My hermit crab is staying out of it's shell and it's pretty small. We have medium-large shells and he probably won't fit in them. When I get smaller shells, what should I do? And what about until I get them?
2006-06-28 20:11:17 · 7 answers · asked by shadowofthedoubt92 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Hello.
You need to get him isloated asap. Set up an solation contanier with soft substrate either reptile moss dampened with de-chlor water or even paper toweling in a pinch also dampened with de-chlor water. Gently pick him up and the shell he was in... rinse him in luke warm de-chlor water and his shell too... make sure his litte bottom is clean.. as long as you have a gentle touch you CAN touch his abdomen.
Place him and his old shell into the iso, making sure there is fresh food and water for him in there too. Make sure the ISO condtions are within range as far as humidity and temperature, this is a must... he needs high humidity since he has no protection and must be able to breath. Normally they hold excess water in their shells tohelp keep them moist and to help them breathe. They breathe through modified gills and without the humidity in place they will suffocate.
Also one must always have the proper extra shells for AlL of their crabs micro to jumbo and at least 3 per crab of the proper sizes, types, weights and opening shapes. So you must go and buy shells today... otherwise he may die shortly. If he is a purple pincher variety wiht a large purple big pincher then the best shells are Turbo Shells.. each species of crab has a favorite type shell. Get him a veriety of different kinds Turbos, Shark Eyes, Whale Eyes, Babylonias, Japenese Snail Shells to name just a few. But he will die very soon if you do not get him shells. Rinse them well in de-chlor water, preferrably boild them to clean them well, let them cool, mist the inseds with dechlor water and sit them in the ISO with him.. he will pick one shortyle. Allow him to stay in ISO until he is eating and drinking again and then you can return him to the main tank.
Crabs leave shells when they are too hot, too dry or very stressed.. also if the inside of their shell gets gravel or dirt in it... or if there is a shell fight.
Are the tank condtions within range?? They must have temps between 76-85 degrees F and humidity ranges between 74% to 85% relative.. if those are not in place at a constant or sustained level then this will happen again. ALSO what type of substrate are you using for them? Moist cocofiber and sand are the only two approved and proper substrates.. gravel and reptile bark are vvery bad.
2006-06-29 04:00:52 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ok. Don't panic. The main thing to do is keep your hermit crab warm and MOIST, no soaked or too dry, MOIST. If you have more than one hermit crab, move the other/s to another tank. DO NOT TOUCH THE ONE OUT OF IT'S SHELL! They have very soft bodies and can be hurt easily. You should get new shells as soon as possible. Don't get shells that are the same size and shape as the old one. Try to get all differnt sizes and shapes. It may have left it's old shell because it was too small or very uncomfortable.
My hermit left it's shell too. Unfortionetly, it died about three days later.
2006-06-29 03:20:10 · answer #2 · answered by mutants_need_love_too 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My sister used to have a hermit crab. She would just put a random assortment of shells in his pen and he would chose one. They can be sort of picky. I think they're okay out of their shells for a while but should get a new one fairly soon. She just kept him warm and humid. Careful though, they have those shells for a reason--protection---don't screw with him too much. Just put in differently shaped and sized shells and see if he picks one. Sometimes they chose a really big one and just sort of sit under it or drag it around until they're big enough.
2006-06-29 03:21:04 · answer #3 · answered by im_afraid_of_america 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you get smaller shells, just place them near your crab. It will find its way into one of them by itself.
2006-07-01 04:21:17 · answer #4 · answered by aznduchess 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ya he needs the perfect shell.
get all kinds and keep them in the tank for a week
if he doesnt find one mabye he just doesnt want a shell?
2006-06-29 03:16:20 · answer #5 · answered by Celebrity 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try to buy them asap. in the meanwhile put the other shells in because that happened to mine and it died. :(
2006-06-29 03:15:17 · answer #6 · answered by iluvsoftball 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it may be too hot. try to provide cooler water asap and give it its original shell and it may get back in it.
2006-06-29 11:15:05 · answer #7 · answered by iva 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋