Molting or Dead?

[.:HermitCrabs:.]

I have a hermit crab, Breeze, as some of you may know.
A few days ago I led her to the saltwater dish (I moved it) so she would know where it went with a strawberry peel. I let her have it after she went into the saltwater and let her be. After about two hours I went to check on them. Breeze was still in there. She was still alive and very active, but I was still worried. I placed her in the moss pit and went to sleep. The next morning I went to check on her and she was limp and smelled like the sea. I took her body/exoskeleton out of the shell, because I wanted to reuse the shell (take precautions to make it safer, etc.) but in the process I noticed two little black eyes staring back at me. I don't have an ISO tank so I put her under the sand under the coconut hut for darkness and privacy.

I just checked less than twenty minutes ago on her because I was checking the sand for sogginess which it did have.. It's fixed now, but anyways... She smelled strongly of fish (not dead fish, but fish) and I didn't see any eyes. I didn't take a picture for extra precautions, but I'll give you guys the most detailed description I can. Pink skin, wet body, strong smelling of fish (again not dead fish, but fish). I didn't poke and prod, nor did I stay long to really "study" her so that is the best I can do at this point. I'm really worried, as this is my second molt ever so I'm basically at the nervous breakdown point as of right now. I have CaribSea Aragonite Sugar-Sized Sand which is constantly sand castle consistency or a little wetter, which I'm working on fixing.

Thank you in advance, guys and gals. I'm quite busy at this time but still devoting all extra time to them. Happy crabbing, and wish me luck.

[Wai]

Is there an abdomen attached to the body that you were fiddling with? If not, then she has moulted. In that case I would keep her isolated from the others and keep her in the dark.

[.:HermitCrabs:.]

No, there was not which was part of the reason I was freaking out.
She's very wet. By wet, I mean wet and cold. Is there any way to fix this?
Also, how would I isolate her without an ISO tank?

[Wai]

Cut off the bottom of a plastic 2 L soda bottle. Push it deep into the substrate around her. Make sure there are no hermit crabs under or around her. Leave the mouth of the bottle uncapped so she can breathe, but make sure the other hermit crabs can't slip through the mouth of the bottle.

You have a heat source in the tank don't you? Just in case you are wetting her with water, stop doing so as it will slow down her hardening process.

[.:HermitCrabs:.]

Thank you Wai. Thank you doesn't really cover it, but yes, thank you. I'll buy a 2 liter bottle tomorrow from Kroger. ^_^

I have a Fluker's Heat Lamp and 60 Watt light bulb and night bulb. I'm not wetting her with water, in fright that she would either drown or yes, slow down her hardening process.

Any other tips, for future reference?

[Wai]

So she's not isolated? You should get her away from the others immediately before she gets de-shelled or cannabalised by the others. If you don't have a soda bottle, is there anything else you can use? You can take out the flat pieces of glass from photo frames and build a barrier that way, or even use Lego. Anything will do as long as she is isolated and can still breathe.

[.:HermitCrabs:.]

No, she is not isolated. My brother has tons of legos, so should I rinse the legos before putting it in there?
I'm planning on making a little "shelter" (a box with a small opening on the top) using legos, and putting some sand in there along with Breeze. I will post pictures, as I am not the best at explaining things.

[Wai]

Give the Lego blocks a quick rinse in dechlorinated water and then build a wall with them. A thin wall will do. Just make sure your other two hermit crabs can't scale the wall. Keep an eye on the tank at all times whilst you build the wall so that the others don't attack her.

[.:HermitCrabs:.]

Got it - thank you so much Wai.

I'll post pictures asap, probably tomorrow. Should I make the entrance large enough for Breeze to leave when she's done molting or just check in everyday?

[Wai]

Don't leave an entrance, just place her behind the barrier away from the others. Change her food, fresh water and salt water at least once every two days.