HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So after a series of hectic events, our power got shut off and I went to my grandmas. Only three of my five crabs were above ground so we put them in my ten gallon so they would at least be somewhere with power. (We are moving the other two in the big tank tomorrow) Once we get the tank to my grandmas, my heat lamp chord breaks, so we have to find something else to put the bulb. Long story short the tank is unbalanced so the heat lamp will work safely. I set the climbing rock against something so it wouldnt fall and hurt a crab. Somehow it did anyways. I have no idea how it fell (its still leaning against a water pool) or how the crab got there in the first place. Im in full blown panic i dont know if the crab is alive or if moving the rock will make it worse. There is no smell but what I can see doesnt look very good.

What can you see?



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Not much, a bit of shell and a leg maybe

so i moved the rock, but i dont think the rock had anything to do with what happened. The crab appears as if it tried to surface moult and then crawled entirely out of its shell. The exo is mangled and mostly crushed, the soft body amd abdomen appear as if it hasnt been touched. The shell is sitting to the side at an odd angle, and the other two crabs seem to want nothing to do with the whole mess. I don't think there's anything I can do at this point, this happened over night and I am almost positive the crab is no longer alive. No movement, but no smell yet so all together i am very confused. Turns out the crab was just behind the rock. I find it odd that the crab presumably tried to surface moult, because he had just come up from a moult less than a month ago. He is not very big but I dont think it was time for another moult, who knows I guess. The whole situation is a huge mess.

Limabean73 wrote:so i moved the rock, but i dont think the rock had anything to do with what happened. The crab appears as if it tried to surface moult and then crawled entirely out of its shell. The exo is mangled and mostly crushed, the soft body amd abdomen appear as if it hasnt been touched. The shell is sitting to the side at an odd angle, and the other two crabs seem to want nothing to do with the whole mess. I don't think there's anything I can do at this point, this happened over night and I am almost positive the crab is no longer alive. No movement, but no smell yet so all together i am very confused. Turns out the crab was just behind the rock. I find it odd that the crab presumably tried to surface moult, because he had just come up from a moult less than a month ago. He is not very big but I dont think it was time for another moult, who knows I guess. The whole situation is a huge mess.

The crab's shell would have protected it from being crushed. Please isolate the crab since it is molting. The crab needs to harden - it will not move during this time - other than to eat it's exoskeleton. You only need to provide the crab with heat, humidity, shelter, and it's exoskeleton during this time. Be extremely hands off so it can be as successful as possible. Good luck!

The entire crab is out of its shell
the exo was shedded and then it looks like he left his shell entirely
he looks incredibly mangled
on the off chance he is alive, i dont believe there is a way to move him without hurting him more

Limabean73 wrote:The entire crab is out of its shell
the exo was shedded and then it looks like he left his shell entirely
he looks incredibly mangled
on the off chance he is alive, i dont believe there is a way to move him without hurting him more

Oh wow - sorry - I guess I misunderstood. I would very gently pick his body up with a spoon - perhaps rinse him in dechlorinated fresh water, and then try to place him in a bowl with his shell (which I would also rinse in dechlorinated fresh water). See if he goes in it. If he doesn't you might have to use your hands, but be extremely gentle. If he does go in it, then move him to iso. rinse his exoskeleton in dechlrintated fw if it is all sandy. Good luck!

Thank you, I will attempt to do that, and update as updates arrive

Poor crab.

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