2006-06-24 05:45:33 · 7 answers · asked by cynthia f 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
A land Hermit Crab is a crustacean who in order to grow needs to shed his old Exoskeleton which is hard and rigid and does not grow.
Pre-Molt signs:
He will tend to hang out by the water pools a bit more, this is when he is "stocking" up on water helping to soften him up and make slipping out of his old Exoskeleton a bit easier. Your crab will also eat a lot more; you may even witness him eating at odd hours of the day at this time. He may also become lethargic and seem to mope around a bit. Our crabs have also gone shell shopping at this time and have even gotten aggressive while doing so.
A crabs coloring may get dull and ashy and you may notice his eyes become cloudy, sometimes if a crab had lost a limb you may see a jelly like protrusion it is a gel limb, do not be alarmed but the time for molting is very near.
You may choose to ISO the crab, this is up to you and you will need to judge the space and other crabs as to if this is what you need to do. If you do make sure it has the proper temps and humidity levels and continues to offer daily fresh foods and water throughout the molting process.
Molting:
Normally Hermit Crabs will burry themselves in the sand or other substrate to molt. (There are also times when they will feel comfortable enough to molt within the confines of a hidey area or even right on the surface.) Now when a hermit crab begins this process it is very important that you do not touch or disturb him in anyway unless absolutely necessary. During this process the crab is the most vulnerable to stress and to succumbing to death.
You may even get to watch your crab through the glass if he is buried! You may see him flinch or rock as to help his Exo split so he may slip out of it. He is working very hard to help himself grow. Also at this time he will re-generate lost limbs, antennae and even eyes!
Post molting:
When he has slipped out of his Exo you will see it hanging out of his shell, it will definitely look like a dead crab, do not remove it or disturb the area. The crab is soft and pink deep within his shell resting. Very soon he will begin to eat the old Exo, do not take this from him, as it provides necessary nutrients and calcium to help his new Exo harden and re-gain its color and luster.
At this time if the crab has been is ISO make sure to continue to offer fresh foods and waters even though he may not seem interested now, he will be soon enough. When he regains strength and starts to venture out a bit more, if there are leg pieces or pinchers left make sure to crush those and re-offer that on his food dish, he will eat them.
You can also offer a soothing post-molt diet of organic bananas and organic honey together with fresh organic plain yogurt. This will help sooth him and give him some extra energy. Make sure to offer a good variety of fresh fruits and veggies and also extra protein at this time to help him get strong to either return to the main tank or to become an active colony member again.
Small crabs molt more often sometimes as often as very two weeks larger crabs molt every year or less.
TIME FRAME:
The actual molting process from beginning to end can take anywhere from 3 days to 3 or more months. Patience and TLC is the key to make it a success. Once the old EXO is off and he begins to munch it, the molting process is close to the end.
Keep him in ISO (if you have used an ISO) and offer him a high calcium, high protien, color rich diet. Like mentioned above the bannana smoothy right now would be perfect for energy.
One your crab is walking about and acting almost normal again and his coloring has evened out.. then it is safe to either let him back into the main tank or allow free range again. Keep a watchful eye for a few days to make sure.
2006-06-24 08:13:52 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
When a hermit crab molts it mean he/she is shedding its exoskeleton--its protective hard covering over it's soft body. When it molts it should NOT be handled in any way as this could cause lots of stress. When a hermit crab molts it usually buries in the substrate (whatever is on the bottom of the tank--like sand) that you provide him with. Sometimes though, if you don't provide them AT LEAST 3-4 inches of the, or if they are very stressed out, they will molt on top of the surface. If they dig dow & are buried...DO NOT DIG HIM UP, it will cause so much stress that he will probably die. If he is molting on the surface, DON'T HANDLE it AT ALL!!! Just make sure the humidity stays 75-85 % & the temp stays at 75-80 F. Check out www.hermit-crabs.com & www.landhermitcrabs.com
2006-06-24 05:52:07 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't but I did have 3 hermit crabs that lived for 1 1/2 yrs. I think that's good
2006-06-24 05:47:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you're in difficulty in case you have a variety of tiny plastic cages. They wont final long in those and that they want a real tank and eight inches of substrate to completely dig into. in the adventure that your giving it a sponge, covert to a water dish. additionally in case you have greater effective than one crab, the molted one needs to stay by potential of itself for a on an identical time as
2016-10-31 10:04:14 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
make sure you provide thm with enough sand to burry themselfs in and have a variety of new shels for them to pick from.
2006-06-24 05:50:21 · answer #5 · answered by newischk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just make sure you buy them bigger shells to get into and they will handle the rest
2006-06-24 05:48:12 · answer #6 · answered by cassiepiehoney 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they smell, know it probably wont help much but it's true they do smell
2006-06-24 05:49:14 · answer #7 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋