Hermit crab.... Seales its self in?

[new_world_disor]

Come home to my hermit crab looking like this....

Looks very odd. Dead.... Alive?

 

[Betta132]

Might need a better photo, but it looks like he could be shedding his exoskeleton. Hermit crabs shed the hard shell on their legs and head in order to grow, and it looks a bit weird when they do it.

 

[new_world_disor]

Best i can get. Never aeen it before

 

[Shawn O]

Can't tell much from the pic other than it looks like a Scarlet hermit. Hermits can usually pull themselves completely inside their shells unless they're getting too big for the shell. Do you have other shells for the hermit to change into?

 

[new_world_disor]

Hermit is deffo dead. Snail went over him nd legs mostly fell off. V odd! Yeh got about ten spare shells of various sizes. Removed him now

 

[theMatrix]

Might have molted. Could have been just the skin the snail got.

 

[Shawn O]

When hermits molt, they molt like a person would take off a pullover sweater. They can back into their shells to push off the old exoskeleton. It's usually a good idea to leave them alone for a few days to a week. If they're dead, something will eat them for you.

 

[new_world_disor]

Deffo dead. When i removed him from the tank the body just fell out! Very odd. Almost like a caclerous layer built up over the shell entrance with its legs sticking out

 

[theMatrix]

Well...time to find the cause?

Mines? My huma huma trigger left a graveyard of empty shells. 24snails and 6 crabs.