new to hermits, here's my terrarium

Questions about designing a terrarium.
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ladybug15057
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 3098
Joined: 03 Mar 2008, 04:12
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 82
Total gallons: 305
Total tanks: 7
Location: Southwestern Pa., U.S.

Re: new to hermits, here's my terrarium

Post by ladybug15057 »

This is your older, smaller tank? If it were me, I would not move him to the new tank. I would leave him be until I knew whether he was comatose from being premolt, or if he had passed. Remember, where as most hermies do give off a dead fishy odor when they pass not all do. But on the same note, not all hermies who have a dead fishy rotted odor to them are dead either.
When you mention swollen, can you see his/her abdomen or is it the exo itself that appears swollen?
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

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aquadriac
Zygote
Zygote
Posts: 15
Joined: 11 Oct 2010, 11:13
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 3
Total gallons: 29
Total tanks: 1

Re: new to hermits, here's my terrarium

Post by aquadriac »

the exo is swollen.... he's still in his shell, so I can't see his abdomen. His legs are all that's sticking out.

Thanks for the advice, i think i will leave him.

I also had another one surface today, though! :) I think there's only the one swollen one and 2 more burried in there.

What's the max amount of time I should wait to tell if he's dead or not?
User avatar
ladybug15057
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 3098
Joined: 03 Mar 2008, 04:12
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 82
Total gallons: 305
Total tanks: 7
Location: Southwestern Pa., U.S.

Re: new to hermits, here's my terrarium

Post by ladybug15057 »

If he is on the surface and has been there for a month already? Without touching him I would look closely at his eyes. (with a magnifying glass or such) Are his eyes hollow looking? Are they downward? Like this:
http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x276 ... unched.jpg
Or are they downward and also slightly turned outward? Depending on this is how I would judge. But surface molters do not take as long as those who are burrowed or under an object.
But when a hermie is in premolt or about to molt, their old exo's usually do seem 'puffy' from the fluids they build up between the old and new exo for easier shedding of the exo.
They may also get an 'ashy/whitish' coloring to their exo's:
http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x276 ... g-Kong.jpg
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

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