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

molt

Ask Milo – Hermit crab is surface molting

2015-11-22
In: Ask Milo
Tagged: ask milo, hermit crab, molt, surface

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 isRead More →

Coenobita cavipes Surface Molt

Hermit Crab Surface Molt

2015-09-07
In: Caresheets, FAQ
Tagged: above, ground, hermit crab, hermit crab care, molt, molting, not buried, shed, surface

Hermit crabs typically go about their molting business below ground away from your prying eyes and nosey tank mates but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes you will find yourself with a surface molter on your hands. Surface molts can be very cool for you but additionally stressful for the crab. Let’s look at the best way to handle a surface molter. First do not touch or move the crab! (unless you feel you must to ensure it’s safety) Second find a way to securely isolate the crab. It is extremely important that your tank temperature and humidity are in the proper ranges at thisRead More →

Ask Milo-Post Molt Shell Change

2015-06-18
In: Ask Milo
Tagged: change, hermit crab care, inactive, molt, shell

Stephanie asks: I’ve had my hermit crabs for a few months and I have noticed a couple of things. One of my crabs molten but did not change shells, is that weird. Also, my crabs stopped moving around inside the tank. They never are active. What should I do? Hi Stephanie! It is a common misconception that hermit crabs must change shells when they molt. This is not true. Hermit crabs change shells when they decide it is time. A molt can trigger a shell change if the shell was very small fitting prior to molt. You can’t control when your little guys change shellsRead More →

Coenobita molt sac

2015-03-15
In: Biology
Tagged: anatomy, body, body parts, coenobita, growth, hermit crab, hermit crab care, molt, sac, water

The land hermit crab (Coenobita) develops a water sac inside of their shell prior to a molt. As shedding of the old exoskeleton begins, this store of water is used to expand the body to stretch and increase size before the soft exoskeleton begins to harden again We are building image galleries of specific body parts. If you have high resolution, clear photos that you would like to donate to this project please contact us via email: crabstreetjournal at gmail dot com Overview of the anatomy of a land hermit crab (Coenobita)Read More →

Coenobita compressus enjoying fish, peanut butter and veggies - Photo by Amber Miner

Hermit Crab Care 101

2014-02-18
In: Caresheets, FAQ
Tagged: beginner, essentials, food, getting, guide, hermit crab, hermit crab care, humidity, lights, molt, molting, newbie, shells, started, substrate, temperature, water

First and foremost use the SEARCH BOX and SEARCH, SEARCH, SEARCH! Our site has a ton of information and nearly every question that a new crabber is trying to answer, has been asked here before. We work hard to maintain a current and extensive library of articles to help you. Have you found yourself an unprepared parent of a hermit crab or two? Are you prepared to give them the proper habitat in which they can survive long term? If so, here’s a very basic list of supplies to get you started.   A glass tank  go as big as you can afford  it doesn’tRead More →

C. compressus surface molt. Top most leg is a newly regenerated limb.

Regulation of Crustacean Molting: A Multi-Hormonal System

2013-02-21
In: Biology, Caresheets, FAQ
Tagged: 20-hydroxyecdysone, crustacean, growth, hermit crab, hermit crab care, hormone, molt, molting, regulation, shed

The molting cycle in crustacean is controlled by hormones. Below is a snippet from a study on crustacean molting that explains the role of hormones in the molting cycle. Land hermit crabs continue to molt their entire life unlike some other crustaceans. ERNEST S . CHANGM, ARILYN J. BRUCEA, ND SHERRY L. TAMONE Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California, P.O. Box 247, Bodega Bay, California 94923 SYNOPSIS In order to increase in size, arthropods must first molt (shed) their confining exoskeleton. This molting process is under the immediate control of the steroid molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE). Read the full article More articles on molting: WhatRead More →

FAQ Is my hermit crab dead or molting?

2012-10-14
In: FAQ
Tagged: dead, hermit crab, limp, molt, molting, shed, surface molt

Originally written by Marie Davis Updated by Stacy Griffith Is my hermit crab molting or dead? It is often extremely difficult to distinguish whether a hermit crab is indeed molting, or has passed over the Rainbow Bridge. This is due to how similar in appearance the two can be. In the early stages of the molt, the large cheliped (pincer) becomes somewhat paralyzed as it prepares to pull free of the old exoskeleton. The large shape of the claw must be pulled backwards through the smaller exoskeleton. The soft underlying tissue must be contracted to allow it to pass through the smaller parts of theRead More →

A hermit crab building it's molting burrow. Photo Credit Matt Steele

FAQ What is molting?

2012-10-14
In: Biology, FAQ
Tagged: arthropod, autotomy, crustacean, ecdysis, epidermis, exoskeleton, explained, growth, hermit crab, molt, molting, shed, what

Originally written by Vanessa Pike-Russell and Lisa Loseke updated by Stacy Griffith Arthropods (e.g., insects and crustaceans) must molt their exoskeletons periodically in order to grow; in this process the inner layers of the old cuticle are digested by a molting fluid secreted by the epidermal cells, the animal emerges from the old covering, and the new cuticle hardens. The molting process is a central, and nearly continuous, part of a crab’s life. A hermit crab may spend 90% of its time getting ready to molt, molting, or recovering from a molt. There are many dangers to molting including predation, difficulty in movement as musclesRead More →

Hermit crab pre molt eyes

Pre Molt Symptoms

2012-09-25
In: Caresheets, FAQ
Tagged: behavior, display, hermit crab, indicators, molt, molter, molting, pre-molt, signs, symptoms

Observed Premolt Symptoms by Marie (aka ladybug15057) At times, crabbers become concerned due to certain actions their hermit crabs are beginning to display. Often, they are concerned that the hermit crab is ill, or has another form of complication happening that needs attention. Where, as on occasions, the symptoms they are observing may be due to a stressful situation, whether it be from their past or current living conditions, there are many times that the hermit crab is displaying pre molt symptoms. If one knows that he/she has provided the hermit crab with the essentials it needs to thrive (proper humidity level, proper temperature, properRead More →

  • 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

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