Crab Left Shell

Questions about hermit crabs moulting and its symptoms.
StellaCrab
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Re: Crab Left Shell

Post by StellaCrab »

charcoal44 wrote: 18 Jan 2019, 08:39 Temps at 76.28f, been as high as 82-84f.
Humidity is 82% been up as high as 88%

The humidity fluctuates as the day progresses, atm, the evaporative cooler is going all day and night, yesterdays temp was 113f, with about 16% humidity outside (though a thermometer in my garage in shade measured 116) we are going through a heatwave with no end in sight.

I change the salt and fresh water daily if it's full of coconut fiber or every second day if it's clean.

The humidity in the crabitat was around the seventies for quite a while, could this be the reason?

And he's once again left his shell, and moved over to sit on top of my other crab.
I would keep the temperature up to at least 78, my tanks are always 80 during the day, and 78 at night. I do not recommend letting your humidity fluctuation much though, it should always be above 80.

Ensure your water bowls allow the crabs to fully submerge, and have a safe way to get out. My pools have bubblers on them to prevent the need to change them so often.

Try to get him back in a shell and put into a separate container inside the crabitat, then he has less room to move about and less a chance of coming out of his shell again. Keep offering him honey and water.
charcoal44
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Re: Crab Left Shell

Post by charcoal44 »

I'm pretty sure he's dying, atm, he's not moving and I can't get him back in his shell at all.

EDIT:
I can no longer sit by and watch him suffer, so I have euthanized him, I placed him a small bag, and put him into the freezer.
StellaCrab
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Re: Crab Left Shell

Post by StellaCrab »

charcoal44 wrote: 19 Jan 2019, 08:11 I'm pretty sure he's dying, atm, he's not moving and I can't get him back in his shell at all.

EDIT:
I can no longer sit by and watch him suffer, so I have euthanized him, I placed him a small bag, and put him into the freezer.
I am very sorry to hear this, but putting him in the freezer is a very inhumane thing to do.
charcoal44
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Re: Crab Left Shell

Post by charcoal44 »

StellaCrab wrote: 19 Jan 2019, 12:14
charcoal44 wrote: 19 Jan 2019, 08:11 I'm pretty sure he's dying, atm, he's not moving and I can't get him back in his shell at all.

EDIT:
I can no longer sit by and watch him suffer, so I have euthanized him, I placed him a small bag, and put him into the freezer.
I am very sorry to hear this, but putting him in the freezer is a very inhumane thing to do.
I was under the impression that it was best to cool them then freeze, I found that online.
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aussieJJDude
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Re: Crab Left Shell

Post by aussieJJDude »

While freezing does kill them, they do 'feel it', and is quite drawn out. I personally would euthanize a crab by cutting or severing the brain - aka, cutting the cephalothorax in half - as its rather quick and instantaneous.


But everyone has their methods, and really sorry for you loss.
246L/65G - 'Tidal Jungle' (Crabs) | 246L/65g - 'Backwater Pool' (Fish/Snails) | 96L/25G - ''Twisted Minds" (Fish/Snails/Shrimp) | 300L/90G Fancy Pond (Goldfish)

I've never had any problems with 'Impulse Buying'. They're just animals that I forgot I had planned to get.
StellaCrab
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Re: Crab Left Shell

Post by StellaCrab »

aussieJJDude wrote: 26 Jan 2019, 01:08 While freezing does kill them, they do 'feel it', and is quite drawn out. I personally would euthanize a crab by cutting or severing the brain - aka, cutting the cephalothorax in half - as its rather quick and instantaneous.


But everyone has their methods, and really sorry for you loss.
I agree, but I would be too sensitive to even do that to any hermit crab! 8|
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aussieJJDude
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Re: Crab Left Shell

Post by aussieJJDude »

StellaCrab wrote: 01 Feb 2019, 07:42 I agree, but I would be too sensitive to even do that to any hermit crab! 8|
It's something I would of agreed with a couple of years back, but since doing sciences at uni - particularly biology/zoology - I've become pretty desensitised to it all.
246L/65G - 'Tidal Jungle' (Crabs) | 246L/65g - 'Backwater Pool' (Fish/Snails) | 96L/25G - ''Twisted Minds" (Fish/Snails/Shrimp) | 300L/90G Fancy Pond (Goldfish)

I've never had any problems with 'Impulse Buying'. They're just animals that I forgot I had planned to get.
charcoal44
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Re: Crab Left Shell

Post by charcoal44 »

how do they handle being put into a fridge then? Rather than freezing?
StellaCrab
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Re: Crab Left Shell

Post by StellaCrab »

charcoal44 wrote: 04 Feb 2019, 09:13 how do they handle being put into a fridge then? Rather than freezing?
They'd die much slower due to the fridge being slightly above the freezing point, and it would be much for agonizing than the freezer.
charcoal44
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Total gallons: 17
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Re: Crab Left Shell

Post by charcoal44 »

I was under the impression that they just go to sleep as they cool down, this method was given as a means to dispatch crabs prior to boiling
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