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Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5371
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 3:34 pm: | 
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My nephews got Hermit Crabs for their birthday last year. Late Sunday night I noticed what looked like the skin of one of their bodies just outside it's baseball shell. (it looked like a shed snake skin looks but shaped like the crab). At first I thought it shed it's skin like a snake; then though it might have had babies, so I didn't bother with checking it out more.
The next day (Monday) my friend's daughter was over and we were looking at the Hermit Crabs. When the one in the baseball shell didn't walk around in her hand like the one in the football shell was doing in my hand, she came to the conclusion he was 'dead.' Considering I had never seen this one walk around I didn't think anything of it. I knew it had moved from where I had see it the night before. To be sure I put him on the opposite side of the tank he had been on.
When we checked about an hour later he had moved back to the other side into the cave thing they like to hide in; confirming he was alive. Later Monday night I mentioned to my mom about the crab's skin. He friend told her it was normal that it was ready to change it's shell. The friend said make sure there is another shell for it in the cage, which there was. We actually put the shells in several months ago because the pet store told us they change them when they were about six months old.
When my sister and the kids came home Tuesday afternoon I mentioned the crab shed it's skin. We woke up this morning and not only is it completely out of it's shell, it is dead. She blames me it died because I didn't look online to see what was going on. She says according to what she found the crab was 'molting' and there were things I should have done to insure it didn't die. She also said I should have called her when I realized it had totally shedder it's skin.
I tried to explain one of our mom's friends told me it was normal and there was nothing to worry about. The only thing I needed to do was make sure there was a bigger shell for it to move into. I didn't think this justified called her at 11:30pm. I also pointed out it didn't seem to faze her when I told her Tuesday night.
Should we be concerned about the other crab? |
newone
Citizen
Username: Newone
Post Number: 393
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 4:36 pm: |
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I never remember my hermit crabs molting (but this was 30 some years ago). All I ever did, like you, was to make sure that there was always a bigger shell in the cage for them to use when they grew out of the old one.
Hope this helps somewhat... |
cody
Citizen
Username: Cody
Post Number: 1018
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 5:40 pm: |
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We did have them, they did molt. I recall that you are supposed to leave the shed exoskeleton in the cage for the crab to eat - it helps harden the newly-developed and still-soft exoskeleton. I don't remember having to do anything else at this time. They are very vulnerable to attack by other hermit crabs at this time because the new exoskeleton is too soft to offer much protection. (This is also true of lobsters and crabs - they will typically hide in a sheltered spot after molting until the new exoskeleton hardens enough to offer some protection.)
Sorry I can't give you any other advice. I would have done what you did, except that I might have moved it into a separate tank until the new shell had hardened. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5374
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 9:40 pm: |
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Thanks newone and cody.
If I'm understanding correctly not all Hermit Crabs 'molt?' Wish I knew about leaving the shed exoskeleton in there because we took it out Monday night. No wonder he wanted to be back in the cave thing. But the other crab likes to go in there too. The poor thing must have been so traumatized. I can't believe how bad I feel over a Hermit Crab. I sure hope it didn't suffer.
My sister said she remembers it doing a lot of digging last week and the information she read earlier mentioned that's a sign of 'molting.' I told my nephew I'd buy him another one. I was surprised to hear these things can live for 90 years!
At least my nephew is taking it better then my sister. He tells me "Well, JTA at least it lived longer then the fish usually do!" Meanwhile I'm going to make sure we keep a really close eye on the other one. |
cody
Citizen
Username: Cody
Post Number: 1020
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 10:52 pm: |
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JTA, your post reminded me of when my son's catfish died, years ago. I had always liked that little fish and I was a bit teary as I took it out of the tank. My son (about 4 at the time) patted my arm and said, "Don't cry, Mommy. It's OK. That's what fish do. They live and then they die." Out of the mouths of babes!
None of our hermit crabs made it to 90 or anywhere near that. In fact, one killed the other when it was in the vulnerable molting state. That's how I learned it's a good idea to separate them at that time. |
notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 3429
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 9:30 am: |
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JTA, the info you need(ed) can be found here.
I think you ought to get another. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5382
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 10:16 am: |
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Cody
What your son said is so cute! Thanks for the smile.
Notehead-
Thanks for the link. I just read the information and as bad as I feel, it seems as if the crab had been 'molting' at least a couple of weeks before any of us noticed. I'm not going to rub it in to my sister that it's more her fault then mine since she said herself she saw it digging last week.
I plan to take my nephew this afternoon for a new crab. |
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