HELP!!! HERMIT CRAB EMERGENCY!!!

Question

One of my hermit crabs is sitting in the coconut hide NAKED. What do I do. I noticed an empty shell, and looked in the hide and found him sitting there. He is a really small hermit crab. Please help me!!!

Answer 1

He is maybe wanting a new-sized shell or is ill.

I have had many change shells, maybe he is molting.

it also may be under stress...

is an indication that something is amiss, as this is not a normal hermit crab behavior.

Answer: To fix the problem, it is important to understand the circumstances under which a hermit crab might come out of its shell:

*Another crab took its shell. Crabs will fight over desirable shells, but also will sometimes "steal" a shell while the shell-less crab was trying out another shell.

*Stress; for example from something wrong in the environment. This can be from the humidity being too low or too high (should be 70-80 percent) or incorrect temperatures (often too warm). Other stressors can lead to crabs coming out of their shells as well.

*The shell is irritating the crab -- sometimes sand or another foreign object gets in the shell, or sometime fungal infections or mites in the shell cause a crab to evacuate.

*Not enough shell selection -- a good variety of shell sizes and styles should always be provided, so crabs have plenty to choose from.

*Molting (rarely) - sometimes a crab will come out of its shell to molt, though this is also unusual unless the crab is stressed.

Answer 2

Hermit crabs will do that from time to time. He may, though, be dieing. All of the Hermit crabs I've ever owned have crawled out of their shells before death. Not to freak you out or anything.

You can always try to put him back in the shell (not forcefully whatever you do!) or even make a small (only about a centimeter deep) pool/bath for him of lukewarm water. If that doesn't perk him up, try feeding him something like a banana or a pear. An apple will work fine too.

Who knows? He may just be molting (shedding his exoskeleton). He may crawl down from the coconut hide and start to dig what looks like a small crater if he can. If he does molt, take his old exoskeleton once he discards it and break it up, then add it into his food. It will give him protein he needs.

Unfortunately, Hermit's will come out of their shells for many different reasons. It's best just to try different things.

As a list:

1.) Coax him back in the shell or go out and buy him a slightly bigger one. (Take the old one with you for comparison)

2.) Put him in a small bath

3.) Feed him something like fruit

4.) If those don't work, Leave him be and check up on him in an hour or so. If he hasn't moved, poke him. If he just falls over when you do that, he's dead, not to be cruel by saying that or anything.

Answer 3

I don''t know what to say except to try to put him back in his shell, try a small bowl with him & shell and see if he'll go back in naturally..

Good Luck My Friend.

Answer 4

I've had a hermit c**p before.

he did the exact same thing.

try getting him a bigger shell.

Answer 5

they get out of their shell because its to small, you need to buy one a little bigger

Answer 6

what i did was...

1. gather up shells, you can buy them or use them from past hermits...

2. put them all into a container, best if small, but needs to be big enough for the crab

3. put the crab in the container and put cover on it...[hermit crabs change shells in privacy]

4. 30+ min and normally he changed...if not switch out the shells ...

Answer 7

Check to see if he is alive.  If so, make sure he hes plenty of other shells to choose from.  He will be fine.  They know what their doing.

Answer 8

He's probably just outgrown his old shell. Do you have a few bigger ones in the cage for him? You should always keep a variety of new shells that are slightly larger than the old one. Until he chooses a new shell, just leave him alone. Don't touch him, and whatever you do don't try to force him back into his shell.

Answer 9

You should buy him a slightly bigger shell. He is obviously looking for a new one for whatever reason: too small, too big, cracked...