Skip to content

Contact Us

crabstreetjournal@gmail.com

The Crab Street Journal
The Crab Street Journal

Where hermit crab addicts go!

Primary Navigation Menu
Menu
  • Community
    • Blog Posts
      • General
      • ArtWork
      • Ask Milo
      • Caresheets
      • Crabitat
      • Contest Voting
      • FAQ
      • Noteworthy Crabbers
    • Calendar of Events
    • Chewin’ the Choya (Forums)
      • Contest Entry Forum
    • Contest Rules
      • Calendar Crab
      • Hermit Crab Pumpkin Carving Contest
      • It’s the Great Pumpkin, Hermit Crab!
    • CSJ on Social Media
      • Crab Street Journal Instagram Feed
    • Testimonials
  • Resources
    • Hermit Crab Care 101
    • Hermit Crab Emergency Help
    • Adoptions
    • Market (Food Shop)
    • Become an Approved Seller
    • Teacher’s Pet/Claws in the Classroom
    • Advocacy and Outreach
      • Animal Cruelty Laws
      • Pet Store Report Form
      • Pet Store Reports
      • Say NO to Painted Shells
    • Caresheets
      • Crabitat
      • FAQ
      • Food and Nutrition
        • Market (food shop)
        • Recipe Book for Hermit Crabs
          • Hermit Crab Recipe Submission Form
      • Biology
        • Hermit Crab Species
      • PDF Library
    • Shopping Directory
    • Activity Pages
      • Coloring Pages
      • Word Find
      • Mazes
    • There’s a map for that!
      • CSJ/LHCOS Approved Adopters Maps
      • Local Reps Map
      • Hermit Crab Species Map
    • Product Reviews
      • Product Review Submission Form
    • Back issues of our print magazine
    • Media Kit
  • About us
  • Support CSJ!
    • Amazon Promotions
    • Hermit Crab Clothing and Goodies
    • Purchase a Hermit Crab species poster
    • Donate-Paypal

Ask Milo – Hermit crab is surface molting

Kendahl asks:

my hermit crab just started molting a few days ago and we put him in an ISO tank but he is completely out of his shell and surface molting. I know thats not good for a hermie but for some reason he just wont dig. i’ve been checking on him and hes still alive and doing fine, hasn’t ate his exoskeleton yet. I’m worried he’s not going to molt properly and die. is there anything I can do to get him to dig underground? or should I just leave him alone?

Dear Kendahl,

It depends what your ISO looks like. If it is pretty bare they can get stressed. If the substrate isn’t easy to dig in that could also be the problem. Can you describe the ISO set-up?

What I have done in the past is dig a small hole in slightly damp sand/ substrate and put the crab and shell in the hole and cover with a flat clam or scallop shell or something you have to create an area for the crab to calm down. A hidey hut made from a coconut shell also works well if you have one.

I’ve had crabs successfully surface molt but this technique has worked for me in the past. One of my crabs then dug down after he had the energy to do so. It is also important that your ISO has correct humidity levels, especially if the crab is out of its shell – that’s where they keep their water reserves.

I have gently helped crabs into their shells only two times successfully out of three attempts (different crabs). Usually if you dip the shell in fresh de-clorinated water and lift the crab gently and curl the abdomen into the shell and put your hand near its eyes it will back into the shell. I have only tried this with strong, healthy crabs – I would be very very gentle or not do it at all if it was going to stress out a crab that had, say, lost limbs due to stress. If you don’t think you should risk helping him into a shell then the other suggestion I have is to offer larger shell that has water inside already, for him to back into.
That has worked for me in the past. They can’t really carry the shell but they have the protection and water reserve.

I hope this helps and please reply with a description of your ISO set-up.

If you don’t have hearing and humidity required you might need to put him back in the main tank with a soda bottle ISO unit over him. Instructions can be found on CSJ – search for ISO.

Your friend in a pinch,
Milo

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

2015-11-22
In: Ask Milo
Tagged: ask milo, hermit crab, molt, surface
Previous Post: Ask Milo – Vertical tanks
Next Post: Ask Milo – What size tank do I need?

Enter our Monthly Photo Contest

Each year The Crab Street Journal prints a wall calendar of contest winners.
Each month hermit crabs compete to win a spot in the calendar for the coming year.
Members vote on their favorite photo each month.
At the end of the year all the winners compete for the cover spot as well.
Your photo will be featured on the same month that you won.
You must be LOGGED in for this to work!

Enter Now

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Log In

Or Login with your social media account:

FacebookGoogleTwitterInstagramLinkedInAmazonWindowslive

logo


Our other websites

Land Hermit Crab Owners Society (our parent org)
Land Hermit Crab Species
Stacy's hermit crab blog

Proud Member

The Crustacean Society
The Crustacean Society

The Crab Street Journal © 2001-2021

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
%d bloggers like this: