lost leg not sure if he can eat

Questions about unexpected problems.
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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: lost leg not sure if he can eat

Post by ladybug15057 »

I'm sorry, but I thought you had answered the questions that are asked to be answered but I cannot find the posting so I assume you haven't?
Please do answer: (but you did mention in the first postings when you got the hermie and the circumstances surrounding the events after you bought him)
What is the volume of your main tank?


How many hermit crabs do you currently have? How big are they?


How long have you had the hermit crab(s) that you are concerned about?


What substrate or combination of substrates are you using? How deep is it?


What do you feed your hermit crabs?


Do you use distilled, bottled or tap water? If you are using a dechlorinator, what brand is it? Does it state to remove all heavy metals, chlorine and chloramines?


What brand of sea salt are you using to supply your hermit crabs with salt water?


What heat source are you using and where is it positioned?


Have you calibrated your thermometer(s) and hygrometer?


What is the air temperature range and humidity inside the tank? If you are using an under tank heater, what is the temperature range of the substrate (it is likely to be different to the air temperature range)?


Do you have any photos of your tank or hermit crab(s) of concern? If yes, please attach them to your post.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

If you are contacted privately (via pm or e-mail) and enticed to join another forum, please contact a Crab Crew member. This is an unethical practice.
cometstream
Zygote
Zygote
Posts: 57
Joined: 15 Aug 2010, 10:39
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 7
Total gallons: 55
Total tanks: 1

Re: lost leg not sure if he can eat

Post by cometstream »

main tank is 55 gallon the tank he is in is a 40 gallon.
7 hermit crabs (including this guy) 5 have the shell as big as a golfball-one of them has a painted shell
then two small ones_ this guy is one of the smalls
I got him on august 12 2010
I use EE I had sand lowes sand in my tank for a week and I read it was bad for them he was never on the side with sand though and it is 4 inches deep. the tank he is in right now is has EE and no sand.
I feed my crabs non commercial food like crabtonicals and the happy hermit, also fresh fruit, meat veggies, shrimp, fish eggs, sea weed, crab meat, lobster meat, fish heads and things like that.
I use distilled water. I use oceanic 1 cup a gallon I have no heat source for summer right now because the temp stays perfect
The temp is in the range you suggest and so is the humidity.
One time one of my larger crabs got in his coco hut but I took balto out he wasn't happy with me.
CrabbyJo
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 1849
Joined: 21 Jan 2009, 13:31
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 7
Total gallons: 85
Total tanks: 4
Location: Alaska

Re: lost leg not sure if he can eat

Post by CrabbyJo »

It sounds like you've got everything pretty much in hand. Since you'd only had the crab for a couple of weeks, it is very likely he passed due to PPS, and the treatment he received after being harvested and before he went home with you. It truly is sad, these poor little guys mistreated so badly that they are likely to die just from the stress, when they could live for decades.
At least he had a good home when he passed on, and had some good treatment before he left. :(
6 hermit crabs - 3 PPs and 3 Equadorians
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please feel free to share information from this website, but please be sure to give credit and a link back to the information. Failure to give credit is plagiarism. Don't take credit for someone else's information.
cometstream
Zygote
Zygote
Posts: 57
Joined: 15 Aug 2010, 10:39
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 7
Total gallons: 55
Total tanks: 1

Re: lost leg not sure if he can eat

Post by cometstream »

My mom is gonna take me to get a new one soon. I wanna see if I can find an exotic buy i may end up with a PP
CrabbyJo
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 1849
Joined: 21 Jan 2009, 13:31
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 7
Total gallons: 85
Total tanks: 4
Location: Alaska

Re: lost leg not sure if he can eat

Post by CrabbyJo »

I highly recommend you veer away from purchasing any exotics until you 've been able to keep some crabs alive for at least a year. That is no comment on your ability to care for the crabs, but it does take some practice, and you also need to learn to keep the conditions in the tank steady throughout all seasons. While a PP is more hardy and could handle if the temp were to drop too low for a little bit or too high, or the humidity were to drop and you had a hard time keeping it up, an exotic would more likely die from the fluctuations, so it is highly important that you've got this figured out.
I have had my crabs almost two years now, and still have issues keeping humidity up at times.

I have found that having a second level in the tank will often help with the humidity. Not sure how, but perhaps it slows air movement, helping the moisture stay within the crabitat.
6 hermit crabs - 3 PPs and 3 Equadorians
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please feel free to share information from this website, but please be sure to give credit and a link back to the information. Failure to give credit is plagiarism. Don't take credit for someone else's information.
cometstream
Zygote
Zygote
Posts: 57
Joined: 15 Aug 2010, 10:39
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 7
Total gallons: 55
Total tanks: 1

Re: lost leg not sure if he can eat

Post by cometstream »

mine stays up pretty well. Maybe I will save my money to but a different type of animal
cometstream
Zygote
Zygote
Posts: 57
Joined: 15 Aug 2010, 10:39
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 7
Total gallons: 55
Total tanks: 1

Re: lost leg not sure if he can eat

Post by cometstream »

He is really dead now cause mold was on him when I checked him today.
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: lost leg not sure if he can eat

Post by ladybug15057 »

I agree totally with CrabbyJo. Our toughest season is about to come to us here in the U.S. for being able to keep our tanks stable... fall and spring. Then ole famous winter and keeping the tanks warm as well as keeping the humidity within proper ranges while the furnaces are on in our homes.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

If you are contacted privately (via pm or e-mail) and enticed to join another forum, please contact a Crab Crew member. This is an unethical practice.
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babesbarn
Zoea III
Zoea III
Posts: 268
Joined: 30 Aug 2010, 04:20
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 2
Total gallons: 20
Total tanks: 1
Location: Jersey Shore

Re: lost leg not sure if he can eat

Post by babesbarn »

I am broadening my reading and finding the subjects that I am anxious about here. Thank you all! I posted a picture of my Spiderman shelled hope he moves out soon) Hermit Crab and "Ted" is eating and I took out the half log and I am on my way back to the store to see if I can find my two crabs something to climb on. The store did not have much to choose from although you would think Petsmart would. I have helped raise my sons Boa's and also his Bearded Dragons and albino frogs. I did so well with the frogs that they got so big I had to donate them to a school that had a 90 gallon tank. Another story. So I am serious. If you get a chance look at my post under "Newbie, wants to do right things" to see Spiderman Ted. Thanks "chirp chirp". :D
cometstream
Zygote
Zygote
Posts: 57
Joined: 15 Aug 2010, 10:39
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 7
Total gallons: 55
Total tanks: 1

Re: lost leg not sure if he can eat

Post by cometstream »

Okay im not sure if it was pps. It was weird because where his pincher goes was near the ground I picken him up and I saw this worm trying tocome out of him 8| (I was like o my gosh how did that get there) I flipped him over so he wouldn't start a mass breeding thing in my tank. It started crawling back in :o . Maybe he had a a pest in him. Maybe it was a tape worm. luckily he never came out of his cocohut to spread it :S. Im mad at that worm >] . Maybe it was eating its abdomen or inside it from something the pet store gave it. (I don't know if I posted anything about the worm before. But it was so disgusting. :S Wanna get answers asap. THANKS.
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