Hermit crabs holes and tunnels

Questions about designing a terrarium.
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Ameretat
Zygote
Zygote
Posts: 19
Joined: 14 Jul 2010, 12:50
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 8
Total gallons: 85
Total tanks: 2

Hermit crabs holes and tunnels

Post by Ameretat »

For the past two weeks, my hermit crabs have been digging holes and tunnels like crazy. Should I view that as their form of exercise?
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: Hermit crabs holes and tunnels

Post by CrabbyJo »

Yep, sometimes they will dig for fun, but chances are also that whoever is doing the majority of the digging may be getting ready to molt soon. Pay close attention to frequent visits to the ocean water dish, and to the food dish.
A pre molt crab will also look like they are trying to "climb the walls" of the tank, as if they are desperate to get somewhere. Their exoskeleton may take on a slightly ashy hue, and as it gets closer, their eyes will start to look ashy, and may even begin to droop in odd ways - usually in toward each other - instead of sticking out straight.
If you do notice these symptoms, you may want to pay close attention to where the crab digs to bury himself, as one of these times he may not come up, having gone down to molt.
Hopefully you've read up on all the precautions to take when you've got a crab molting in the tank.
Some choose to also isolate their molting crab, but this can be tricky if you are not very familiar with judging pre-molt behavior.
6 hermit crabs - 3 PPs and 3 Equadorians
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