EMERGENCY!!

[HermieLover1234]

My hermit crab began a surface molt on Friday but its now sunday and theres still some exo left to shed on my hermit crabs stomach area, will he live? He lives in a ten gallon tank with 3 other crabs and a half an inch of sand for substrate. he is isolated under the top half of a two liter soda bottle. I know hes alive because one of his legs moves periodically while hes tucked away in his shell. he hsnt moved any other than that and I'm worried because online videos show other peoples crabs shedding within hours but mine is still shedding! also last thing will he need to shed his super-soft abdomen that's hidden in the back of the shell?

[Lydia]

Poor thing didnt have enuff depth to dig down and get the darkness needed to trigger proper hormones tp help with the molt. HES PROB VERY WEAK. Suggest you cover the soda bot with a cloth so he can have darkness. You must resist the urge to peek. Leave him alone and perhaps he can complete the molt he will eat the shell as he gains strength to do so it is a gradual process

[emmac350]

You definitely need more substrate in your tank in the future. Not right now, since you have an emergency going on, but soon. That said, you need to keep your other crabs from getting to your molter. He/she is very vulnerable right now and your other crabs will want nothing more than to go steal his/her exo and possibly even eat him/her if they're short on protein. I suggest you get some eggshell or other calcium supplement in your tank as well as fresh protein (a cooked shrimp is always good at getting your crabs' attention) to try to keep them from eating your molter.

Don't handle your molter, but keep the other crabs away. The smell of a molting crab will drive other crabs nuts.

They don't shed their abdomens, just their hard exoskeleton.

[HermieLover1234]

emergency last night he emerged from his shell a bit and was moving a leg but today after school I came home to no movement he looked drier and the tips of his legs and other little spots started to turn a faint blackish color (is it mold) is my sweet hermie dead??? I'm so sad.... please help idk what to do!!!!!

[HermieLover1234]

In a previous post I told about a surface molter well now this same crab has emerged a bit from his shell last night with small leg movement but today after school I discovered he looked drier no movement and parts of his body(the tips of his legs) are starting to turn a faint blackish color! he doesn't smell yet. hes isolated under two liter bottle and lives with 3 other crabs. Is my sweet little hermie dead??? I'm so said and any closure that hes gone or assurance that hes not dead will help! please reply!!!!!!

[emmac350]

Does he smell bad? If not, leave him alone until he does or he starts moving again.

[Wai]

The blackish colour could be rotting flesh. I have personally seen this when an old crab of mine got attacked after moulting. The blackened leg looked like it was withering and was seeping a blackish brown liquid.