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my crab... im scared!!

21 14:57:14

Question
QUESTION: every night, before i go to bed i check on my two land hermit crabs. night before last, both of my crabs were in their shell, near a  corner of the cage. last night when i checked on them, one of my crabs was still in the same place but he was out of his shell and sprawled out on the sand! i ran to get my mom and i told her that he was dead. when i scooped him up to take him out of the cage, he didnt move! we then put him in a sandwich bag so that i could say goodbye to him and bury him!
today i have been reading about the cause of his death... and i found that he may be molting!! i dont know if he is supposed to out of his shell but he doesnt smell. is it too late if he is in a baggie? i really need an answer! i cant put him back in the cage, he may cause my other crab to also die! what do i do?


ANSWER: Hello if he was moulting what you picked up would have been nothing but an exo skeleton and if he was moulting he is still in his shell....if however you examine the thing you picked up and you can see it is NOT hollow then it is his not his skin and he is sadly dead.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: right after i asked you my last question i went upstairs and realized that my crab was moving inside the bag!! so i pulled him out of the bag and put him on my bed to watch him and what i saw yesterday was just and empty exoskeloten!! right now he is pink and smaller than normal. he is also in a seperate cage with food, water and heating! thank you!! he was molting after all!

Answer
Hello...I take it he is Still in his shell? you should place him in a smaller tank or critter keeper with his skin they are supposed to eat it and get nutrients from it...also toher crabs might attack him while he is still "soft" and injure him so he needs his own area until he is stronger and of normal color again.