Like all animals hermit crabs are subjected to different diseases. They can carry a wide range of diseases but is very unlikely that you will catch any diseases from your crabs. Here are four common illnesses that you might find:
Shell Disease
When a virus or bacteria gets inside the shell it creates holes in the exoskeleton it is called shell disease. It will look like a discolored spot on the legs or body. This disease is pretty common in both captive and wild crabs. Luckily the fix is easy. Just give your crab time to molt and the disease should go away on it's own. If molting doesn’t fix the problem then it might be something else. Never use any medications unless your vet prescribed them, as some medications are toxic to your crab and it can kill them. Instead clean the habitat thoroughly and make sure you give them dechlorinated water and a healthy diet.
Mites
Mites are tiny parasite bugs that live on animals. These mites are ones that only live on hermit crabs. They are visible on crabs so you will know when your crab has mites. If the mites are on your crabs for a long period of time it can cause stress which can lead to other problems. To fix this you will want to give your crabs a fully submerged bath. Room temperature spring water is suggested. If the temperature of the water is too hot or too cold it can shock the crab and stress them out more and chlorine will dry out their skin causing difficulty of breathing (and other problems). If you own any other type of animals you might know that when they get fleas/mites/lice/etc., you have to wash EVERYTHING. The same thing goes with your hermit crabs, except instead of your house it’s their habitat. You will want to throw away any non-washable objects, including the substrate. Wooden objects can be boiled for 15 minutes or you can bake them at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. To clean the actual tank use vinegar. Soap wouldn’t be good to use for it is toxic to crabs. If you clean the tank every week and bathe them 1-2 times a day it should get rid of the mites.
Respiratory Problems
The cause of death in captive hermit crabs is very often suffocation. This doesn't mean that they go under water or dig too deep and can’t breathe; it means they suffocate from the fact that there is chlorine in their water or that their isn’t enough moisture in the air and dirt. Chlorine in a hermit crabs water will irritate it’s gills, causing them to become inflamed. This will cause blisters that cut off their airway and eventually suffocate them to death. If there isn’t enough moisture in the air they won’t be able to breathe that well at all. Hermit crabs breathe through gills (modified gills) that need moisture in the air to get oxygen. Without the moisture it is hard for them to get all the oxygen they need.
Fungal Infection
If you see unusual fuzzy spots on your hermit crab it is most likely a fungal infection. This happens when there is an unbalanced amount of bacteria in their tank. Fungal infections are very common and very contagious. Even if you notice only one of your crabs has the infection, you should treat all of them to prevent it from spreading. To treat this infection, bathe all your crabs in a completely submersible salt water bath (make sure there is no chlorine and it is room temperature). Cleaning out the tank substrate and making sure mold doesn’t grow will help prevent this disease.
Written by: Emily Huang
Shell Disease
When a virus or bacteria gets inside the shell it creates holes in the exoskeleton it is called shell disease. It will look like a discolored spot on the legs or body. This disease is pretty common in both captive and wild crabs. Luckily the fix is easy. Just give your crab time to molt and the disease should go away on it's own. If molting doesn’t fix the problem then it might be something else. Never use any medications unless your vet prescribed them, as some medications are toxic to your crab and it can kill them. Instead clean the habitat thoroughly and make sure you give them dechlorinated water and a healthy diet.
Mites
Mites are tiny parasite bugs that live on animals. These mites are ones that only live on hermit crabs. They are visible on crabs so you will know when your crab has mites. If the mites are on your crabs for a long period of time it can cause stress which can lead to other problems. To fix this you will want to give your crabs a fully submerged bath. Room temperature spring water is suggested. If the temperature of the water is too hot or too cold it can shock the crab and stress them out more and chlorine will dry out their skin causing difficulty of breathing (and other problems). If you own any other type of animals you might know that when they get fleas/mites/lice/etc., you have to wash EVERYTHING. The same thing goes with your hermit crabs, except instead of your house it’s their habitat. You will want to throw away any non-washable objects, including the substrate. Wooden objects can be boiled for 15 minutes or you can bake them at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. To clean the actual tank use vinegar. Soap wouldn’t be good to use for it is toxic to crabs. If you clean the tank every week and bathe them 1-2 times a day it should get rid of the mites.
Respiratory Problems
The cause of death in captive hermit crabs is very often suffocation. This doesn't mean that they go under water or dig too deep and can’t breathe; it means they suffocate from the fact that there is chlorine in their water or that their isn’t enough moisture in the air and dirt. Chlorine in a hermit crabs water will irritate it’s gills, causing them to become inflamed. This will cause blisters that cut off their airway and eventually suffocate them to death. If there isn’t enough moisture in the air they won’t be able to breathe that well at all. Hermit crabs breathe through gills (modified gills) that need moisture in the air to get oxygen. Without the moisture it is hard for them to get all the oxygen they need.
Fungal Infection
If you see unusual fuzzy spots on your hermit crab it is most likely a fungal infection. This happens when there is an unbalanced amount of bacteria in their tank. Fungal infections are very common and very contagious. Even if you notice only one of your crabs has the infection, you should treat all of them to prevent it from spreading. To treat this infection, bathe all your crabs in a completely submersible salt water bath (make sure there is no chlorine and it is room temperature). Cleaning out the tank substrate and making sure mold doesn’t grow will help prevent this disease.
Written by: Emily Huang