About Kristy Watkins Expertise I can answer many questions asked by first time crab owners on feeding, caging, care, keeping, sexing the crabs, decorating the tank, etc. I can answer questions on possible illnesses (although I am not a vet, I have experienced first hand many of the illnesses hermit crabs get and have been able to successfully deal with them all). I can not answer questions on euthenasia or breeding because I haven't euthenised any of my crabs, and they don't mate in captivity. I generally get online every night, so most questions are answered the same day.
Experience 4 years of owning hermit crabs, over 300 hours of research on many subjects relating to them.
Expert: Kristy Watkins Date: 7/14/2008 Subject: do you know what is rong with speedy
Question hello i need some help with my hermit crabs speedy(my bigest out of the two I have) will not come out of their coconut hut she usaly only comes out to eat but if I pick up speedy she will come out and walk around
Answer Do you have a heat source for speedy and her friend? If so, is the hut directly on top of the heat? Speedy could be cold and huddling in the hut may help her a little bit, if you do have a heat source, you should get a bigger one or put a heat lamp above the tank too, if you don't, you need to get one. On the other hand, Speedy may be trying to molt, don't disturb her if she satrts burrowing in the sand or gravel or whatever you have (sand and coconut bedding are a LOT better than gravel) If you do disturb her, you may hurt her or stress her out so much she actually dies. Sprinkle calcium powder or crushed up cuttlebone onto Speedy and the other crab's food so Speedy can grow a better shell and look much healthier and prettier than before. One of my crabs is named Speedy, too, by the way, but mine's a boy, Mine are named Shadow, Speedy and Gonzo.
