my boss gave my kid a hermit crab for christmas, help!

[ohchristmasy]

I have a great boss, and she got my son a hermit crab for Christmas. I must confess that prior to getting "Christmasy", I had no clue in owning one. I had family in town for a week after Christmas, and we did some travelling. Poor little crab was still in his little carrying case, and not getting the attention he nedded. I had NO IDEA the care required, and now I am in love with this little guy! We got him a 10 gallon tank, I have it set up with the two water dishes, extra shells, and I Change fresh food nightly (didn't seem to like the store food mix, loves n uts and fruit!) Well, hours after putting him in the tank with coconut eco-earth substrate, he buried down and has not emerged (3days). I have taken a peek late at night and I can hear him moving around on the bottom of the tank. I really hope this little guy survives! I want to get him a friend, but since he is submerged, not sure I should yet, how should I bring the new crab in? What if he does not come up for food? My son said "I miss him!"...me too. Thanks for listening, any advice would be great!

[aussieJJDude]

First off, welcome to HCA! Hope you like it here.
So I take that your tank has a nice depth of EE (eco-earth) for the crab to dig in? Most likely he is just destressing, where new crabs tend to dig down, chill and get use to their better environment.
As for the new crab; it depends on his current setup (does he have all the basics?). If so, then a buddy would be beneficial for the crab as you might of read/know that these crabs are social and do better in groups. (The only limit is our tank size and the size of our crabs!)

Might want to check out Care Sheets, Guides, and Frequently Asked Questions in understanding your new pet and clicking any of the topics. A good starting point I would recommend is this guide Care Sheet: Basic Hermit Crab Care for All Species where it will provide a clear "shopping list" just in case you might of missed anything important for the crab and a basic crash course in understanding your new pet. Don't be too worried if you're struggling to understand the new/fancy concepts; these will become familiar to you overtime. Any concerns; feel free to ask around.

[landlubber]

Welcome to the HCA! I was like you at one time, grandparents gave my daughter 2 crabs and it all took off from there. They are very cute and interesting critters.

[ohchristmasy]

Thanks for the tips! I have not seen any movement the past two nights...smells a little funny, but I was spraying with the salt water, probably messed that up, switched to fresh water in the spray. I am going to continue to hope though! I am sure the truth will be revealed in a couple of days! Meanwhile, we got a dog, so that seems to be protecting my 6-year old from the impending heartbreak of a dead crab.