Is My Hermit Crab Asleep or Just Dead?

Is my hermit crab dead?

• I have two hermit crabs. One we into a molt a few weeks ago. Usually I have been able to tell if a molt appears to be starting. I would usually then separate the crab that is molting into another tank. This particular crab likes to bury itself, so it is harder to determine when it starts to molt. This was the case this time. I kept and eye on the crab to see if it was starting to molt. It keep burying itself and then resurfacing so I really couldn't be sure if was starting to molt. After about a week of this it appeared to have started to molt. At this point I could not try to disturb it to put into another tank. I know the crab was OK about a week ago. I noticed activity under the substrate. The crab that was not molting has been moving around tonight. When I looked in the tank one of the water dishes was over turned. When I went to fix it, the shell of the other crab that was molting was under the dish. There was no crab just the shell. There was no sign of the crab that was molting. I know if it was dead there was have been a strong oder. Thas has not been any odor. I don't know what to think? Is the crab dead?

• Answer:

  Its most likely it needs a better fitting shell, it's very hard to find the perfect fit so you may have to buy multiple shells. It's most likely its hiding somewhere in the gravel,sand. I one had two hermit crabs and as soon as the bigger one died, the smaller one stole it's shell. Although it may still be dead, you may want to sift through the gravel/dirt a little bit just to see if you can at least check on it.