HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I posted in the health forum about two new crabs missing pieces of legs so I was hesitant to make a new thread but I can't take it anymore. The one crab dug down and will be just fine, but the other is missing the end segments of two of his legs. The morning after I got him, I woke up to see he dropped one of those legs. I was somewhat pleased, thinking he'd now be able to grow an entire new leg, but he is extremely stressed and inactive. He had stayed by the heat mat all day and night. I moved him right up next to the food dish yesterday and had a dried bug medley, cuttle bone, raw honey, and a blueberry all within close range. This morning I found him half out of his shell moved back from the the dish (presumably to allow the others to get at the food) and he isn't retracting into his shell like he did at first. I'm hoping so hard that it's just a surface molt but I'm really not convinced. Of course I'm not touching him until he stinks of rotten fish though. I placed a half coconut shell over him for the time being. If it is a molt, I want it dark for him. The others generally leave him alone as far as I know.

It's a 20 gallon tank with two med/large crabs, two smalls ( one is the other rescue and both smalls are underground), and one medium that stays buried all the time, only comes out at night.

I know, it's really crowded now, they used to be in a 55 gallon but I moved to a tiny apt and this is all I can do for now. I couldn't turn my back on these new guys either and was planning to rescue and rehome them. I have a couple good pieces of wood that the two larges are always sitting on so there's room for everyone to have their own place.

3-4 inches of 5:1 sand and cocofiber

80% humidity and 80 degrees F, it sometimes gets as high as 90 but hasn't gone that high since I've had him and it never drops below 75. It hasn't gotten that low since I've had him anyway.

Lots of tapestry shells to change into that he hasn't touched. (He's currently in a too small apple murex.)

I give them fresh fruit, seaweed, freeze dried salmon, carrots when I have them, oats and plain popcorn sometimes, and I just got the dried bugs and a variety of frozen fish food so they can have more varied protein sources. Plus the honey.

I don't handle them a whole lot and just spot clean the tanks and give them clean fresh and saltwater every time the pools get messy and the water starts evaporating.

I know there's not much I can do but wait right now. He should have been in iso but I don't have that capability. I guess I'm just looking for advice or reassurance. Is there anything I missed? I've had one of these guys for close to 3 years, one of them for a year, and two I adopted earlier this year. Then the two new ones I just rescued 2 days ago. I would much appreciate any help!

I had a remarkably similar situation recently. I did the best I could: as soon as I figured he wasn't eating, I assumed surface molt. I placed a cocohut over him and put moist moss inside then barricaded the opening with shells to protect him against other crabs. He was new as well. I really don't know what else you can do in this situation. When it comes down to this type of thing, it seems the best method is the "waiting and seeing what the heck happens" method.

In regards to you having to post twice, I'm sorry. For whatever reason, it seems this website isn't as active as when I first joined. I'm currently seeing a lot of unanswered posts.

hey I just wanted to say hiiii and say that it sounds like you're doing everything you can for you little guy! I thought about what i'd be doing from what you described, and it would be the same- offering fresh sources of anything they might wanna munch on to feel better, making sure they're not too hot or cold or dry or soaking unless they wanna be, watching like a hawk even tho it may not be moving much and sharing my worry on here.. .
hopefully it gets better, good luck!!!

@franckinator, second time i've seen your signature and laughed; tooooo funny !

StayLoki wrote:
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@franckinator, second time i've seen your signature and laughed; tooooo funny !

Haha thank you, that right there is my first compliment

Adastra, keep your hopes up. You do have a lot of crabs in your tank, and that could possibly be why this crab seems to be stressed, but just keep on waiting and watching

I'm doing the same with my little guy but unfortunately had to isolate him (see my post in emergency).
I too am like @franckinator...not seeing many replies. I was hoping someone would check mine to be sure I have responded to Peanut's emergency correctly! But it's a "wait & see mostly"!


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Please fill out the emergency template so we can address areas of concern in your habitat. Thanks

Thanks, everyone. He did end up passing. I feel like I contributed a lot to his stress which bums me out but next time will be better hopefully. I got him from the petsmart I work at. We take excellent care of our crabs, I trained all of our associates on their care and got our district manager to let me put deep sand in the tanks and explained molting and de-stressing to her. I pull a whole lot less dead crabs out now. Anyway, they come in with our fish shipment every Friday but the truck was 3 days late and they were all sitting on that truck for 3 days so I know everything was going against this little guy. We lost quite a bit of fish too. Isolating at home just wasn't an option this time and it's killing me to not have them in their 55 gallon tank, hopefully we'll be able to find a bigger apartment when our lease is up next summer. At least I know the other rescue is safe! As far as posting twice, its not that no one responded, it's just that it turned into an emergency situation and I thought I'd get quicker replies here. Anyway, Thanks again!

awezzz sorry!!