HCA: Hermit Crab Association

What was your longest-ever molt?

I ask because my two medium-ish PPs are ready to hit the 8 month-mark at the beginning of January, and I'm going between being completely calm and completely panicking. I'm hoping someone will pop up here with a similar tale of woe to reassure me. Hey, who knows, by hearing similar tales, this might serve to help others feel calmer, as well?

My E is going on 4 months, though honestly I don't think she is coming back up, I lost 2 E's before her.

I heard of someones hermit being down for almost a year!!

I hate to tell you, but think 8 months is to long ): I have a large pp in a 1 1/2 or larger shell and usually I'm looking at 2 1/2 months for him.

It was a from a long time ago and I know I'll never find the original thread (if it was ever saved) but yes - we had someone whose crab was underground for 8 months and it suddenly popped up one day and was fine. Whether it was actually down that entire time or sneaking up in the middle of the night unnoticed was up for debate. Crabs can do that - the first two years I had Firefly I kept thinking for sure he was dead, but then I would catch him at 3 in the morning in the food bowl, only to have him vanish for another 4 or 5 months.

Edit: Was it Sebby who had the crab?... Grr. I hate not being able to remember!

Ugh I have a small pp that's been down for over 2 months. I know smaller ones molt quicker so I'm kinda freaked out... I'm trying to keep hope tho! He's my original crab

My longest molt so far was a small PP who took 4 months.

gotta-crab-em-all wrote:My longest molt so far was a small PP who took 4 months.

I appreciate you! That really does make me feel better! I'm trying to stay positive!

Any update with your PP? I am having similar worries...I have 3 medium-large PPs, roughly all the same size and they all went under to molt within the same couple weeks. 2 have already come back up a few weeks ago and seem like they've had a nice healthy molt, but the 3rd guy still hasn't come up yet...it's been I think almost 4 months now...sometimes I could hear them moving around in the sand when they were buried, but after the 2 came up, I haven't heard anything under there... :headshake:

My teeny tiny Kaylee in a 1\2" tigrina was down for 2 months destressing and molting. Her next molt was another 2 months and occupied a 7\8" green turbo before changing into a clunky murex awaiting another growth spurt. In more recent news Toby came up hairy as could be after his second molt with me (?? destress) after 85 days of nothing... he makes holes you can see and my tinys could be snuggled in together comfortably, he wasn't surfacing. Now he occupies a 1" petholatus that doesn't hide his head at all, he's noticeably bigger than Sid who's in a 11\8" petholatus and she stuffs herself in that unconvincingly...

Side note - Do PPs 'max out' once they hit 1" or so sized shells? What I mean is, do they purposefully deny a shell that would fit comfortably once they get big enough?

I have a small/medium PP and he has been down almost two months.

Ugh I have a small pp that's been down for over 2 months. I know smaller ones molt quicker so I'm kinda freaked out... I'm trying to keep hope tho! He's my original crab

I know exactly how you feel! Just another reason to freak out about hermit crabs.

They don't really max out. These are a few of my fatties. They can fit completely inside their shells.
The last guy is a little smaller than the others but they all fit about the same way inside if not a little bit of a tighter fit, but not by much.

Wow. Kelly, your crabs are beautiful!

KellyCrabbieLove wrote:They don't really max out. These are a few of my fatties. They can fit completely inside their shells.
The last guy is a little smaller than the others but they all fit about the same way inside if not a little bit of a tighter fit, but not by much.

Thanks! Glad to know they will change 'cause they look so uncomfortable. Toby's been checking out all the shells with no definable favorite (of the ones with bigger openings). So on to the jades then... The adventure begins! Any good online stores with jade turbos or other turbo shells 1 1/8+ that you (or anyone else reading) could recommend?