QuestionMy daughter's newly acquired hermit crab has lost all but one of the exterior legs. This happened over 2 weeks ago. We have isolated him and have given him pb and soft fruit to eat. Yesterday I think he took in some commercial crab food with the pb. I have been putting him in water from time to time and he does appear to be drinking it. I need to know if I should submerge him to bathe him, and what to do about him molting. He is incapable of burying himself so will he attempt to molt above the sand? Is it possible for all the missing legs to grow back in the first molt? I am quite surprised that he's pulled through this far- any advice is surely welcome... gotten a bit attached to the guy. Thanks.
AnswerA crab that has lost so many limbs is really in dire situations and may require the kind of babysitting that you are providing. Often, a friendly crab can eke along for quite sometime like this but has problems molting because it uses it's legs to help slough off the exoskeleton. That is not to say that it is impossible, just hard. Just keep an eye on him and make sure your humidity and temp are between 74 and 82 and that you are offering fresh and salt water for him.
