One thing you should know is that digging is something that hermit crabs do naturally. They dig for a variety of reasons. Nevertheless, if you notice that your crab seems to be digging more than normal then it could be a sign that it is getting ready to molt.
You should also provide a warm and a cooler side to allow your crab to move about should it get too hot or too cold. I recommend the warm side to be between 80F and 82F while the cooler side should be somewhere between 72F and 75F. If the temperature in the tank gets too much higher than 85F, your crab is likely to become extremely uncomfortable and so might start digging down into the substrate as a way to de-stress. It is therefore particularly important that you monitor the temperature of the tank regularly.
Invest in a good quality thermometer — these can be purchased at a local exotic pet store or online. Hermit crabs usually begin to show signs that an impending molt is near. Some of the common signs and symptoms to watch for are as follows: Excessive digging behavior: this will be noticed in crabitats that are not set up properly with a substrate deep enough for the molting crab to bury in i. In nature hermit crabs bury underground to molt.
They need extended darkness so that the molting hormone can be secreted and protection from predators and the elements during this vulnerable and critical time. If crabs are not provided substrate preferably sand or sandy soil that is deep enough and moist enough to completely bury, they may attempt to molt on the surface. Small crabs may be able to accomplish this feat, but the danger lies in the possibility of other crabs scavenging the freshly molted crab who is unable to move until he regains muscle control and hardens up.
A freshly molted crab has an enticing smell to other crabs, who may take advantage of the opportunity for a free meal. Jumbo crabs have an increasingly difficult time molting as they get older.
It is difficult for a jumbo to survive a surface molt. Excessive time spent in both the fresh water and salt water dishes: Crabs getting ready to molt need to store an abundance of water that they can use not only for survival, but in order to swell and break open their exoskeletons. You may notice the gray-black bubble on your crabs abdomen I mentioned above.
This indicates that the crab is storing food and water reserves that will be used to survive the molt. Other than that reserve and eating its old exoskeleton, a molting crab will remain buried and doesn't come up for food and water until it's completely finished with the process. Changing into a smaller shell: this one surprises people!
You would tend to think a crab getting ready to molt grow would actively seek out a bigger shell. Often times, just the opposite happens. Instinctively, a crab getting ready to molt knows that a bigger shell with a larger opening will get bogged down with sand when the crab buries down. To avoid this, crabs often tend to move into a more tightly fitting shell before burying themselves.
The freshly molted crab is actually smaller than it was before shedding and usually about a month or so after coming up will begin to actively seek a larger shell as the new exoskeleton begins to bulk up. Have you ever stopped to wonder why this is? All that substrate is there for one major reason: so your crabs can burrow in it! Burrowing is completely normal behavior that all hermit crabs exhibit from time to time.
There are four main reasons why hermit crabs burrow. If you see your crabs burrowing, you should try to determine which of these is the reason why. Then, you can make adjustments if you deem it necessary. One of the main reasons crabs burrow into their substrate is to help regulate their temperature. Hermit crabs need a moist, humid environment to thrive.
This can be easily achieved with a few spritzes from a spray bottle on the substrate and walls. Alternatively, you can add a humidifier to the room your crabs are kept in. If your crabs are feeling stressed about something such as a new habitat or sudden change in temperature or light cycles, then they might burrow as a means of making themselves feel more secure.
Another surprise is that they can live a good while. Hold him by the shell with your dominant hand, placing your other hand just below his walking legs so they are touching your outstretched hand. If he wants to grab you, gently raise him a bit. The female holds several hundred eggs inside her shell while they mature and later they hang out over the shell as they grow. The eggs are attached to her abdomen and appendages until they are ready to hatch.
When she is ready she goes to the ocean and releases the eggs in the ocean by scrapping her appendages. Clean, all-purpose sand sold at hardware stores often is ideal; clean play sand is sometimes too fine for the purpose of a crabitat. They are adaptable creatures but require saltwater in order to remain healthy. Hermit crabs use the same salinity of saltwater as saltwater fish.
This can be purchased or made at home using ocean salt from a pet store. You can avoid disappointment by following a few guidelines to ensure the crab you pick is as healthy as possible.
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