What is the volume of your main tank? Don't know.It doesn't say.
If you measure the length, width, and height we will be able to tell you the volume/gallon size of your tank.
What substrate or combination of substrates are you using? How deep is it? Sand, Don't know the deepness.
Perhaps would you have a ruler where you could put it in the sand and tell us the inches of sand you have?
What do you feed your hermit crabs? Hermit Crab Cakes, Gardener's Hermit Crab Food
A hermies diet is very important, as with all creatures, to ensure they stay healthy. They need a wide variety of food supplements such as copper, lipids, foods high in zeaxanthin many of which have bete carotene in them, high protein source, a high calcium source, chitin, cellulose, spirulina, seaweed, etc. Hermit crab foods sold on the market do not contain all the supplements a hermie needs to ensure this. Majority of the hermit crab foods sold also contain either or both Ethoxyquin and/or copper sulphate both of which are insecticides. (Hermies are from the arthropod (insect) phylum) These chemicals could potentially be dangers if in foods fed to hermies. If one opts to feed dry foods, fresh foods should be offered as well for the natural oils/juices they contain.
Please see:
http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/ ... storyid=25
There are also some higher quality freeze dried and dehydrated commercial foods that can be found at:
http://crabbywiki.com/tiki-browse_categ ... =off&type=
http://www.hermitcrabcuisine.com/
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? I use water from the sink.
Water offered to the hermies should never be given straight from the tap. The chlorine and chloramines in the water will cause blisters to the hermies gills and soft body parts. A dechlorinator should be used to remove the chlorine, chloramines, and heavy metals from it. The dechlorinator used should be free of any forms of slime coating or slime products. There is the possibility that the slime coating in the water conditioner can prevent the hermies from absorbing valuable nutrients from the foods they eat.
What brand of sea salt are you using to supply your hermit crabs with salt water? I didn't know I needed salt, don't have any.My tank isn't big enough to fit two water dishes unless I remove a hut.
A hermie needs also to be offered a dechlorinated ocean water pond. The ocean/sea mix needs to be bought at pet stores, and is one that is used in salt water fish tanks. (not the mix for freshwater tanks there is an element difference, not the already premixed hermit crab salt water, not the hermit crab salt mixes, and not sea salts sold for humans ) Ocean water helps the hermie to retain fluids between their old and new exo for easier shedding when they molt. They like to adjust the salinity levels of the water in their shells for proper osmotic balance, and each species has its own preference. If they have access to both types of water, they can adjust their own salinity level within their shells. The ocean waters will give them important trace minerals as well, that they need that they would otherwise be lacking through their diet. Making this mixture within their shells help to kill/control certain bacteria's/molds the hermie is subjected to from living in such a warm humid climate, along with helping them to control their shell waters temperature. The salinity from the ocean mix also helps them with their metabolism and the digestion of their food, and helps them to regulate their temperature as well. The salinity level needs to be 1.021-1.024. (usually obtained when mixed per package instructions)
When the ZooMed Part 2 as well as the HBH salt water mixes were tested with a hydrometer after mixing per the packages instructions, the salinity level did not register on the hydrometer.
When one mixes the ocean water, the mix should be permitted to sit for at least 12-24 hours prior to offering it to the hermies shaken a few times during this period. This ensures that the ocean mix has time to completely dissolve.
Ocean water is extremely important also if one uses distilled water. By using the ocean water it replaces the good minerals and elements that have been removed from the distilled water.
http://www.hermitcrabparadise.com/crabc ... eslist.php
What heat source are you using and where is it positioned? I live in florida, so I didn't think a heat source was needed.My tank didn't come with a cover.
Crabbers from the very southern tip have found they need some form of warming device during a few weeks during the winter, and if they have air conditioning in their home.
A hermies natural home is in the tropics.They are cold blooded creatures and must have the option of coolness and warmth to regulate their body heat. For this reason, they need a stable crabitat warmth of 74-78 F (22-25 C) degrees, and one should monitor the substrate temp too.
http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modu ... storyid=69
When a hermie is subjected to a temperature of 70 degrees F, (21 C) they will begin to go into a hibernation type state. If it is not corrected, this is stressful to the hermie, and eventually lethal to them. Anything 82 degree's F (28 C), or higher, there is a high chance of them over heating, which causes irreversible damage and is lethal. With the warm side to the crabitat substrate 78-80 F (25.56-26.67 C) there should always be a cooler side as well (72-73 F/22.22-22.78 C) for the hermie to choose where they are most comfortable at.
Have you calibrated your thermometer(s) and hygrometer? Uh what in the world is this question? I don't know what these are.
Please do read through Hermit Crab Paradise’s Crab Care section. There is a LOT of information there regarding the care hermies need. Including information about humidity gauges and how to calibrate/test them.
http://www.hermitcrabparadise.com/crabcare/
It does appear your tank conditions do need tweaking and may of been partially why your hermie had a bad molt. Please do try to tweak the above and if you have further questions please do post within this thread.
) Anyways, he's missing his two pinchers and his legs.The only legs he has is the ones to hold on to the shell with. My other crab didn't lose that.
