for decorations)
Curly - You will need to use a photo sharing website, or the TapaTalk app to add photos.

[Pumpkin the Crab]

This information is not at all in order, sorry. All of the items I use should be safe for crabs. I used to give him mealworms and crickets, but he never ate them. I still try every few weeks, but he rarely touches them. I will try some of the other proteins you recommended. His new tank is a 40 gallon, so it should be enough to get him some friends. After school tomorrow I will dig him up and move the substrate to his new tank. I’m not sure the substrate will be deep enough throughout the entire tank, as it is a 10 gallon increase from the previous tank (with currently 7-8 inches). If there is not enough substrate, I will buy more sand to add to it because as of right now there is a lot more dirt than sand (and he tends to molt in the places where the sand is more concentrated). I’ll just place the dirt at a slant if necessary for the new tank until the sand arrives (still not sure if I will need more). I misted his tank A BUNCH tonight and placed his favorite food in the tank to try to coax him out. Right now his tank is empty other than his food, but before I go to sleep tonight I will place some freshwater and a few shells in there in case he emerges. The humidifier in the new tank is automatic, so hopefully no flooding will happen. Not sure how useful it will be in the glass tank, but I bought it to get my parents prepared for taking care of him while I am in college. I downloaded the tapatalk app and will post photos of the tanks soon.

I will update tomorrow after I dig him up and he is in the new tank (assuming all goes well).

[Pumpkin the Crab]

I put a small bowl of freshwater in the old tank and covered it with a towel to hold humidity and heat better.


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[Pumpkin the Crab]

And btw he has only been underground for about a week


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[Pumpkin the Crab]

Digging him up was a success!! The fog machine and heater are on and he is underneath the hideout in his new tank. I haven’t moved all of the substrate yet, but I just wanted to say that he is okay now!!


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[curlysister]

So he wasn't in the process of molting when you found him? That's good. He very well may bury again right away in the new tank, so make sure the substrate is moistened so it holds it's shape.