My Tale of Woe

[crabbbychris]

Well I'm back to the friendly confines of Hermit Crabs R US
Hadn't been here in a while...
Had to sign in with a new name and all... but thats a complaint for a different thread...

Let me tell you what went on and get some of you alls opinions...
I signed up back right after Christmas (Same name but only 2 "B's" in crabby) Anyway I took pics of my little crabbies and someone told me I had E's
Anywhy they were growing and I had me some spare shells for them to move into.
Last week one of them moved into a larger shell. (I missed it)
I have a two story house for my Hermies. If any of you all remember I got a shower caddie that is stuck to the glass of my aquarium and is filled with that peat moss like stuff (I forget the name right now)
Anyway I got to checking and found his ORIGINAL shell up in the second floor,... and the larger shell was down on the ground floor.
So OBVIOUSLY he had to get OUT of his shell... climb down the log I have for them to get in and out,.. and get down to the ground floor,.. then go get into the larger shell.
I find that very odd...

Don't you all.... I figured he would get down close to the bigger shell and slip quickly out of one and into the other. Very strange.
I figure they'd feel very vunerable while out of their shells.

SO on with the story... I took the old shell he was in and put it on the ground level. A few days later I saw he had got out of the bigger shell and got back INTO his original shell. I figured,.. OK maybe he decided the other shell was too large right now...??
The next day I find him in a shallow salt water bowl and he's all hanging out of his shell dead.... SO whats up with that... Very confusing.
I know he didn't drown because the water was WAY too shallow for that,... and I figured if they died,.. they crawl up INTO their shell to do that..

SO... how weird are my hermies... anyone ever saw this before... Have any ideas on what happened. I'd like to avoid it again if possible.

PS... Yesterday I bought two more Hermies. They are about 1/2 again as my original hermies. I'm guessing they are PP's. I got them ate PetSmart. One was in a painted shell. I know the painted shell causes more heat and they don't like them... so I bought a shell the same size because I figured (given the option) he'd move out into a "regular" shell. Tonight I see he has moved already. I also have one I just bought that looks like he has overgrown his shell already.. Looks like he is 1/2 hanging out of it already... so I bought a larger shell for him.

[crabbbychris]

surprised no one has responded to this yet..??

[WizKidsMom]

I noticed that this forum is busy more during the weekend.

Anyhow - I haven't experienced what you have but I am sure some one will respond.

[bluconspiracy]

hmm i have no idea but im new to all this. but im sorry u lost a little guy

[HermitPaws]

i had this problm, found out my gauges were reading wrong and it was too hot in the tank and humity was too high.

[crabbbychris]

hhuumm I'll have to go read that thread on calibrating your gauges...
While I do that... and in case it's not that.
Anyone else??

[krackersmom2]

Did you check for mites? Sometimes mites will irritate them and they will crawl out of their shell. I would think the weird shell change would indicate that he may have been "streaking" during the night hours and just ended up in the ifrst shell he could find. A streaking crab is not a good sign.
Sorry about your loss, but definitely check your gauges.

[crabbbychris]

OK I plan to check my guages ASAP...
I see you mention mites...
I know they are metioned in a couple places,.. but I didn't see where it said the whole story about them..
Can you fill me in in case that is the problem.

First.. how big are they (can you even see them... what do they look like)
Should I just pitch out my substraight and put in fresh..
How do mites come about in your tank...
How do you get rid of them.. both in the tank and on the hermies.

this is all new so I really don't know much.
Thanks for the info

[WizKidsMom]

I did a search and found the post that explains about mites here:

mitesl

[Hildegarde]

unfortunately, it's very rare that you can find out while a crab dies.