hermit crab

I have a hermit crab (blue leg) that has left his shell and looks like he
has started to molt.

I goggled, but couldn't find the answer to this. How long will it take for
him to finish molting?

You mean how long will it take for him to die.

It has outgrown it's shell, or lost it's shell to
something else. It is in dire need of a suitable shell.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Stoutman wrote on 9/7/2006 7:43 PM:
I have a hermit crab (blue leg) that has left his shell and looks like he
has started to molt.

I goggled, but couldn't find the answer to this. How long will it take for
him to finish molting?

" You mean how long will it take for him to die.


No. I mean he is molting his exterior carbonate layer.

It has outgrown it's shell, or lost it's shell to something else. It is in
dire need of a suitable shell.

Nope. His shell his lying next to him. Hermit crabs molt. I just don't
know how long it will take to finish.


Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Stoutman wrote on 9/7/2006 7:43 PM:
I have a hermit crab (blue leg) that has left his shell and looks like he
has started to molt.

I goggled, but couldn't find the answer to this. How long will it take
for him to finish molting?

"Stoutman" z.@.z wrote in message m...
I have a hermit crab (blue leg) that has left his shell
and looks like he has started to molt.

Is it moving? Walking around ?
Are you sure what you see is not a molt?
Maybe crab is sitting inside the shell and
is waiting for his new exoskeleton to harden?

I goggled, but couldn't find the answer to this.
How long will it take for him to finish molting?

My crabs do not molt outside of the shells.
They stay inside and use them as protection
to their soft bodies. That is the whole point
of using the snail shell as their home...

Once I had a crab and it exited the shell.
It was walking on the live rocks aimlessly.
Soon it died. Somebody here explained that
certain parasites cause this behaviour in crabs.
I have no means to check or do autopsy so
I cannot tell what happened. The fact it is
not normal for a hermit to leave the shell for
any longer than it does take to change shell
for a different one. They try to do it as quickly
as possible, since withoud the shell they are
defendless against ivertebrate predators on the reef.

\ Is it moving? Walking around ?

Nope. But he moves if i nudge him with something.

Are you sure what you see is not a molt?

YES!! Last night I saw him pushing one of his back legs under part of his
exoskeleton shell. He was also trying to 'back out' of the shell. Today he
is really still.

Maybe crab is sitting inside the shell and
is waiting for his new exoskeleton to harden?

He has left his shell already.

I goggled, but couldn't find the answer to this.
How long will it take for him to finish molting?

My crabs do not molt outside of the shells.
They stay inside and use them as protection
to their soft bodies. That is the whole point
of using the snail shell as their home...

Once I had a crab and it exited the shell.
It was walking on the live rocks aimlessly.
Soon it died. Somebody here explained that
certain parasites cause this behaviour in crabs.
I have no means to check or do autopsy so
I cannot tell what happened. The fact it is
not normal for a hermit to leave the shell for
any longer than it does take to change shell
for a different one. They try to do it as quickly
as possible, since withoud the shell they are
defendless against ivertebrate predators on the reef.

"Stoutman" z.@.z wrote in message ...
Is it moving? Walking around ?

Nope. But he moves if i nudge him with something.

Are you sure what you see is not a molt?

YES!! Last night I saw him pushing one of his back legs under part of his
exoskeleton shell. He was also trying to 'back out' of the shell. Today he
is really still.

Maybe crab is sitting inside the shell and
is waiting for his new exoskeleton to harden?

He has left his shell already.

Well, I think he is ready for the trip to the Hermit's Heavens ;-)

Well, I think he is ready for the trip to the Hermit's Heavens ;-)

"Stoutman" z.@.z wrote in message ...
Well, I think he is ready for the trip to the Hermit's Heavens ;-)




I know - I was sad when mine was doing same thing.
I could not help him any how.