Crabs buried for over 2 months

[llmercll]

Hey everyone, haven't posted for awhile but I took a hermit crab day to really access how they're doing and I'm not sure if it's good or bad. I've got 3 PP's one is small/medium the other two are medium/large.

When i posted last, two months ago, they were all buried. A few weeks ago the small one came out and I occasionally find him chilling on a stump or in the Hermie hut. He stays out almost all the time now, doesn't do much, but thats partially my fault, i really need to get them more playthings.

Anyway, I'm more-so concerned about the larger two, who have been buried for a little over two months. Is this way too long to be under the sand for? I hope not, but they are larger than the small one so if they were molting it would indeed take longer ya?

I smell the tank every tank fearing I'm going to smell fish, but thankfully always just smell the sandy salty EEy terrarium. I hope this is normal behavior though. I figure it's either a really good thing (destressing, molting) or a really bad thing...If something was off in my terrarium though, the small one wouldn't have come up would he?

Bah I don't know, any ideas? thanks!

[Wai]

There was a case where a small hermit crab took three months to surface from its moult, so a medium/large hermit crab could take even longer. Can you see where the two are buried?

[llmercll]

I don't know exactly where they are now, but there was a period where they'd dig down and come up then dig down again.

They always seemed to dig under the water dishes, or sometimes in a corner, but usually the water dishes. I thought it was because the area under them might be more moist or feel more secure because there's something on top of it, not really sure though.

But I haven't seen em for awhile so can only assume =/

[emmac350]

Honestly, don't worry about it. My tiny crabs stay down for just under 2 months for a molt, so your bigger guys aren't under for that long. If they were digging down and resurfacing for a while, the clock has to be reset - every time they come up they obviously aren't molting so that time doesn't count. How long has it been since they stopped resurfacing?

Also, what is the air temp in your tank? My guys were acting like yours until I raised the temp on my thermostat and now I actually have 7 of my 8 out most days.

[llmercll]

Thanks for the reassurance emma. Unless they've come out at night just to get some food or water, it's been a solid 2 months. It's funny you mention temp because it's actually a little low, at 75 degrees. Humidity has been ok usually between 75 and 80, and of course they've got two water dishes and food.

There are some things I want to do that I'm sure will make them more active (day and night glo, a bunch of climbing toys), but just want to make sure this is normal, even more a bored hermit crab. The net I got was way to thick so they don't like climbing on it =(

[llmercll]

Well I've seen 2 out of the 3 recently, which is good. They were both pretty active for awhile. The smaller one is back under the sand, but the larger one is always moving around now.

I still haven't seen my medium sized one. I'm starting to worry about him...should I look for him under the sand? or should I just let it be in-case he's molting? I keep smelling the tank but it smells normal, no fishiness whatsoever. If he was dead would it smell fishy? even if he was buried?

It's always possible he came out while I was sleeping too and I just didn't see him, I guess.

[CrabbyJo]

As you said, he could have come up and you just haven't seen him.

It does seem a long time, but I have heard of owners who said their crab (medium sized) was down for 5 months, so there's no telling for sure.

You wouldn't necessarily smell a fishy smell if he's below the surface far enough.

I think if it were me I'd give it another month, maybe, then do a deep clean.

[llmercll]

Bad news =(

2 out of 3 are dead =(

The following paragraph is very graphic...

I did a deep clean today and found a lot of "shell" pieces scattered throughout the cage...was hoping it was just molt leftovers, but I found one crab deep down (the one i haven't seen in months), with sand filling up half it's shell, dead. There wasn't much "body" left, just some guts deep in the shell...he must have been dead a long time. I found another crab deep in the corner, that one was very fishy smelling and still "intact". It made me sad to see the second one dead, because I saw him not too long ago.

End graphics

I was always worrying about those two...they both seemed so weak and inactive, ever since I owned them. I barely saw them out ever, and they were always very poorly colored. I know they are in a better place. My surviving crab (the one I picked out at the petshop =p) was always very active and healthy. His shell is such a bright red/orange and hes active at times he annoys me =p

I have some new questions and will open a new thread in regards to them. I just want to put this behind me..

Please check out it here...

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=3464