Strange Molt Situation

[Moonkitten94]

Ok, so, I currently have a few crabs molting properly and normally. There were two that I could see through the bottom of the tank and I checked on them multiple times a day to make sure that they were doing ok and going through the proper process.

Well, today, I wasn't home all day as I went to school. When I got back, I went and checked on my crabs-counted them, changed their water/food, and checked my molters that I could see-only where my bigger crab was molting, I saw one of my smaller crabs. Naturally, I freaked out. I moved all the other crabs that weren't molting out of the tank and got a spoon to carefully dig down in order to pull the intruder crab out. Once I had him out, I carefully poked and prodded around the area, expecting the worst AKA a torn apart squishy crab.

Instead, I found my big molter, out of his shell, but intact and moving! Again, panicking, I collected the remaining parts of his eco (most was eaten already by him), carefully uncovered him, and moved him into a plastic container using a spoon. I then placed his exo in the container, along with his shell, and put him in my unoccupied ISO tank. He was moving as this was happening, but has since stopped. I know he is very stressed and very tired.

I want to help my crab!!! I have no idea what the best thing to do is, tho, and I can't find much about this strange type of situation online.

PLEASE HELP!

[NLindsey921]

Reshell him asap. Rinse his abdomen off in freshwater and gently slide him into the shell. He should sit.

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[Moonkitten94]

I thought that you were not supposed to get their bodies directly wet while molting?

[Moonkitten94]

Sorry! I didn't see that we were supposed to fill this out.

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Mixture of coconut fiber and play sand, deepest pet is about 7.5 inches, three times at tall as my largest crab.

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?
I do not. My house is at the ideal temp for them normally and my old tank never had issues with humidity. I can't move the gauge because it's stuck on my old tank -_-.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
No heat source, not needed.

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)?
Both dechloeinated salt and fresh water in big enough bowls for my crabs to submerge half way.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
They get fresh fruit, hermit treats, and pellets.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
The crab in question I've had four months. I rehomed him from a friend.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
He has before, but not under my care.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
50 gallon tank, mesh wire lid half covered to help keep humidity in.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
11 in total ranging from tiny to the far end of large.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
I don't keep any in the tank on the regular. I buy new shells and take each crab out individually to give them a chance to pick a new shell.

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Ever few months. Bake the sand.

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

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No.

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.)?
Nope.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Already did.

[Moonkitten94]

Please, more advice!

[Hermiearth]

You need to respelled asap. As previously mentioned dip I fw pool In tank, hold your crab and gently uncurl his abdomen using your Pinter finger, back the crab back into the shell. A crab will die without a shell, I had the same thing happen to me a week ago, you got this.


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[Moonkitten94]

Well, I took the advice about rinsing him off and putting him into a shell. While rinsing, I noticed that he was, indeed, missing a few of his tiny back legs and had some sort of wound on his abdomen (not deep) and on his big claw. I cleaned him off the best I could, dig a divet on the ISO tank in the sand (didn't cover it), and gave him the remaining part of his exo. He moved a little while I cleaned him and responded to water, so he is still alive....I don't have high hopes for him, tho . It really sucks. He was doing so great. Literally the most PERFECT molt. I watched him daily and even saw the outline of his exo once he pushed it off and then my Ecuadorian had to get all dig happy and run into him, instead of minding his own business.

I really hope he makes it .

[Moonkitten94]

You need to respelled asap. As previously mentioned dip I fw pool In tank, hold your crab and gently uncurl his abdomen using your Pinter finger, back the crab back into the shell. A crab will die without a shell, I had the same thing happen to me a week ago, you got this.


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He is so freshly molted, and limp, that I didn't have to uncurl his abdomen at all. Not sure if that's a bad thing or to be expected.

[Hermiearth]

Sorry! I didn't see that we were supposed to fill this out.

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Mixture of coconut fiber and play sand, deepest pet is about 7.5 inches, three times at tall as my largest crab.

H: Make sure that in is at least 6 inches or 3x your largest crab in all areas of tank.

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?
I do not. My house is at the ideal temp for them normally and my old tank never had issues with humidity. I can't move the gauge because it's stuck on my old tank -_-.

H: Your house is at least 80 degrees? You will definitely need gauges, they are vital to keeping crabs. I recommend digital as analog tends to be wonky. Humidity also needs to be a minimum of 80 at all times.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
No heat source, not needed.

H: As stated above temp needs to be a minimum of 80, so I think you need a 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)?
Both dechloeinated salt and fresh water in big enough bowls for my crabs to submerge half way.

H: Crabs need to be able to fill submerge in there bowls. Most use tupperwares paired with craft mesh as an escape route.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
They get fresh fruit, hermit treats, and pellets.

H: Toss the pellets, most brands are toxic for crabs. You should look at the nutrition pyramid, I would post the link but my computer has passed away.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
The crab in question I've had four months. I rehomed him from a friend.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
He has before, but not under my care.

H: Another thing I want to mention is that If you do have crabs molting and you can see them through "windows" try not to check on them, this can disrupt there molts. Most crabbers here actually cover with cardboard or tape.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
50 gallon tank, mesh wire lid half covered to help keep humidity in.

H: Glass lids will always keep in heat and humidity better.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
11 in total ranging from tiny to the far end of large.

H: You are just a bit overcrowded, The HCA recommends 1 crab per 5 gallons, especially with those bigger crabs, you need a lot of space to minimize situations like this and other aggression.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
I don't keep any in the tank on the regular. I buy new shells and take each crab out individually to give them a chance to pick a new shell.

H: Hermit crabs should always have at least three shells per crab to choose from, this is vital to keeping crabs. Hearing this I suspect that the crab that was naked was possibly forced out of his shell by the other crab, due to the lack of shells in the tank. Although taking crabs out and giving them a chance to change sounds like it would be a good idea, hermit crabs get stressed when handlers by humans and are less likely to change.

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Ever few months. Bake the sand.

H: Deep cleans do more harm than good. Only change out sub in case of an emergency like a flood or bacterial bloom. Cleaning sub this way actually gets rid of Good bacteria. Just spot clean food and poo that you crab see. Isopods also help for this purpose

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

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No.

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.)?
Nope.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Already did.

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[Hermiearth]

You need to respelled asap. As previously mentioned dip I fw pool In tank, hold your crab and gently uncurl his abdomen using your Pinter finger, back the crab back into the shell. A crab will die without a shell, I had the same thing happen to me a week ago, you got this.


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He is so freshly molted, and limp, that I didn't have to uncurl his abdomen at all. Not sure if that's a bad thing or to be expected.

The limp part isn't good. ISO him in good conditions with foods high in calcium and protein, such as cuttlebone bone, dried insects, and krill. Also provide raw honey if you have it.


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[Hermiearth]

Also provide salt and fresh water in small bowls or bottle caps.


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[Moonkitten94]

I don't have cuttle bone, but I'll go add honey and crushed egg shells to the pile of his exo. Not sure if maybe he injured his abdomen where the front of his body connects to the back or if his abdomen is just heavy and hard to move because he's so freshly molted, but he seemed to have issue moving that part of him. All of his legs move normally, tho, just at a slower pace.

Do you know what the part of the crab that connects his abdomen to his head/legs is supposed to look like? I've never had a surface molter that came out of their shell (only had a surface molt once when I was new to crabs) or naked crab so I have no idea.

[Moonkitten94]

Also provide salt and fresh water in small bowls or bottle caps.


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Always. I honestly don't think he's going anywhere any time soon, tho, even if he does pull through.

[Hermiearth]

I didn't realize he was so fresh after a molt. Definitely not ideal, but rescheduling was a must. Hopefully he makes it, all that you can do now is to leave him be and disturb as little as possible.


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[Moonkitten94]

Yeah, he just pushed off his exo skeleton completely a day and a half ago. He's still gotten around to eating most of it, he was disturbed, tho.

I have cling wrap/foil over half his cage to keep it dark and to lock in the humidity. I'll leave him be. I've never smelled the death smell from any of my passed crabs except one, but I'm sure he'll give off a strong one if he does not make it .