What happens when a crab molts?
Hermit crabs must periodically shed their exoskeleton, enabling themselves to grow. If a hermit crab loses any part of its body including eyes or claws, it will re-grow them through a process known as molting. During this process they will remain in their shell and they will likely bury themselves in the sand and may not move for days or even weeks because they are left vulnerable while their new skin is in the process of hardening. Often hermit crab owners mistakenly believe that their crab is dying or dead. If there is no odor present, your hermit crab is probably molting. When they shed their skin they lose up to 90% of their calcium and it must be replenished by eating the old exoskeleton. You may also add egg shells or cuttlebones to aid them in their molting. You can isolate your crab in a separate cage while he is molting in order to prevent other crabs from disrupting the process.
As part of its growth cycle, a hermit crab molts or sheds its exoskeleton usually once a year between May and September. The process can take two weeks or more. Initially, the hermit crab may bury itself in the sand or gravel and stay there for a few days. At this point, separate the molting crab from its companions by installing a divider in the habitat or by moving the other crabs to a separate habitat and leaving the molting crab in its familiar, stress-free environment. The next step is the shedding of the exoskeleton, which the crab will leave hanging in front of its shell. This shed skin is then eaten by the crab. It contains a valuable hardening agent called chitin. Because it is vulnerable with its new soft skin and it needs a lot of moisture, it may bury itself once molted for protection and to seek moisture. If you know where the crab has buried itself, sprinkle water on the surface above it. Once the new soft pink skin becomes hard and purple, the hermit crab can return to i
Hermit crabs must periodically shed their exoskeleton, enabling themselves to grow. If a hermit crab loses any part of its body including eyes or claws, it will re-grow them through a process known as molting. During this process they will remain in their shell and they will likely bury themselves in the sand and may not move for days or even weeks because they are left vulnerable while their new skin is in the process of hardening. (This is why a lot of hermit crab owners mistakenly believe that their crab is dying or dead. If there is no odor present, your hermit crab is probably molting.) When they shed their skin they lose up to 90% of their calcium and it must be replenished by eating the old exoskeleton. You may also add egg shells or cuttlebones to aid them in this. You can isolate your crab in a separate cage while he is molting in order to prevent other crabs from disrupting the process.
As part of its growth cycle, a hermit crab molts, or sheds its exoskeleton, usually once a year between May and September. The process can take two weeks or more. Initially, the hermit crab may bury itself in the sand or gravel and stay there for a few days. At this point, separate it from its companions by installing a divider in the habitat or by moving the other crabs to a separate habitat and leaving the molting crab in its familiar, stress-free environment. The next step is the shedding of the exoskeleton, which the crab will leave hanging in front of its shell. This shedded skin is then eaten by the crab because it contains a valuable hardening agent called chitin. Because it is vulnerable with its new soft skin and it needs a lot of moisture, it may bury itself once molted for protection, and to seek moisture. If you know where the crab has buried itself, sprinkle water on the surface above it. Once the new soft pink skin becomes hard and purple, the hermit crab can return to it
