My crab has been moving all aroubd today well a couple hours later it was not moving like it is dead or something. I tried spraying it with water but nothig? how can I tell if he is molting or dead?
2007-01-01 18:52:55 · 7 answers · asked by soawake 2 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
I have had crabs sit for days and they were fine so don't think inactivity is necessarilly a sign of a problem.
Many of the answers here have said that if you lift the crab and his limbs dangle or he falls out he is dead. This statement is inaccurate as a freshly molted exoskeleton will also behave in the manner stated. The only accurate sign of death is for the crab to start smelling fishy. I describe it as low tide at a beach with a lot of sea weed. It is an extremely unpleasant smell.
Here is a link to my hermit crab setup. http://stembol.com/Pets/maintenance.html
2007-01-02 02:54:03 · answer #1 · answered by Betty 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hermit crabs become inactive when in a molt they will bary theirselves in the sand to protect their new out skin till it hardens.....u know when they are dead they will fall out of their shell totally ... hope this helps and check out my info website for the care sheet under crabs n turtles section
2007-01-02 09:27:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i would wait. if it hasn't moved overnight, i'd pick up the crab. if it was dead it'd be limp and the limbs would dangle. if they're contracted into the shell, he's just being shy
2007-01-02 02:56:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Since he was moving around just fine a few hours ago and now he isn't maybe he is just sleeping, they do that too.
2007-01-02 10:10:57 · answer #4 · answered by Nunya Biznis 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
sometimes they do that and don't move for a while you should wait about two days and then if it falls out of its shell it is dead.
2007-01-04 15:49:03 · answer #5 · answered by Ky. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Um... how's it smell?
2007-01-02 03:01:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Submerge him in water and see if he drowns, if not then he's alive.
2007-01-02 02:53:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋