In: Caresheets
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This guide will help you care for a hermit crab that has been attacked, lost several limbs or is suffering from molt complications. General care instructions will be outlined and special exceptions for molting crabs will be included at the end of the guide. If this a newly purchased hermit crab that is dropping limbs you should check out our information on Post Purchase Death Syndrome. PPDS is a common cause of dropped limbs. Dropping multiple limbs indicates extreme stress. Not all hermit crabs can recover from this type of limb loss. Isolate The victim hermit crab needs to be isolated. Use a secure containerRead More →

In: Biology
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Chela (organ) A chela /kˈiːlə/, also named claw, nipper or pincer, is a pincer-like organ terminating certain limbs of some arthropods.[1] The name comes from Greek (χηλή) through New Latin (chela). The plural form is chelae.[2] Legs bearing a chela are called chelipeds.[3] Another name is claw because most chelae are curved and have a sharp point like a claw. Also called pincer or pincher. 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 ofRead More →

In: Caresheets
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Lost Limbs What is Autotomy? Comes from the latin words autos for “self” and tomos for “cut Autotomy can be described as self-cutting, Websters dictionary describes autotomy as a “reflex separation of a part (as an appendage) from the body: division of the body into two or more pieces.” Hermit Crabs can autotomize (drop) and regenerate (regrow) their limbs from juvenile to adult stages. The break occurs along a fracture plane located at the appendage’s base. Why do land hermit crabs drop limbs? The rate at which the limbs regenerate depends upon the molt cycle (Morgan, 1900; Zeleny, 1908; Bliss, 1960; Skinner 1962, 1985). DuringRead More →