two crabs dead, one not confirmed.

[CrabbyJo]

CCG, yes, it definitely is related, and very well could be that you were giving them regular salt. It could be other things as well, so it's very important to re-assess your tank conditions, read EVERYTHING that has been suggested, and change what you can.

Did you change anything since the last deaths? Keep in mind also that since they were not getting the ocean salt water, that the nutrients they needed from that same water were not obtained, and the crabs could be suffering from malnutrition, and may not be saveable.

Wasn't there something about your substrate as well, you were using forest bedding? Did you change that?

Let us know, lets see if we can help you save the crabs you have left.

[emmac350]

It probably is, CCG. Crabs, just like humans, have certain things that they need to live. If they don't get those things, they won't live. We need the right kinds of food - otherwise, we can get diseases from lack of certain nutrients (i.e. scurvy, which sailors used to get a lot, is because they didn't get enough vitamin C in their diet). Crabs need to have salt water and the right kinds of food every day, and if they don't get it, they may live for a while, but the lack of whatever it is will kill them.

[Wai]

CCG, are you using the Red Sea Salt that you bought now? Do you have a hydrometer to check whether the water is salty enough?

[crabcrazygal]

oh my gosh, he moulted!
surface moulted to be exact, and im not sure if he is still alive.
i am now using the salt.
im using baked play sand, not forrest bedding wai, you must of gotten confused with some one else.
other then the salt nothing has been changed in there tat.

[ladybug15057]

I'm not too sure of how many crabbers actually have a hydrometer to measure the salinity level of their ocean/sea mix. I even am not sure how many crabbers actually make enough ocean/sea water to be able to measure it correctly?
But there are instructions here as how to mix smaller portions and it should make the salinity level between 1.021-1.024.
I agree with CrabbyJo and Emma on this. crabcrazygal read back in this thread plus your other postings. Sadly you're lacking a couple things for your hermies to remain healthy. Even if this hermie did molt, he MUST have the nutrients in his old exo to recover properly from his molt. (why they eat their exo's) Without the proper foods and ocean/sea mixes their exo will be lacking the nutrients it needs as well.
As with humans some show the effects of things faster than others. Where as one hermie may pass in a couple weeks it maybe that the others will die more slowly in a couple of months.
Being from Aus. you have Aussie hermies who are very close cousins to the E's who MUST have the proper ocean/sea mix to survive.

[crabcrazygal]

he has not moved at all, since i discovered he had surface moulted.
there is no smell coming from the iso he's in, so im guessing he is still alive.
one of his legs isnt completely moulted.
next chance i get i will get one of those salinity level tests.
i have been feeding my hermies with plain chicken, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, shrimplegs, and tonight i will give them some fish (if i can)
i have decided,that if all my hermies die, i will not continue to have hermit crabs as pets, for awhile, but i wont give up on them.