Weird behavior

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 21 Jan 2006, 01:38

I am a new hermit crab owner and I love them to death. When I bought one of my crabs, Token, he was very active. He wouldnt' go back into his shell when you picked him up, he wasn't really afraid of anything. A few days ago I noticed that he wouldn't come out of his shell like the other 3. I misted him, nothing happened. He used to dig holes, all the way down to the bottom of the cage, he doesn't do that anymore. He is alive because he does move, but not very far. The only time he's moved is when I've picked him up and looked at him. He'll come out of his shell while he's in the air, then when I put him in my hand or the floor, he'll go back into his shell. This is so unlike him and I'm extremely worried. Please help!

Post by **Wai** » 22 Jan 2006, 03:48

He may have settled in with his new home so he may be "relaxing" a bit more. Or he may be going for a moult. You really shouldn't mist a hermit crab that refuses to come and see you, and don't hold the hermit crab too high up because they are afraid of heights.

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 23 Jan 2006, 08:42

Thank you for the advice, I really appreciate having this forum since no one really knows hermit crabs. Token had a lot of growing to do, he wasn't ready to moult...that's changing shells right? I was reading about the other illnesses that the crabs have had in this forum and noticed that if the color of their big claw changes from purple to brown, it's a bad sign. I picked Token up and noticed this change. Sadly, he passed away Friday night. Thank you for your input, Wai.

Post by **Wai** » 27 Jan 2006, 14:20

Moulting is shedding the exoskeleton (the skin). The shell of the hermit crab is not part of its body. See the Moulting page for more information.

If your hermit crab's claw changes colour, it's not a bad sign (where did you find that information?).

Sorry about Token

Julia_Crab · Post by **Julia_Crab** » 30 Jan 2006, 09:31

I have to agree; brown is a good color for clypeatus to have -- it means they're getting enough nutrients in the proper ranges.

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 31 Jan 2006, 13:59

I don't remember where I read about the color of the claw. I went to many sites before finding this one. When I first got Token, and my other three, their big claws were a pretty purple. Lemi, Tweek, and Butters' claws are all still purple. Token's big claw was a brown-red when he died. He lost his big claw first and a leg later that night too. I had done more research on here and found that their chance for surviving after losing limbs were slim to none. Saturday morning, he still hadn't moved and when my boyfriend picked him up, Token fell out of his shell. I hope that it wasn't a disease that my other crabs can catch....I guess I just have to play the waiting game with my others.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness and your response, Wai and your response Julia.

Weird behavior

Weird behavior

Update on the weird behavior

Claws