Heating, molting, and moving!

[HermitCrabsRCute]

I’m moving places in a week, and both my new crabs have gone down most likely to molt. They’re in a 10 gal, how can I move them for the car ride? Also I’m currently using a heat lamp, which I cannot use where I’m headed. My UTH isn’t cutting it by itself though currently. Is room temp, around 65 degrees or greater ok for them? I’m worried if I don’t dig them up I’ll crush them if their caves collapse. They’ve only been buried for a few days. Also, how long does molting usually take?

[I<3mycrabbies]

You can just leave them in the tank their in they will be fine as long as the tank stays standing upright if you can use a heat pad that would be better for them for heat lamps can make heat spots in your tank and they can become a safety hazard for your crabs. And the temperature should be around 75-85°F.
Good luck with your move and your crabs!

[curlysister]

You can just leave them in the tank their in they will be fine as long as the tank stays standing upright if you can use a heat pad that would be better for them for heat lamps can make heat spots in your tank and they can become a safety hazard for your crabs. And the temperature should be around 75-85°F.
Good luck with your move and your crabs!

I would not recommend moving a tank with crabs underground. It will be too heavy, and the bottom may not hold when moved. And the movement can collapse molting caves, suffocating the crabs.
Also, heat lamps are not a safety hazard - many people use them successfully.

[curlysister]

You will need to gently and carefully dig up your crabs. If you search this site, there are a number of threads about digging up crabs to move. Start in a corner and gently dig across, rather than digging from the top down - this way is less likely to collapse the caves. Be prepared to isolate the crabs if they are in the process of molting. Have Tupperware or similar containers to move them in. You can let the sub dry out, and it will be much easier to remove from your tank and transport to the new location.

If you have Purple Pinchers, 72 is the lowest temp that is safe longer term. Heat lamps are known to zap humidity, but you can't use it where you are moving to. Can you get another heat mat? Some brands provide more heat than others, and can be insulated over top. The ones from Bean Farm are good - there is another brand I can't think of but is often mentioned on this site.