My crab has been underground for two nights...

[harleyucollins]

I just got my hermit crabs a few weeks ago... My smallest one, Squishy, was missing yesterday. I figured he was just buried underneath the sand like the others until night time. At night time, all the others were out, he wasn't. He's still not out tonight. My mom and I were looking at the sides of the glass and noticed a hole in the sand. She said that she could see him moving. Should I be worried that he's stuck there, or just let him be because he might be molting?

[CrabbyJo]

First, a good rule is to never ever dig up a buried crab except in extreme emergencies.
Yes, it's likely he could be molting. Sometimes crabs dig down just for fun, too, and he may come up at night too when you aren't looking.

As for being concerned about him being stuck.. what kind of substrate (sand) do you have in the tank?

[harleyucollins]

I am using Desert Sand or something like that. When I went to buy sand at the pet store, all they had was that, wood chippings, gravel, and calci-sand.. which I read on here, isn't that great to use. I was trying to look for the Aragonite sand, and even asked the employees, but they didn't know what it was and didn't have any. If I stick my ear up to the glass I can hear it moving, do they move when they moult?

[Wai]

As long as you can hear sounds, then he is likely to be okay. Don't worry about hermit crabs being stuck in the sand... usually they can dig their way out of anything.

[harleyucollins]

Ok, thank you. :]

[ladybug15057]

I agree majority of the time a hermie can dig themselves out, unless one is using calsi sand. (It is known to harden almost like a rock when it dries, but you mentioned you do not use this)
If you have a PetSmart in your area they carry CaribSea. (I was at my local one yesterday) Select grain was $17.99 for a 15# bag (a bit expensive right now) and the Sugar grain was $19.99 for a 30# bag. Some mom and pop stores can also order it and save you S/H charges. If you're on the east coast, Pet Supplies Plus also carries CaribSea sands. (select and sugar grains are the oolitic sands)
And I agree with the above, a hermie should never be dug up... only in extreme emergencies.

[harleyucollins]

The place that I went to go get sand was the Pet Plus store. I listed above what they carried. None of what you mentioned was there. :\ I guess I could look again later on. Thanks for the information.

[ladybug15057]

There is a Pets Plus store, but there is also a Pets Supplies Plus store. (2 totally different stores) They will also order the sand for you, which will save S/H charges.

[CrabbyJo]

Yes, do at least ask about the sand.
My local Pet Zoo (locally owned) did not carry the Aragonite sand, and after I asked about it a few times, lo and behold, they began carrying it!

I asked if they could order it, they said they didn't have it on their list, so I tried asking again a few months later, and still they could not order it for me. But they did start to carry it several months after that. So I have a local source now. It never hurts to ask