CrabbyJo wrote: This is the first I've heard of the color change due to overheating, I did not know that could happen.
It is what happens in most crustaceans when the other, darker pigments are denatured by heat . Think lobster or blue crabs after they are cooked. I am not saying that is what happened (having not seen the animal in question), but thermal injuries happen in a wide variety of non-homeotherms in captivity.
Then this brings up the question - Concernedmommy, do you have an under tank heater on your crab's tank?
If you do, get a kitchen thermometer that will take low temps (if you dont have one you can get one at Walmart for about $3.00 US) and temp the substrate over the UTH.
If it is over about 81*F, this could be the culprit. If your crabs are digging down on top of it, they are probably not registering when it heats up to a high temp, so don't move when they should. You can thin the substrate over the top of it and strategically place items such as heavy dishes, glass beads, etc. to keep them from digging down on top of it.
If this isn't really an option, then for now, unplug it. You can purchase a thermostat to control the temp of your UTH. They are a little pricey, but well worth it. If you are savvy with Ebay you can possibly get one for under $30 including shipping.
If you go this route, make sure it is a thermostat, not a rheostat (with lo-med-high), as you need to have control over the exact temperature. the probe for it should be centered on the glass over the center of the UTH. You can tape it down with clear packing tape on the cord just behind the temperature probe, but don't tape the probe or it won't read correctly. Taping the wire down will keep your little fellers from pulling it up and moving it around (and they will, trust me!).
6 hermit crabs - 3 PPs and 3 Equadorians
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Whether an UTH or lights, it is very important to monitor substrate temp as well as air temp too. Any warming source can cause over heating if the temp gets too hot.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)
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I have to agree. I myself did not monitor substrate temp and had a new crab dig down right on top of the UTH and stay there for two days. Second day I unplugged it because he was worrying me, but the damage was done, and I lost him three weeks later
6 hermit crabs - 3 PPs and 3 Equadorians
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please feel free to share information from this website, but please be sure to give credit and a link back to the information. Failure to give credit is plagiarism. Don't take credit for someone else's information.
Well, I have 3 PP's and the biggest one is all red, the middle one is brown and purple, and the smallest one is brown with a bright red left back walking leg. Came from a different pet store also. I dont know what that means, but I dont have a heat source yet in my tank (stays at 76*). So maybe it could be normal?
My crab's leg turned red after his molt when he was regrowing a new limb, and that limb didn't match perfectly with all the others.
Former owner of 5 crabbies, now of 3 (cannibalism issues I know, my enclosure wasn't big enough. Please don't jump on me). Their names are Shelldon, Bubbles, and Angela. RIP Crush and Sandy.
