My E was out of shell and found him on saltwater tub not mov

[Katievalencia]

Help! I just i got him 2 months ago and went underground for 2 or 3 weeks then finally saw him out this morning without his shell on saltwater tub. Not sure if he died or molting? I moved him out of the tank but placed him back after reading some stuff about molting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GotButterflies]

Hello. Is he alive? He needs to be reshelled as soon as possible. Then, just set him upright, and give him a few minutes. Perhaps he is still alive.

Please fill this out: viewtopic.php?f=27&t=46102

Edit: Try not to mess with him, as that will only stress him out further. If you have an iso tank, set him up in that.

[Katievalencia]

I don’t see any movement even his antennae not moving. do i put him in his shell? He left his shell underground


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Katievalencia]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Eco earth and hermit crab sand bought at pet store

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?
75-80 temp, 75-80 humidity top of tank

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? No heat source

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)? Poland spring water and imagitarium saltwater

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Hermit crab meal, fresh fruits, cheerios, nuts replaced everyday

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? 2 months

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? Not sure

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 10 gal tank

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 4 medium sized

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 6

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Just got them 2 months ago

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

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? Cholla wood ang hut

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.)? 3 are underground for 2-3 weeks now, only 1 is out and got him 1week ago

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AwesomeHermit]

4 medium crabs cannot fit in a 10 Gallon without being territorial, especially E’s. If you could, I would update to a bigger tank, or get more tanks. I would also recommend to have at least 5 shells per crab, but I personally recommend more. Sand labeled as “Hermit Crab Sand” can become rock solid when wet, and it can trap your crabs underground. I recommend Quickrete play sand which is only roughly 5 dollars for a big bag.

[wodesorel]

I sadly agree with AwesomeHermit - that is too many Es for too small a tank. This species is extremely active and known for digging up molters, they need as much room and substrate (playsand, not hermit sand as already covered) as possible.

There is a very good chance they are putting off molting or were disturbed during molting because they are not safe from the others. This can lead to them dying. The classic signs of a dying E is them dropping their shell and heading into the saltwater. I'm so sorry.

Their tank is also a bit on the cool side. Es come from a much warmer location and should really be kept at a good 80 degrees. Too cool for too long can have negative effects.

Having more shells is also a good idea, and making sure they are the right kind. While Es can be stubborn about changing, they will try and take another crabs shell if it looks better than what they have.

[Katievalencia]

he passed.. thanks for all the replies,all are noted! i will have to change the substrate with playsand and get more shells, any advise on how to change the substrate with two hermies still underground? Shall i wait for them to come up? I’m afraid i might hurt them if they’re in the process of molting..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GotButterflies]

I'm late to the party, but the few things I recommend the following for Es:
a minimum of 10 gallons per E
a minimum of 10-12" of substrate. Es love to dig.
two proteins a day.
two calcium choices available at all times.

By following these guidelines I haven't had any issues with my Es. Also, I don't recommend any commercial foods for hermit crabs. Hermits can eat a lot of the things we do. Make sure you cover all aspects of food pyramid Foods should be organic when possible. Hermit crabs are sensitive to pesticides and fertilizers.
Safe food list: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92557
Unsafe food list: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92556
Food pyramid: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92554