My hermit crabs little claw fell off, What do i do?

Question

Please help! i made a coconut hut for him to sleep in and i leave him to rest all the time

Answer 1

he should be fine.

:)

-----------pandora

Answer 2

Hermit crabs may drop legs and claws for several reasons. Remember, this is not moulting! Moulting involves the shedding of the exoskeleton only, not detaching whole legs or claws! There is nothing you can do about the dropped leg or claw but to throw it out. If you notice any hermit crabs dropping limbs, immediately isolate them from others in a separate isolation unit. If you have not set one up yet, read our Isolation Units page to learn how to set one up.

Temperature is too low or too high:

Check the thermometer. If it is lower than 21°C or 70°F, move the aquarium to a warmer location (not in direct sunlight though), check that your heat source is on, or increase its heat output (if possible). If the temperature above 27°C or 78°F, move the aquarium to a cooler location, turn off the heat source for a short time or lower the heat output of the heat source (if possible).

Humidity is too low:

Check the hygrometer. If it is lower than 70%, get a small misting bottle and spray the air inside the aquarium with dechlorinated water. Spray the underside of the glass lid too. Hermit crabs may not necessarily drop limbs due to the humidity being too high, but high humidity may promote bacterial growth and mould, which could then affect the hermit crabs.

Post Purchase Syndrome (PPS):

It is possible that the impact from staying in the pet store was too stressful for the hermit crab.

Falling off climbing ornaments:

Hermit crabs may have "accidents" and lose a leg or claw from falling off their climbing toys. If the decorations lack grip and are excessively tall, your crabs may slip off. Also, make sure your tank has a lid. If there is any escape route out of the tank, the hermit crabs will eventually find it. They may climb out of the tank and fall down and crash down on the hard surface below.

Victim of a shell fight:

Hermit crabs are willing to fight for the shells they desire and that too involves pulling the original owner out. Some attackers may literally rip the victim apart to steal their shell. Once out of the shell, the hermit crab is a potential goner if not put back in a shell. Their abdomen will eventually dry out and lose limbs at the same time. Keep plenty of different shells in the tank. This helps narrow down the chance of your crab's shell being targeted at and your inquisitive little crabs will have a great time examining the shells if they are interested.

Diseases and pests:

A hermit crab in pain is likely to be undergoing severe pain and stress, leading to the loss of legs and claws. Make sure you clean the aquarium periodically to help prevent the invasion of mites and remove any uneaten daily to prevent mould growth. Hermit crabs may also be irritated by shell rot. Read the Shell Rot page for more information about this contagious disease.

Moulting difficulties:

Hermit crabs have to go under much stress shedding their exoskeleton off. In some cases, the hermit crab may have difficulty shedding a particular leg properly and just decided to drop it instead. If your hermit crab is well fed it can reduce the risk of dropping limbs and deformities in moulting.

Recovery

If your hermit crabs lose legs or claws, isolate them into a warm, quiet and dark place to rest. During this time, please leave them alone. Excessive handling can stress the crab even more and cause death. Losing legs or claws can also trigger an earlier moult. Hermit crabs can regenerate any lost limbs in the moulting process. After the first moult, you should notice a little 'bud' where the missing leg was. This will continue to grow after each moult until the leg is fully healed. For more information on moulting, visit our Moulting page.

Make sure you feed the crab plenty of protein and calcium to prepare them for their moults. You should leave the hermit crab in the isolation unit until they moult and finish hardening up before you move them back to the main tank.