You see, I just got my little hermies today! :) and I had just put them in their tank like one hour ago. I hadn't touched them at all, y'know, to let them get used to the environment. I like 10 minutes ago it lost one of its legs!!!!!!!!!:( I need to know: is that normal? Do they grow back? should i just get another one? Plz, from people who know alot about hermit crabs!
2006-11-05 06:54:13 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Reptiles
The crab is stressed. What they go through before you get them is horrifying. All hermit crabs are wild caught. If your crab had a colorful shell it was also forced into it by having it's original shell stollen (by people) while it was trying on the new one. There is a high loss of crabs, and the loss of legs is a sign of greater risk.
Now that I've depressed you let me let you know that death is by no means a definate. What it does mean is that you must be especially careful to provide the best care possible for that crab. I have had 2 crabs loose legs immediately after I got them. The smaller crab survived, the jumbo died. In any case you need to understand that crab death that soon after you got it is not likely to be your fault. If the crab survives it will regrow the leg. How many molts it takes will depend on the size of the crab.
http://www.hermit-crabs.com provides a good reference on care of healthy and not healty crabs. I have personally had my 10 crabs for 3 years without any injury or death, but I lost 5 before getting to this stable situation.
2006-11-06 10:40:51 · answer #1 · answered by Betty 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I bet money the little guy was sick and stressed out when you bought him. I get so angry at some of the conditions these creatures live in at the Pet Store. Maybe give him a bath in some warm water with a little stress coat in it....then let him run around in the tub to dry off. Make sure his home is warm with plenty of humidity (as you know hermit crabs breathe through gills) so they need lots of moisture. The sand should be damp, damp enough to make a sand castle out of. Don't worry his leg will grow back. If his home is nice enough and just right he will bury down and molt. Exciting stuff :) Sounds like you are exactly what he needs!
Here is a link on giving hermie a bath.
Good luck!
2006-11-06 07:14:02 · answer #2 · answered by luv2lotto 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hermit crabs should not be losing legs.
Possible causes include injury (rolling around in the box on the trip home) and fights with other crabs in the cage.
Despite what the guy at the pet store tells in to try to get you to buy more hermit crabs, they are not social animals. The only time they really take notice of each other in captivity is to fight over territory.
2006-11-06 06:00:05 · answer #3 · answered by Newton K 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i dont know how it lost its leg but i have had a hermit crab for like a year and they are fun but there legs shouldn't fall off if it is still alive let it go and maybe it will grow back but if it doesn't and it is still living then don't worry about it. it has a lot of other legs.
2006-11-05 14:59:06 · answer #4 · answered by gottaluvda200fly 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have had several. It is not a good sign. It could be stress, poor environment, bad water....nearly anything. The legs will not grow back.
Chances are you will loose your crab. I have not been successful with saving one once it lost legs.
2006-11-08 17:07:51 · answer #5 · answered by zkiwi2004 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thats a sign of stress. It won't die, unless it loses more than one leg in a few hours, in which it probably will O_O. Try to take especially good care of it by making sure its environment is nice and friendly. Make sure the tank isn't too hot or too cold, the drinking water doesn't have chlorine, and give it some sort of place to 'hide.'
2006-11-05 15:02:26 · answer #6 · answered by Sunny 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I had a few hermit crabs for my son years ago...I know one lost its leg and I am sure it grew back....I think they do it for a defense mechanism
2006-11-05 14:57:40 · answer #7 · answered by tamrolson 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's caused by stress, if he keeps losing his legs put him in a cage alone, and, sadly let him die. My Eduarda Maria Guadalupe Hermie died after she lost three of her legs. Good luck, i hope you NEVER have to do that
2006-11-05 15:24:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes that is normal..It will grow back :
Go here ; www.hermit-crabs.com
2006-11-05 15:06:27 · answer #9 · answered by jenny 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they shed too so it will probably grow back when he sheds again my daughter has 14 of them
2006-11-06 12:42:10 · answer #10 · answered by cameron b 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋