HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hey all. I haven’t posted here in ages! I’ve had crabs for roughly 10 years and this is the first time this has happened. Just want to make sure I’m doing everything right. Please tell me if I’m missing something.

So one of my girls was down for a molt. The other day we heard a lot of chirping but couldn’t see anything concerning. Tonight I noticed she was up but was sitting in an odd position just in the edge of the hole she came up from. I am pretty hands off but something seemed odd so I picked her up and yep she got munched. she’s still a bit pink but able to move. I didn’t want to handle her too much so I’m not exactly sure but I think she lost her big pincher and at least 1 leg, and lower portions on 2 legs. She has her small pincher I believe. She was in a shell when I found her.

I don’t have an iso tank set up so I put some dirt into a container, poked holes in the lid and set it in the tank. It’s deep enough for her to bury if she’s able. I have fresh water in a tiny container in there, still need to find a second for salt water but I’ll set her in the sw dish in the tank for a second in the morning while I change her food.
Foodwise: she leans to one side low to the ground so I just put finely ground dry food directly on the dirt and she immediately started eating. I didn’t find any exo so she has crushed eggshell and calcium powder, Repashy beach buffet and super veggie, some millet, freezedried chicken and fish and some bloodworms.

I’m going away this weekend so I think I’ll keep her in there til I’m back and then see where we’re at. I’ll check her Friday morning before we leave and then Sunday evening when I’m back, it’s just one day I won’t be able to. If she’s moving around and not wanting to molt by sunday do you think I’m safe to take her out of iso? Or should she stay in until she regenerates?

I’m afraid for my one other molter too, I’m tempted to dig. I think she’s been down a while.

I would leave her in the iso for a while, not just a day or two. Personally, I wouldn't set her in the salt water dish, she will have a balance of salt and fresh in her shell, and that could mess it up. I also wouldn't necessarily dig up the other molter at this point.

It would help us if you'd fill in the 'emergency template', so we can help trouble shoot.

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 27&t=46102

Pics posted on the fb page https://www.facebook.com/groups/HermitC ... 3?sfns=xmo

Can you answer the questions in the emergency template?

As I said, I wouldn't dig the other one up yet, and would leave this one in iso.

Here are OP’s photos from the FB page.

Also- while we do encourage people who are having trouble with their crabs to use the emergency template so that areas of concern can be identified, this isn’t a requirement. People don’t have to fill it out or answer the questions unless they choose to do so.




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Yes, sorry, I didn't mean to sound pushy about the template. The post stated "Just want to make sure I’m doing everything right. Please tell me if I’m missing something" so I thought she wanted info about the whole set-up. I know she's an experienced crabber, so thought maybe there was something else going on that would lead her to want to dig the other crab up.
With the information provided, I would not dig up the other crab, and I would not let this one out of iso yet.

Thanks. I meant was I missing anything/doing everything right regarding how I deal with the injured crab. My setup is pretty decent. 70g tank with 5 pps, playsand and ee mix, plenty deep for the largest crab. 80/80 ish. I’m not worried about my setup. I know I do need to revamp their feeding routine ie stock up in some stuff I’m out of, make up some more mixes. Maybe their diet is getting too repetitive.
The other molter came up and looks fab. My concern was because we did hear a lot of upset chirping a couple days before the injured one surfaced, so I was worried about the other one too. Seems like it was isolated to just this girl.
She’s still in iso, eating like crazy. She’s not trying to get out but is able to move around. I hope she decides to molt soon, I’m going away for a week in August and don’t really want to have to get a pet sitter in here daily. She’ll be in a couple times to check on the cats so I’m sure I can ask her to feed the crabs too but I’d rather not put this burden on her.

On the plus side she seems to have decided to trust me. She has no issues with eating while I’m poking around in her container, doesn’t tuck in even if I pick her up. . Because it’s a small area it gets stink pretty quick, especially the water. I enlarged the air holes, hoping that helps. The others are fascinated and climb all over her container of course lol. I feel bad having her cooped up in their but i don’t want to let her out since she has no bp and missing part of the small one, she may not be able to dig. I’m fully expecting a surface molt.
I guess I’ll just keep pumping her full of protein and calcium and see what happens.

I don’t know ... do you think it’s safe to let her out of iso? She’s not showing signs of molt, still eating and active. She tips the water repeatedly until the iso floods and stinks like sulphur. Every few days I have to dump it and put fresh sub in
I worry that she can’t defend herself if another crab attacks her but I worry that bacteria or flooding will take her out while I’m away. The sitter won’t know what to do

Update. She’s still in iso. She tucked herself down into a corner and hasn’t moved or eaten in a few days. I duct taped the sides of the container and draped the top and sides of her corner of the tank, hopefully it’s dark enough. Fingers crossed for a successful molt

Hope she does well!!