I adopted my brothers 2 year old hermit crab Joey. When I took him in he was in a tiny mesh sided hermit crab shack with fish gravel, he’s was in a freezing cold bathroom and only had one fresh water dish. He barley moved, he spent all his time tucked into his shell which was too small. I made him a nice cage with coconut fiber, gave him a fresh and salt water pond, places to hide and bought a humidity guage/thermometer. I kept the humidity at 80% and the temperature went between 75-80. He was pretty active at first, then he dug under ground which I read could be him molting. I had him for about a week when I went home this weekend to visit my mom, he was still under ground when I left. I just got back today and he was near he salt water pond but just hanging out of his shell. He looked shiny by his legs but he was dull and white looking around his back. I dint move him but kept checking on him every few hours but he didn’t move at all. I scooped the substrate around him and him/his shell and moved him into a small cage, I got him a friend and I heard that sometimes they will eat them. I moved his shell just a little and he slid right out, his body looks very very thin, not like a living crab and I don see any molt sac on him. He doesn’t smell yet but I’m 90% sure he is dead.
My questions are:
What are the chances that he’s alive?
Since he’s probably not alive what killed him? I feel terrible now because I thought he was finally getting a good/healthy environment and I don’t want the new crab I bought to join Joey
Thanks in advance
Adopted neglected crab
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- Zygote
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 11 Dec 2017, 13:46
- Gender: Female
- Hermit crabs: 1
- Total gallons: 12
- Total tanks: 1
- Wai
- Administrator
- Posts: 2893
- Joined: 01 Nov 2004, 14:12
- Gender: Male
- Hermit crabs: 2
- Total gallons: 45
- Total tanks: 1
- Location: Victoria, Australia
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Re: Adopted neglected crab
I think poor Joey sufferred too much from his previous home; however, you did provide him with some comfort in his last days. It sounds like he has passed away, but you can give another two days for the bad odour. Moulting crabs may occasionally fall out of their shells, but they would at least be moving a little in most cases.
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- Zygote
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 11 Dec 2017, 13:46
- Gender: Female
- Hermit crabs: 1
- Total gallons: 12
- Total tanks: 1
Re: Adopted neglected crab
Thanks for your response, poor Joey. Do you think it was changing his environment too quickly?? I didn’t think about maybe slowly making it’s warmer or more humid for him.
- Wai
- Administrator
- Posts: 2893
- Joined: 01 Nov 2004, 14:12
- Gender: Male
- Hermit crabs: 2
- Total gallons: 45
- Total tanks: 1
- Location: Victoria, Australia
- Contact:
Re: Adopted neglected crab
A more gradual change probably wouldn't have increased his survival chance by much.
- ladybug15057
- 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: Adopted neglected crab
Majority of times sadly a hermie has passed. Molters can and have slid out of their shells with such very little movement. (I had to sit with magnifying glass and stare) But once we had a hermie who did not move for 3 months. I thought he was depressed? A couple times a day I would move him from the food dish to water dish. One morning his exo fell out, so this was his way of molting? He never had that style of molting symptom again! One thing these hermies here have taught me is patience. Still after 17 years with them not an easy thing to do! Best wishes for Joey.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)
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