Hashemian Blog: Hermit Crab Goodbye

Not long after we lost one of our pet rabbits, our final remaining hermit crab died sometime yesterday or the day before.

The reason the time of death is vague is because hermit crabs are generally lethargic creatures, at least in captivity. They do move about from time to time and engage in all sorts of activities, only at a slower pace. But sometimes they just hide in their shells (especially during molting times) and it's hard to tell that they are alive unless you pick them up and detect motion in the shell. They are extremely easy to take care of and require little time to look after. Just keep their food and water fairly fresh and clean the tank a couple of times a year and keep their crabitat warm and humid.

We had already buried a total of three hermit crabs and this guy was the last. He or she lasted nearly two years, but about a month ago it developed a strange condition losing its legs or claws one by one, until he had lost it all at the end. A Google search revealed that this condition is usually caused by stress and some crabs can recover from it, but others succumb to it and die.

This morning I buried the crab, complete with its shell and its severed last two legs, near the buried rabbit outside the house. the kitchen seemed emptier tonight without the crabitat but, as it is with all beings, death is inevitable. I think we did the best we could to make our hermit crab's final days as comfortable as possible.
hermit crabs,rabbits,crabitat,pets
<Hermit Crab Goodbye>

// posted by rh

8 comments

8 Comments:

By Anonymous, at 17/8/07 1:59 PM

oh my gosh this story made me want to scream!!!! hermit crabs are NOT lethargic, they do take ALOT of work to properly be taken care of and they should NEVER have those HORRIBLE painted shells that KILL THEM!!! it sounds like to me that you are neglecting your crabs TERRIBLY!!!

By Anonymous, at 3/9/07 7:16 PM

i love land hermit crabs. infact, i like all crabs. do you know what made him so stressed?

By rh, at 3/9/07 8:08 PM

captivity and loneliness, i suppose. we did all we could to make him/her comfortable. fresh food, water, sand, and sponges, etc. we could have bought new ones for company, but that would've lead to a perpetual cycle.

By Anonymous, at 1/11/08 12:06 PM

Actually, hermit crabs need lots of space, specific temperatures, humidity, multiple shells to change into, fresh and salt water, really deep sand for them to dig into, organic food, fresh veggies, fruit, sea food, ect. If they do not have all of these things, they will die.

Hermit crabs need moist sand that they can dig under to molt in. A big one like the one in your picture needs at least a 2o gallon tank to be even remotely comfortable. The bigger the tank the better!

I am sorry to hear about the passing of your crab. I hope before you invest in other pets, you will do research and create the proper habitat for them!

By Anonymous, at 9/11/08 7:25 PM

I think you should brush up on your hermie skills before getting another crab. Judging from the picture, it probably died from the shell. Painted shells are poisonous to our little friends, but most pet stores use them. About the severed legs, he was probably suffering from stress. If the temperature and humidity aren't just right, then the hermit crab will die. For more info, visit www.hermitcrabassociation.org

By Anonymous, at 6/6/09 2:17 AM

"we could have bought new ones for company, but that would've lead to a perpetual cycle." -rh

If they are taken care of correctly they can live for 20 years so there should not be a perpetual cycle.

Look at http://www.geocities.com/hermit_crabs/carol/

By Anonymous, at 13/10/09 7:29 PM

wait...painted shells are BAD???DO they really kill hermit crabs??? i gotta know cause i have 2 at home but my hermit crabs arent using them (they're too big)OMG..i could be killing my crabs if they move into those shells..D;thx 4 tellin me...

By Anonymous, at 24/11/09 7:20 PM

NOOOO!!! He died because your put him in that shell!!!!
Plus hermit crabs require A-L-O-T of work to properly take care of!
Humidity, fresh and salt water, proper subtrate, others of their species, etc.
They require alot of work!