[honorbound88]

So about 2 years ago I got 4 hermit crabs and about 6 months ago I had one die. I think I know the reason so that death (it died molting after switching shells constantly and, although I put in scores of new shells over the month or so that it was switching, it never found one it liked so I think the death was stress related) isn't in question but recently I found another of my hermit crabs dead and I have no idea why. My setabout up is as follows. It is a 40 gallon long tank with about 6 inches of coconut substrate at the left end sloping down to meet calcium sand at the right. There is a large piece of driftwood dominating the tank offering climbing area and shelter and there are two large rock shelters situated above the substrate.There are two saltwater dishes and a few inch deep freshwater dish and hermit crab food is left in a dish and changed daily as well as 2 pieces of fresh fruit or vegetables. I have two humidity gauges (although I doubt their effectiveness) and a fogger which is turned on for 15 minutes every hour as the tank does not have a lid since the crabs cannot possibly get out. Behavior exhibited by the crab before death was not unusual. It was simply active and walking around until one day I did not see it. Since my crabs burrow often, I did not think to look for it until a few days later I found it dead in a house. It was not any further in, nor out, of its shell than usual. So I am curious as to why it may have died so I can prevent that death in the future. The only logical reason I can think of is maybe the fogger does not offer enough humidity for them to breathe? The gauges always measure above 70 and the temperature in my house never drops below 70 either.

[Alty]

I'm so sorry that no one has answered your question.

I saw your question when you posted, but I really know nothing about hermit crabs. Nothing at all. I have since done some research, and as such, I know that you obviously know how to keep these little creatures. But, I have not gained any insight into what could have caused their death.

I don't think anyone else on this site knows anything about hermit crabs. Sadly, in most parts of the world they're a novelty pet. I hate that they are, and I would love to stop it from happening, but those are the sad facts.

From reading your post, I can only say that it sounds like you're doing everything right, and I'm so happy to meet someone that cares as much as you do about any animal you bring into your home. But, I really have no insight as to why they perished.

I do hope you come back. You seem to know a lot about these little creatures, and no one else on the site specializes in them. It would be nice to have someone on board that can answer hermit crab questions. In the same token, I don't think you'd be too busy. In the many years I've been on this site, yours is the first question I've seen about hermit crabs.

I'm so sorry for your loss, and I'm also sorry that I couldn't give you an answer.

[odinn7]

It is very possible that they just died of old age. It's hard to gauge the age of such a creature so that is my guess. As Alty said, it sounds like you are doing everything right and have put a lot of time into making sure things are right. I don't think you should worry about it too much... I mean you shouldn't worry about what you're doing. I have seen people keep hermit crabs in much less favorable conditions and they lived a long time so yours should do fine too. Chalk it up to age and let it go.