Ok. So I had gotten a little hermit crab last week. He has been digging in the sand everyday and staying there. I heard about hermit crabs and how they molt sometimes. Should I leave him alone and not touch him? Because every time I pick him up when hes i n the sand he moves and on a website it says they wouldn't move hardly at all! Please help!
2006-11-14 03:12:31 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
If the sand is wet enough he will bury down and molt, this is a good thing, it means you have the PERFECT habitat for him. Many crabs will molt after changing environments, very common. Crabs will not molt unless they are happy and healthy, believe me..I have had a bunch for years. Sometimes you will get an odd crab that tries to molt on top of the soil and that is not a good thing. Make sure you have lots of different shells and different sizes, he will want a new one soon too I bet.
If your little guy is burying up, leave him alone, don't move him or stop him. He is probably building his little hole in preparation of molting. Don't worry if you don't see him for awhile either, it can take weeks for him to come back up. They eat their exoskeleton so they don't have to come up for food. If you must peek (curiosity or worry gets the best of us some times) very gently pull the sand away from the top and check on him, but make sure to cover him right back up..gently.
You can also give the area he is buried up in a spritz of water every other day so it stays moist and helps him out a bit. My hemies always love to bury up under the water bowl where water splashes out some.
If he is not molting he's playing! Hermies love to dig and bury up, but they come out at night to eat and climb.
Here are some links for you.
http://www.hermit-crabs.com/molting.html
http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/
2006-11-15 02:28:58 · answer #1 · answered by luv2lotto 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hermit crabs are funny creatures. I have 11 of them and theyve been alive for years. When they molt it may look like their dead when u pick him up because a "body" will fall out. I was quite confused when one of ours malted because it was just his skin. The best thing to do when they molt is to leave them alone, because their new skin will be quite raw. They prefer to come out at night and its very normal to be buried in the sand. He may not be molting at all right now. Just make sure he has shells slightly bigger than the one he is using, because they do grow, and if he doesnt move shells he may die if he gets too small for that one. So Good Luck!! be careful because they will pinch!!
2006-11-14 11:29:53 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just a few ideas- good luck
Okay offer other shells. If he his molting, then he will select another one. He may also be cold, you may want to put a Hot rock in the tank with him. Or better yet get another crab and see if that helps out.
2006-11-14 11:15:59 · answer #3 · answered by Denise W 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Learn everything you can from http://www.hermit-crabs.com
I used this website and my hermit crabs are still alive. I bought them about a year ago and was a complete amateur. Most store bought hermit crabs die in a week when people dont know how to take care of them.
2006-11-14 11:20:36 · answer #4 · answered by stealthisprofile 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hermit crabs do move around we have 3 at our daycare center.
Make sure they are kept warm. Always have a bigger shell house available for them and remember to keep water in their bowls.
Other than that, they pretty much have no upkeep... Love it
2006-11-14 11:15:52 · answer #5 · answered by Danetty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two cups water, one teaspoon salt, boil, when they float they're done. Good eating.
2006-11-14 11:16:14 · answer #6 · answered by Uncle Baby 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋