Oops! Will he be okay?

elvis_steveo_dave · Post by **elvis_steveo_dave** » 13 Jul 2006, 03:44

My biggest hermie went into moulting maybe 3 weeks ago. I stopped hearing him move around under the sand too. Well, my dad mistakingly put some hermit crab food in the ISO tank and it started to mold when I found out about it and took it out. It started to smell like death in the cage so I started to dig around to find my dead hermie and it turns out he wasn't dead. I actually hit him while I was scrapping around in the sand.

Have I hurt him? I just covered him back up. It was the food that smelled; I didn't get it all out.

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 13 Jul 2006, 04:08

if he's a small or medium sized crab, you probly caught him at the end of his molting and he's close to resurfacing anyway. but if there is moldy food in the tank and you smell something, take that out before digging up a molting crab. i think your crab should be ok. hopefully you'll see him soon. but if you have a salt water pond in the tank, be sure that you replace the water every week because that can also be a source of smells. always take out anything on top of the sand that could be the source of the smell before digging up a molting crab. only start to dig up a crab if there is a fishy smell, but be sure there is nothing else in the tank that could be causing that smell. good luck! keep us updated!

iluvhermies · Post by **iluvhermies** » 13 Jul 2006, 13:54

Excellent advice Jaci. I have done that before and my crab was ok so I am keeping my claws crossed that yours will be ok.

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 15 Jul 2006, 01:11

thanks. me too, but i just uncovered her shell, and she was ok. what's interesting is she went down by the tree, stayed under for 2 weeks, came up, moved to under the sponge, moved back to beside the tree the next day. she's so odd, but her molting cycle is now messed up and i have no idea when she'll be done molting lol. oh well, i guess i'll just wait and see. depending on how much i get done with the cleaning this weekend i may go get timmy/timmie next wednesday when i have off. yea!

hermiesrokmysox · Post by **hermiesrokmysox** » 15 Jul 2006, 08:39

please do not reburry your crabs, once you unburry them let them be. burrying them will just cause more stress and a chance of deformaties on the exo.

elvis_steveo_dave · Post by **elvis_steveo_dave** » 16 Jul 2006, 15:08

oops! Well, he still hasn't come up yet. I hope he's okay!

hermiesrokmysox · Post by **hermiesrokmysox** » 16 Jul 2006, 22:37

i hope he is too. i think he'll be okay.

keep updating.

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 17 Jul 2006, 12:13

he should be ok. just watch for a fishy smell. but always take out moldy food and change the salt water before digging up a buried crab. always check to see if the smell is coming from something else. like hermiesroxmysox said, reburying them can cause them to become more stressed and have an unsuccessful molt. they dig a little cave for themselves and if you disturb that cave, well.....yeah.....

elvis_steveo_dave · Post by **elvis_steveo_dave** » 18 Jul 2006, 17:17

Should I just not put in the salt water? Would it be easier just to put it in when he comes up?

hermiesrokmysox · Post by **hermiesrokmysox** » 18 Jul 2006, 22:35

it would be easier, but he could come up during the night when you are alseep and having nothing to drink and stuff, or even nothing to eat (is he had eaten his exo) keep putting in food and water.

you don't have to put in a lot of food though. Like honey and peanut butter.