Skittles wasn’t molting after all. I checked on the ISO tank last night and it looked like the ‘exo’ was still there. I removed the lid and could smell the beginning of death. Skittles had died. It doesn’t appear she was molting at all. *sigh* Out of the three crabs I bought that day, two are dead. I wonder if ‘shakey’ is doing okay with Tammi. :depressed:
The new babies hogged down on the FMR treat last night. The larger of the 5, who I think I will call Peg (peg leg :p) is in a very odd looking shell. Peg is still in the small kk ISO with some fresh mango and a couple of new shells. I look for Peg to molt soon, especially with all the digging she did last night. The other 4 wee babies got a quick dunk in the water dish. The smallest one climbed over to the edge of the saltwater basin and sat there for at least an hour and was still there when I went to bed. I have turned both basins into bubblers now so I’m not sure if the crab was soaking up the ‘sea spray’ or just hanging out. One of the ruggies gave one of the babies a good going over so I moved them apart. This a.m. every one seems fine. These guys are so little, it was fun to hold all four of them and watch them crawl all over my hands and arms.
Unless there is a strong fishy odor the crab is more than likely not dead. Note that freshly molted crabs also have an odor, but it is different from and not nearly as strong as the death smell. It smells more like epoxy or iodine. A molting crab may appear to be dead, however –the exoskeleton falls from the shell as if the crab has died. Check — no reeking smell? Check the home shell. You probably have a newly molted hermit crab. You can also see if the discard is hollow or crumbles when you squeeze it.
http://www.hermit-crabs.com/molting.html.
THAT IS THE WEBSITE TO GO ON AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HERMIT CRABS. I WENT THERE WHEN I GOT MY FIRST HERMIT CRAB MAYBE NEXT YOU WILL CHECK FOR BETTER SIGNS IF YOUR CRAB IS DEAD OR NOT.
I’m sure you meant well, but I am a experienced crabber who has been through dozens of molts. I own 41 crabs. Skittles was most certainly dead.
I’m well aware of the site you gave… if you look it is listed among SEVERAL right here on my blog.
hello. i have a question, i own one carb ((dreamsicle)) and she (or he) has started to slow down and not move as muchi just looked back at him and he is eating, is this molting? or early signs? im very confused and trying to find out whats wrong with it.
Hey your hermit crab molted probably you see skittles may have not died i was that stupid to and well, my brother thought his ermit crab died but all it did was molt but did we check nooooo…we were to scared to find a dead hermit so…i think he baired it alive scary huh….Today my hermit (Peaches i call her i think its a her) She molted…but Hermy my boy hermit i think he died but no ordor has come upon the enviroment he lives in…So…Dont worry, i know how it feels.
Skittles did not molt.
Please read the previous entries. I am not a novice crab owner.