Hermit Crabs

[pixiegirl (Premo)]

Ok Grammy bought the oldest 2 hermit crabs a couple months back. They were just in one of the little plastic tanks with gravel, food bowls, etc. I've heard that hermit crabs are hard to keep and are very temperature sensative so daddy and I decided to drop a considerable amount of money on these damn crabs to ensure they're survival. A 10 gallon tank and hood with light, under tank heater, 2 nice bowls one for fresh drinking water and one for a salt water pool, the water conditioner and actual salt water concoction, cyress mulch, special hermit crab sticks for them to climb on, 2 kinds of food, treats, etc. Along the way for good behavior he's earned himself 3 more crabs.

Everything has been fine. Last week I noticed a claw on top of the mulch. I inspected all the crabs and discovered it was the newest that had only been in the tank a couple weeks. I thought it odd but wasn't overly concerned because I thought it would grow it back. The next day said crab changed shells into a fairly small shell. The next it changed shells again into a bigger shell but smaller than the one it came out of. There are several empty shells of various sizes in the tank. It then went back into it's original shell. Friday night thank God the kids were with my parents because this thing was half way out of it's shell and not very active. Saturday morning completely out if it's shell and dead.

B got home and took it out. We went to Petco to find a replacement. I'm a horrible mother and was going to pass off another crab as the one that died. Go to Petco, get a new crab and some fresh bedding. Got home and we cleaned the tank, threw away all of the old bedding, scrubbed all the bowls with a scrub brush and hot water, soaked all the empty shells in hot water, reassembled everything and put all the crabs back in. Everyone seems healthy and happy and it moving around checking things out. The new crab seems just fine. B and I leave to go get the kids, we go to the fair and then return home. The new crab has moved out of the shell it came in and into the original (and last) shell of the one that just died. I'm thinking we're golden. Oldest kid even picks it up and is excited that it grew it's leg back.

Yesterday morning all is fine. We leave for the afternoon and didn't return home until after 8. Both kids were asleep and I go to check on the crabs. I see legs on top of the mulch; 2 of them. WTF??? They all like to bury themselves in the mulch so I go digging and find 2 more legs. I know this isn't good. I find the shell with dead crab inside!

When the first crab died I thought maybe it was old or was sick or diseased when we got it and that's why it died. It was the newest of all the crabs. Then the new one only lasts a day. It has to be that shell I'm thinking? Maybe they get stuck in it and lose legs trying to get themselves out? I threw it out since it had dead crab still inside.

Does anyone know anything about hermit crabs? Can give me some insight? From the info above does my theory sound right? Can they get stuck inside shells? Or should I be concerned that it's something else? All the rest of the crabs are totally fine it seems.

[virgovictoria (Premo)]

Originally Posted by pixiegirl

Ok Grammy bought the oldest 2 hermit crabs a couple months back. They were just in one of the little plastic tanks with gravel, food bowls, etc. I've heard that hermit crabs are hard to keep and are very temperature sensative so daddy and I decided to drop a considerable amount of money on these damn crabs to ensure they're survival. A 10 gallon tank and hood with light, under tank heater, 2 nice bowls one for fresh drinking water and one for a salt water pool, the water conditioner and actual salt water concoction, cyress mulch, special hermit crab sticks for them to climb on, 2 kinds of food, treats, etc. Along the way for good behavior he's earned himself 3 more crabs.

Everything has been fine. Last week I noticed a claw on top of the mulch. I inspected all the crabs and discovered it was the newest that had only been in the tank a couple weeks. I thought it odd but wasn't overly concerned because I thought it would grow it back. The next day said crab changed shells into a fairly small shell. The next it changed shells again into a bigger shell but smaller than the one it came out of. There are several empty shells of various sizes in the tank. It then went back into it's original shell. Friday night thank God the kids were with my parents because this thing was half way out of it's shell and not very active. Saturday morning completely out if it's shell and dead.

B got home and took it out. We went to Petco to find a replacement. I'm a horrible mother and was going to pass off another crab as the one that died. Go to Petco, get a new crab and some fresh bedding. Got home and we cleaned the tank, threw away all of the old bedding, scrubbed all the bowls with a scrub brush and hot water, soaked all the empty shells in hot water, reassembled everything and put all the crabs back in. Everyone seems healthy and happy and it moving around checking things out. The new crab seems just fine. B and I leave to go get the kids, we go to the fair and then return home. The new crab has moved out of the shell it came in and into the original (and last) shell of the one that just died. I'm thinking we're golden. Oldest kid even picks it up and is excited that it grew it's leg back.

Yesterday morning all is fine. We leave for the afternoon and didn't return home until after 8. Both kids were asleep and I go to check on the crabs. I see legs on top of the mulch; 2 of them. WTF??? They all like to bury themselves in the mulch so I go digging and find 2 more legs. I know this isn't good. I find the shell with dead crab inside!

When the first crab died I thought maybe it was old or was sick or diseased when we got it and that's why it died. It was the newest of all the crabs. Then the new one only lasts a day. It has to be that shell I'm thinking? Maybe they get stuck in it and lose legs trying to get themselves out? I threw it out since it had dead crab still inside.

Does anyone know anything about hermit crabs? Can give me some insight? From the info above does my theory sound right? Can they get stuck inside shells? Or should I be concerned that it's something else? All the rest of the crabs are totally fine it seems.

[thakidistight]

Originally Posted by pixiegirl

When the first crab died I thought maybe it was old or was sick or diseased when we got it and that's why it died. It was the newest of all the crabs. Then the new one only lasts a day. It has to be that shell I'm thinking? Maybe they get stuck in it and lose legs trying to get themselves out? I threw it out since it had dead crab still inside.

Does anyone know anything about hermit crabs? Can give me some insight? From the info above does my theory sound right? Can they get stuck inside shells? Or should I be concerned that it's something else? All the rest of the crabs are totally fine it seems.

I would stop buying them from PETCO. The shell also sounds like it may be part of the problem. I have heard that some of the animals that come from there arent in the best of shape. Snakes that have mites and diseased fish and whatnot. I would toss the shell as well.

[cattitude (Premo)]

Generally they don't live very long. My grandson brought one home from OC in June. That one is still alive. My poor grandaughter has gone through three in that time.

[Nickel]

Note to self: Never buy hermit crabs.

[Tinkerbell]

I've kept Hermit Crabs for the last 10 years, and learned some things about it along the way. I've had two die on me, out of 12. First of all, good for you to learn the proper way to care for crabs. Do understand that a hermit crabs natural life span, when in a correct environment, is up to 25 years or more.

Hermit crabs are tempermental and easily stressed. When you first get crabs, there is a period of adjustment, and they may not make it. You have to leave the new ones alone, do not handle them, for a couple of months. You also have to watch where you get them. Petco may be selling you crabs that they just got, and so are already stressed out. You move them again, and some are weak and won't make it. Look for crabs that will come out of the shell when you hold them. (sometimes you have to give them a couple of minutes). Look to see who is active in the tank.

Crabs WILL NOT get stuck in shells. They will change when they are good and ready. Sometimes it seems the shell they are in or the one they choose is too small, but they know what they are doing. Make sure you have the right shells. There are two types of hermit crabs: Purple Pincher (PP) and Ecquadorian. You probably have PP, because they are most commonly sold in the US. They actually have a purple large claw. They like shells with round openings. Ecquadorian are lighter in color, and do not have the dark purple claw. They like shells with oval openings.

Hermits shed they exoskeleten as well. If they bury themselves and you don't see them for a while -- LEAVE THEM ALONE. They may be shedding and need to be left totally alone until they are done. This can take up to two months (sometimes more) for them. They will eat their exoskelten when they are done.

[pixiegirl (Premo)]

Originally Posted by cattitude

Generally they don't live very long. My grandson brought one home from OC in June. That one is still alive. My poor grandaughter has gone through three in that time.

I read up on them and learned that they're very temperamental thus dropping all kinds of money to keep them alive. The two oldest have been in there sine June or July and are fine. They require a good amount of care and typically don't get it and that's why they don't last long. N is a very sensative kid and I couldn't bear to see his heart broken so I spent the $$$. They can live a good while if they're taken care of correctly; I believe up to 15 years.

Have you seen one out of it's shell. If that's not the nastiest thing I've ever seen! I would not touch the dead one that came out! No way, no sir!

I'm thinking it had to be that damn shell. I don't know how I'm going to explain this one away since I tossed the shell. It was a Spiderman shell. I surely can't tell him his hermit crab ran away!

[pixiegirl (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Tinkerbell

I've kept Hermit Crabs for the last 10 years, and learned some things about it along the way. I've had two die on me, out of 12. First of all, good for you to learn the proper way to care for crabs. Do understand that a hermit crabs natural life span, when in a correct environment, is up to 25 years or more.

Hermit crabs are tempermental and easily stressed. When you first get crabs, there is a period of adjustment, and they may not make it. You have to leave the new ones alone, do not handle them, for a couple of months. You also have to watch where you get them. Petco may be selling you crabs that they just got, and so are already stressed out. You move them again, and some are weak and won't make it. Look for crabs that will come out of the shell when you hold them. (sometimes you have to give them a couple of minutes). Look to see who is active in the tank.

Crabs WILL NOT get stuck in shells. They will change when they are good and ready. Sometimes it seems the shell they are in or the one they choose is too small, but they know what they are doing. Make sure you have the right shells. There are two types of hermit crabs: Purple Pincher (PP) and Ecquadorian. You probably have PP, because they are most commonly sold in the US. They actually have a purple large claw. They like shells with round openings. Ecquadorian are lighter in color, and do not have the dark purple claw. They like shells with oval openings.

Hermits shed they exoskeleten as well. If they bury themselves and you don't see them for a while -- LEAVE THEM ALONE. They may be shedding and need to be left totally alone until they are done. This can take up to two months (sometimes more) for them. They will eat their exoskelten when they are done.

Of the remaining 3 are the purple claw and one is a light green. They all bury themselves all the time. I don't let the kids pester them or handle them much. If they want to see them I put them in a bowl. There is a variety of shells in the tank of varying shapes and sizes.

Why are the legs falling off? The first one lost it's claw and the last one lost it's claw and 3 more of it's legs!

The shell was a good size (the first one came in it) and the first one died after coming out of it and the second died in it. I didn't think that it was too small just that maybe there was something going on up inside it that I couldn't see and maybe they were getting stuck trying to get out of it???

[pixiegirl (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Nickel

Note to self: Never buy hermit crabs.

I could beat Grammy! She spends like $20 on the whole deal, drops them off on me, I spend a couple hundred and now have 2 dead in 2 days!

[Nickel]

Originally Posted by pixiegirl

I could beat Grammy! She spends like $20 on the whole deal, drops them off on me, I spend a couple hundred and now have 2 dead in 2 days!

J's Grammy sticks to books, hotwheels, and mini motorcycles.