It can be difficult to tell whether a hermit crab is molting, sick, or dead. As a general rule, though: assume molting before death, unless you have evidence to the contrary. Read on for tips about diagnosing and caring for your hermit crab! If you need to know if your hermit crab is dead, remember to take into account that the crab may actually be molting. During the molting process, hermit crabs shed their exoskeleton, lose body parts, and become temporarily immobile, causing them to appear dead.
You can move the crab to a new location and see if it changes position after a few hours to test for signs of life. If your crab still isn't moving, check for a fishy, rotten smell around it, which can indicate death. For more tips on understanding and recognizing signs of molting, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No.
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No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Sniff around for a fishy, rotten smell. This is the surest way to identify a dead hermit crab. If your hermit crab dies, it will begin to decompose — and its carcass will begin to smell putrid.
If you can't smell anything, pick the crab out of the tank to get a closer whiff. If you smell a salty, rotten scent, there's a good chance that your crab has passed away.
Assume that your crab is molting. Hermit crabs periodically shed their exoskeleton, and this process often involves losing body parts. The crabs are immobile for a short time while it regains muscle control and its new exoskeleton hardens up. If you disturb your crab while it is molting, you may seriously endanger it — so be patient.
Assume molting before death. Notice when a crab is laying outside its shell without any signs of transitioning. This can be a sign that the crab is dead, or it can just be a by-product of the molting process. If you find what appear to be a dead crab next to a shell, have a closer look to see if it is just an exoskeleton. If is it hollow and crumbles easily, it is an old exoskeleton. Look inside the nearby shell, and you might find a freshly-molted crab hiding out.
If the immobile crab is obviously not an exoskeleton, try picking it up to see if it moves. If it does not react, it's probably dead. Move the crab and observe the results. If you can't figure out whether your crab is dead, move it to a new location and note exactly how it is positioned.
Try placing food on the other side of the tank to give the crab a motivation to move. Leave the tank, then come back to check within the next few hours. If the crab moved while you were gone, then you know it's alive. I have a hermit crab who has not appeared out of his shell in some time. Hi Kadence McMahan, I would not touch him, in case, he is preparing to molt.
Cover the tank and take some time. Do not bother him more than it is necessary, additional stress can kill him during this period of time. Is it ok? Or is it just resting.
Also how do I tell if its male or female? Hi Zane, Do not disturb your crab, provide it with food and cover the tank. Molting is a super stressful time, they need time to restore the energy and harden the new exoskeleton. To tell the gender, you need to look for gonopores. They are located on the first segment of their back legs. Check out my article , you will see the picture there. I have two crabs. They do not respond to stimuli but their color is still very vibrant.
I am really sorry. There is a small hope that they can smell because they are way too dirty but still … Take photos from the same point today and tomorrow and compare them. My hermit crab is surface molting, I did not notice and was in the process of taking him out the tank, when picking him up and shaking his shell, to see if he was in there, a claw fell out and I notice he was in there and his exoskeleton was in the tank.
I placed him in same spot and covered him. Some how his friend came along and took him out of shell and completely stole it. He has been outside of his shell with slight movement and covered, as of the last 2 days no movement and now his exoskeleton is gone. Do not know if the other crabs ate it, he did or is he dead? Hi Crystal, Like all crustaceans, hermit crabs will eat old shells to recover the calcium.
As for the surface molting and losing limbs, these are very bad signs. Hi Michael, I noticed my crab seems to be molting since a day ago. I know not to disturb it further. I guess my questions are will having picked it up hurt it? Hi Stacey, Very gentle handling should harm it, however, as you already know, it is better not to disturb them during molting and after that. You need more shells! One shell is not enough, hermit crabs can be very picky sometimes.
That is why it is recommended to give them at least shells to choose from. There is a fishy smell which I assume is coming from my largest crab. He is in a hid but not buried and mostly out of his shell. Hi Tristan, Try to pick him up very gently. Is he falling out of the shell? One week without any movement is way too much and smell only confirms that. I picked him up to see if he was loose but he seems pretty tight into the shell.
Hi Heaven, How old and how big is your hermit crab? Surface molt? My hermit crab Sebastian died today he was limp and out of his shell fishy odor and less red color. Hi Kate Grimes, I am really sorry to hear that. It is really sad. Hello, my step daughter decided to get a hermit crab from a store on the Jeresy Shore boardwalk.
Hi Christina Rogers, Sorry to hear that. If you drop a hermit crab or notice one appears hurt, check for cracks in the shell. If a crack exists, encourage him to change into a new shell by providing an extra couple of shells within his environment. Do not force your crab out of his shell, as he is easily injured. If he leaves his shell but does not take up residence in a new one, you can encourage him by filling an empty shell with cool water and gently inserting the crab, abdomen-first, into the shell.
Soon, once they regain their strength, they will climb back inside of the shell. Molting takes a lot of energy, leaving your crab very tired and vulnerable. Make sure to watch them frequently to make sure they are safe. The biggest takeaway here is not to panic. Stay calm and respond to the situation as needed. If you own hermit crabs , this is very possibly going to happen at one point.
Learning how to re-shell your crab will allow you to assist them without causing harm or making the situation worse. Ashley Bates is a freelance dog writer and pet enthusiast who is currently studying the art of animal therapy.
A mother to four human children— and 23 furry and feathery kids, too — Ashley volunteers at local shelters, advocates for animal well-being, and rescues every creature she finds. Her mission is to create awareness, education, and entertainment about pets to prevent homelessness. Her specialties are cats and dogs. Skip to content. Ashley Bates. Sep 21 Stress 2. Shell Fighting 3. Irritation 4. Unsuitable Environment 5. Ashley Bates Ashley Bates is a freelance dog writer and pet enthusiast who is currently studying the art of animal therapy.
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