QuestionQUESTION: I have a strawberry hermit crab. I've had it for over a year it has been very healthy then lately it's been underground quite a bit we have other crabs too and had just added some new ones and one died from post purchase stress then another one was completely out of its shell and eventually died now my strawberry is out of it's shell walking around but it looks quite bigger another crab is in his old shell but I dont think he'd even fit back in it his abdomen is huge he seemed like he was checking out some bigger shells but won't go in any and now acting very lethargic and his antennae are droopy please help i love my strawberry crab.
ANSWER: What is the temperature and humidity in your tank?
Do you offer your crabs salt and fresh water?
What kind of substrate is there?
How big is your tank and how many crabs do youhave.
The answers to these questions will assist me in helping you.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I had asked the previous question about my strawberry hermit crab acting funny and you had some questions for me to answer. The temperature is 75 degrees and the humidity is at 70-75 Yes they have access to a large salt water bath and a medium fresh drinking water bath the substrate is ecoearth on one side of the tank that fades into reptisand on the other end we have a 40 gallon LONG tank with seven crabs there were nine before the two newer ones I told you about previously died we had five for a long time before we added the most recent four. Since I turned in my last question we were able to dip his abdomen in a salt water bath with a touch of stress coat and slip him in a shell that I kid you not was atleast twice the size of his old one cuz there was no way his abdomen would have even fit in his old shell he has just been sitting in his shell in a terra cotta pot hidin out not moving I keep checking on him and don't know if I should mist him or try to get him to eat or just leave him alone he moves very slowly if i pick him up and his antennae are still really droopy is there any contagious diseases the new crabs that died could be passing to my older healthy ones? There is no sign of mites of fuzzy molds and the other crabs are pretty active. What do you think I should do and why he could have such a big abdomen?
ANSWER: The swollen abdomen is very troublesome and it usually doesn't end well. You've made good care choices.
I will say that your straw would be more comfortable with temp and humidity around 80/80. They have much stricter climate needs.
Try feeding him some organic babyfood, peanut butter with honey, popcorn (not all at once)
This would be to try to give him an energy boost.
I would not quarantine him. Odds are good that his is very stressed and being moved to an iso tank would be additionally stressful. The risk to your other crabs is very small.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thank you so much for the advice, Is there a certain problem that causes his swollen abdomen? And I see you said not to quarantine him that the risks to the other crabs are very small so does that mean it is something contagious? And do you recommend when bringing in new crabs to put them in a seperate tank? And if so for how long and what signs do I watch for to not make them a new addition to my exsisting tank? By the way this morning Duke was back out of his new shell we put him in and sitting in the water dish should I just let him be or try to put him in another shell and will the other crabs try to hurt him?? Okay I think my million questions are done now...I'm going to try to see if he'll eat any of the things you recommended. Thanks
AnswerIs there a certain problem that causes his swollen abdomen?
No but we do hear about it occasionally. It is not known what causes it.
And I see you said not to quarantine him that the risks to the other crabs are very small so does that mean it is something contagious?
Highly unlikely. There are very few hermit crab "illnesses" and I have never heard of a rash of swollen abdomen deaths. Personally I would keep the crab in the crabitat.
And do you recommend when bringing in new crabs to put them in a seperate tank? And if so for how long and what signs do I watch for to not make them a new addition to my exsisting tank?
I do not quarantine crabs, and more and more people are chosing not to. If the conditions are particularly bad where they come from some will isolate to slowly raise humidity. Generally a salt water then a frehs water bath with a close watch for mites during the bath is all that is necessary.
By the way this morning Duke was back out of his new shell we put him in and sitting in the water dish should I just let him be or try to put him in another shell and will the other crabs try to hurt him??
Was he in the salt water? This really is not good news for straws. Did you warm up the tank and humidity? Straws will often go to the salt water to pass away. I would keep a close eye but I would not move him. The additional stress might be too much for him.
