HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So I was looking at my tank this morning removing their old food and poof I seen Bandit walking around. It was nice to see him because he was just down for a molt the last 6weeks. But know I noticed his 2 side legs are all messed up. He is my smaller bully in the tank & I had him for almost 2years. I had no other problems with him besides picking on the other smaller crabs before he molted.. I wonder if they came back for revenge?


(Left Leg)


(Right Leg)

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Sorry if you see Double I think I'm having a problem trying to get my images to show.

They're showing.

Honestly, it looks like the one leg got stuck in his exo when he molted, and both got twisted before they hardened. Nothing to worry about, and it'll be fixed next molt. It can happen occasionally, with no interference from another crab.

wodesorel wrote:They're showing.

Honestly, it looks like the one leg got stuck in his exo when he molted, and both got twisted before they hardened. Nothing to worry about, and it'll be fixed next molt. It can happen occasionally, with no interference from another crab.

Okay Thank You soo much! poor bandit because he looks a little handicapped now. Do you know if it will affect his ability to climb & would the tip on his right leg ever fall?

We had one crab that had part of a leg at 90 degree angle from the rest. He climbed fine an d got around with no issues. Since the exo is hard, it's not going to fall off, so no need to worry there. After you watch him for a few days, you'll get more comfortable with the idea that you're more worried about it then he is.

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I had an adoption where I happened to disturb a crab when she was in the middle of shedding (there wasn't supposed to be five crabs in the tank, only four!) and every single one of her legs ended up twisted. I called her Curlina. I figured she would need to be isolated until she molted, but that gal had no trouble climbing, eating, getting in and out of the water dishes, etc. She was slower than the others, but she could do the same things they were!

That's good to know!
He seems to be doing very well and he still is active. I wonder how they wind up getting their legs twisted up just by being disturbed. like do they turn the wrong way or try to escape during their molt I know I haven't disturbed him I'm pretty sure it was one of my E's because they really enjoy digging..

Off topic I was thinking of my Crab ( Bean) I had brought him about a year ago and put him in his own isolation tank the next day I came back to look at him all his legs had fallin off . I know he wasn't attacked and always wonder what happen to him

That is a sure sign of post purchase syndrome. They basically just can't bounce back after everything that happen on their long journey to you.

KellyCrabbieLove wrote:That is a sure sign of post purchase syndrome. They basically just can't bounce back after everything that happen on their long journey to you.

Yea that's what I thought too... But I remember seeing something online all long time ago about an hermit crab releasing some type of chemical that makes them drop all of their legs when they feel threaten and they would just rather die then to carry on . Idk how true that is though.