Burrowing crabs and piece of leg??

[Sbarctimreh]

I have two Purple Pincher hermit crabs (Lucy and Peter) and one Ecuadorian (Billy). About two weeks ago, Billy burrowed way down into the sand. I found him when I was wetting their sand, put him back in the surface and he burrowed down again later that day. He molted a few months ago, so I'm not sure if that's what he is doing or not. I don't know how often they should molt.

Now I wasn't concerned about this at first, especially because the other crabs were leaving him be, but three days ago Lucy also burrowed down into the sand. And last night I found a piece of a purple pincher leg in their food dish??? I haven't seen Lucy or Billy since they borrowed, but don't want to dig them up and risk disturbing them if they are molting.

Peter is the largest of the three crabs, followed close by Billy, with Lucy being the smallest. Peter is still active and hasn't burrowed himself at all and he still has all his legs, nothing is missing.

So I guess what I need to know is what is going on, and if there is anything I can do to help, or if I should be worried about anything.

Thanks!

[piratetoothgir]

Hi Did you dig up your crabs? I recommend to never ever dig for your crabs, you do not need to stir through your substrate when wetting it.
Hermit crabs can molt anytime really, but that's normally common with smaller crabs. It can totally depend on the size of your crab.

Is the leg segment hollow, or does it have meat inside of it? If there's nothing inside, and it's hollow, then it's a piece of exoskeleton that they didn't eat.
I occasionally will see this if a molt goes strangely.

Could you fill out the emergency template? It'd help us a lot
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 27&t=46102

[Sbarctimreh]

I didn't even think to look inside of the piece, I feel so dumb. It didn't seem thin like an exoskeleton. I didn't realize he was down there the first time and have not dug anything up since.

I am taking a look at the emergency form now.

[Sbarctimreh]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Mixture of sand and coconut substrate about 4.5 inches deep. Unsure of the kind of sand, I bought it from PetCo and it had a picture of a hermit crab on it.

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?
Yes, one of each on either side. Warm side is 81 degrees f and 60% humidity. Cool side is 70 degrees f and 80% humidity.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
A zoomed heat lamp on one side with 60 watt red nighttime bulb. The blue daytime one burned out recently and I have not been out to get a new one. Usually they're on a day night cycle time.

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)?
Fresh water treated with 32 drops of zoomed hermit crab water conditioner per gallon (two per cup). Salt water treated with the same zoomed conditioner then added a half cup of Instant Ocean per gallon of dechlor water.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
JurassiDiet, crushed zoomed hermit crab food pellets, and a food powder they came with. I change their food every two days.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I bought my 2 purple pinchers in the Outer Banks in September and I got my 1 ecuadorian two or three months after that from PetCo.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Billy (ecuadorian) molted two months ago. Lucy (smaller pp) molted three months ago.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
30 gallon glass aquarium with mesh lid with a moist towel on top to help keep in humidity.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
Three, 1-1.5 inches.

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

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
Oh my god my boyfriends dad painted last week and they were in the room. I didn't even think about that.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Once a week I wipe out the tank, rewet and mix the sand so the bottom is also moist, wipe everything in the tank, wash out and dry water containers and food container

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
Yes, both of them. I rinse them out with dechlor water and replace them once a month.

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.)?
I had to remove their wooden climbing thing because I noticed some possible mold spots a few months ago. I replaced the substrate and cleaned the tank after I removed the climbing toy. They have been burrowing more frequently since the removal which is why didn't notice Billy was burried until I had already dug him up.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
See above comments

[piratetoothgir]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Mixture of sand and coconut substrate about 4.5 inches deep. Unsure of the kind of sand, I bought it from PetCo and it had a picture of a hermit crab on it.

SC: Okay, the minimum amount of sand is three times deep as the size of your largest crab. Was this CalciSand? That is not okay for hermit crabs, it sticks to them and becomes very hard when it dries.

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?
Yes, one of each on either side. Warm side is 81 degrees f and 60% humidity. Cool side is 70 degrees f and 80% humidity.

SC: Great! I personally recommend a constant temperature throughout, or at least not as great of a change from one side to the other, but that's my preference
As for the humidity, it needs to be at or above 80. Hermit crabs have modified gills that require very moist air to function properly, so the humidity needs to be higher.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
A zoomed heat lamp on one side with 60 watt red nighttime bulb. The blue daytime one burned out recently and I have not been out to get a new one. Usually they're on a day night cycle time.

SC: Okay, good

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)?
Fresh water treated with 32 drops of zoomed hermit crab water conditioner per gallon (two per cup). Salt water treated with the same zoomed conditioner then added a half cup of Instant Ocean per gallon of dechlor water.

SC: I do not have any experience with this conditioner, but a lot of us here recommend Seachem Prime. It removes ammonia, heavy metals, and chlorine.
I am glad you are using Instant Ocean, that's great!

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
JurassiDiet, crushed zoomed hermit crab food pellets, and a food powder they came with. I change their food every two days.

SC: Okay, you really need to avoid the commerical foods, they can have harmful ingredients that aren't good for crabs.
I recommend giving them a range of fresh foods, from fruits and veggies, to proteins and calciums. They really need these things, and are important to their diets.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I bought my 2 purple pinchers in the Outer Banks in September and I got my 1 ecuadorian two or three months after that from PetCo.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Billy (ecuadorian) molted two months ago. Lucy (smaller pp) molted three months ago.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
30 gallon glass aquarium with mesh lid with a moist towel on top to help keep in humidity.

SC: If the towel doesn't keep in humidity, I would highly recommend laying plastic saran wrap over your mesh lid, that helps trap it in, creating higher humidity
Just a safety precaution. Don't put the saran wrap below the lights, it will melt!

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
Three, 1-1.5 inches.

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

SC: Okay, good.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
Oh my god my boyfriends dad painted last week and they were in the room. I didn't even think about that.

SC: How strongly did it smell? I would really take precautions on chemicals and paints such as this. Often it's very harmful to breathe in fumes, even as a human.
Does it still smell? I would open up a window whenever you know that there may be fumes, and try to cover the crabs tank tightly.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Once a week I wipe out the tank, rewet and mix the sand so the bottom is also moist, wipe everything in the tank, wash out and dry water containers and food container

SC: Okay, but you don't need to do this. I recommend only spraying the surface of your sand, not mixing it. The sand should be wet enough to be sand castle consistency

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
Yes, both of them. I rinse them out with dechlor water and replace them once a month.

SC: Sponges are not needed, you can remove them.
If they aren't cleaned very regularly, they can trap bacteria which can be harmful to your crabs.

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.)?
I had to remove their wooden climbing thing because I noticed some possible mold spots a few months ago. I replaced the substrate and cleaned the tank after I removed the climbing toy. They have been burrowing more frequently since the removal which is why didn't notice Billy was burried until I had already dug him up.

SC: If the wood is moldy, you can rinse it off in hot water, dip it in some saltwater, or put it in the sun. That should remove the mold after time
Remember that the mold isn't harmful to your crabs, it is just harmful to us, it may cause allergies.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
See above comments

I have responded with SC for StellaCrab

[Sbarctimreh]

You are a life saver, thank you so much. I will get back to you with how everything turns out. Still no sign of either Lucy or Billy. I am starting to suspect canabalism especially if I haven't been feeding them the nutrients they need and Ecuadorians are known for it. How long should I wait before taking action if I don't see them? I don't want to disturb/possibly kill them if they are molting, but if there is a dead crab I would want to remove her as soon as possible.

How would you recommend keeping the sand wet throughout? Or does that just come with keeping the humidity levels up?

[piratetoothgir]

You are a life saver, thank you so much. I will get back to you with how everything turns out. Still no sign of either Lucy or Billy. I am starting to suspect canabalism especially if I haven't been feeding them the nutrients they need and Ecuadorians are known for it. How long should I wait before taking action if I don't see them? I don't want to disturb/possibly kill them if they are molting, but if there is a dead crab I would want to remove her as soon as possible.

How would you recommend keeping the sand wet throughout? Or does that just come with keeping the humidity levels up?

You shouldn't ever have to dig for them unless you have a injured or dead crab underneath, or a bacterial bloom.
I would recommend spraying the surface lightly and having higher humidity. Moss can work for this too

Can you confirm that whether you have CalciSand or not? I highly suggest PlaySand or EcoEarth, it also retains moisture well.

[wodesorel]

Don't worry too much about the paint, I've done it many times over the years without problems.

Agreed that a change in diet would be very helpful!

I think you may have found an old leg in the dish, they don't always eat all of their old exo. I would not panic just yet.

Crabs can molt monthly when smaller, and they extend the time between molts as they grow larger. 2 to 4 months is pretty normal for an 'average' sized crab.

I know it sounds bad, but you would end up doing a lot more damage by digging than by just waiting to see what happens. If a crab has died, it does no harm to the others in the tank, and if it hasn't then disturbed it could kill it. They often molt for 2 months at a time without surfacing, but can go much much longer than that in some cases. It'll be a while until you'll know for sure, but it is the safest thing for them to wait it out.

[Sbarctimreh]

Thank you so much, everyone.

I cannot confirm 100% that it's not calcisand, but I am 85% sure it isn't that. I will check next time I go to PetCo and if it is, I will replace it with playsand or ecoearth when the crabs have resurfaced.

[curlysister]

Is this the sand that you bought?

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostor ... -crab-sand

[Sbarctimreh]

Is this the sand that you bought?

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostor ... -crab-sand

This is the sand I bought! I went to PetCo yesterday and saw it was calcium sand. I plan on replacing the substrate when my crabs resurface.

[Sbarctimreh]

Okay, I have added in dried crickets, shrimp, peas, carrots, and a few other vegetables. The sand I am using currently is calcium sand, would this give any further explanation? Still no sign of either Lucy (pp) or Billy (ecuadorian). Peter (pp) has now started burrowing, but not to molt, just to dig cause he always comes back up. No further crab parts have been found.

[Hermiesguardian]

You are a life saver, thank you so much. I will get back to you with how everything turns out. Still no sign of either Lucy or Billy. I am starting to suspect canabalism especially if I haven't been feeding them the nutrients they need and Ecuadorians are known for it. How long should I wait before taking action if I don't see them? I don't want to disturb/possibly kill them if they are molting, but if there is a dead crab I would want to remove her as soon as possible.

How would you recommend keeping the sand wet throughout? Or does that just come with keeping the humidity levels up?

You shouldn't ever have to dig for them unless you have a injured or dead crab underneath, or a bacterial bloom.
I would recommend spraying the surface lightly and having higher humidity. Moss can work for this too

Can you confirm that whether you have CalciSand or not? I highly suggest PlaySand or EcoEarth, it also retains moisture well.

Regarding keeping the sand wet - before adding it to the tank, mix it with dechlorinated fresh water until it is sandcastle consistancy. If you squeeze it and water drips out, it's too wet. As long as the humidity stays up, it shouldn't dry out. The surface may need a mist now and then.

[Sbarctimreh]

I don't know if this changes anything or if I should be more concerned, but Peter, my active pp, has burrowed and has not come up for 4 days now. Currently all of my crabs are burrowed down in the substrate. Is this normal or does it signify that I need to fix something? I have not done anything with them since the last update except continue to switch their waters and food out daily.