Emergency!

Questions about hermit crabs moulting and its symptoms.
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Truelily
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Joined: 05 Dec 2017, 17:20
Gender: Female
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Emergency!

Post by Truelily »

I need help!! I am relatively new to owning hermit crabs and was changing out a food bowl when I noticed a crab close to the surface under the bowl. I gently unburied her and picked her up and all of her legs except two back legs fell off! I immediately put her back down and put the legs next to her and put a thin layer of sand over the top. I have read a lot on this website and assume now that she was molting but I panicked and didn't know what to do! What can I do next and did I accidentally doom my crab to death?:(
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Wai
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Joined: 01 Nov 2004, 14:12
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Total gallons: 45
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Location: Victoria, Australia
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Re: Emergency!

Post by Wai »

Hard to say whether the stuff you saw dropping was empty shed exoskeleton or was her actual limbs detaching from the body. Were the eyes black in colour or colourless?

At this point in time, I would refrain from disturbing the crab any further and isolate it from the others for two weeks minimum by setting a barrier around it and moving the dish it was under somewhere else so that the others still have access to it.

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Wai
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ladybug15057
Coenobita
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Joined: 03 Mar 2008, 04:12
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Re: Emergency!

Post by ladybug15057 »

If you have any other hermies cut a 2 liter soda bottle top off and put this over her to the floor of the tank so the others cannot get to her. Place a small soda/water bottle lid of dechlor and ocean water inside the cut soda bottle with her.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

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