Worried with a newb style question for y'all

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:39 pm

So, Peach has been doing a lot of moving around in her iso so I peeked in on her and she is mostly done her exo. But then I saw something a little alarming. She is missing the tips of both her left legs and they are darker at the joints where the tips should be. Is this cause for worry? What should I do?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:57 pm

It's understandable for youse to be worried about it, but it doesn't sound like it was a bad moult. Peach might have been in an awkward position, maybe squeezed in between or up against something.

But if she's happy and being her normal self, I guess you can chalk it up to something she did just to make you crazy. [smilie=pull_hair.gif]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:57 pm

See, that's the problem. I don't know her personality or how she normally is or even if she used to have leg tips just after her molt and just lost them. She is not up against glass or a shell or any object of any sort. She is an adoption that I picked up and molted just a week after I took her home in a crater, not even fully dug down. She was in horrible conditions prior to me taking her in and was fed only commercial food. From the state of her gills and the lack of dechlorinator in her "going away pack", I'm assuming she was drinking just straight up tap water before now. I'm worried this is the effect of all the horrible care she received prior to now, but am also worried that this could very well be signs of stress. I just don't know.

I don't even know if she had leg tips following her molt as I didn't want to disturb her. I just wanted to leave her to do her thing.

ARGH! You think you can handle everything and then you get a curve ball thrown at ya.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:03 pm

What species is Peach? I have had problems with a few rugs who apparently got stuck in their exo, and therefore, didn't have the bottom leg segments upon completion of the molt. In fact, I recently had a PP come up from molting minus a bottom leg segment.....not sure what happened there, but most likely the same type of thing. No worry, though. They will regrow them with the next molt.

Considering that Peach came from some pretty lousy conditions, it may take another molt or two to get her back into tip-top shape. Keep us posted!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:06 pm

She's a PP. I'm just so... ARGH! Angry and stressed over it. I went to see a movie with my best friend tonight and throughout the entire movie, all I could think was "Why is she missing leg segments? What can I do? I hope she makes it."

~*shakes fist at people who used to own her*~ People shouldn't get pets if the don't want to take care of them.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:47 pm

Raen_83 wrote: ~*shakes fist at people who used to own her*~ People shouldn't get pets if the don't want to take care of them.

And Pet stores shouldn't carry animals THEY don't care for properly! (they have even less excuse)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:13 pm

Rean:

I had a crab that had all the tips of her legs missing. That was from the harvesters. If a crab clings to a tree or whatever, they just cut off their tips so they'll let go. Anyway, my Honey had the tips missing, but after her moult she looked like she just had fake nails put on at the salon. So now all her legs have black pointy tips on them.

I'm not sure what you're meaning. Is the crab missing whole leg segments or just the tips? Did it have a successful molt? Does it have black pointy 'toes'?

Maybe, with a little more information, we can help you.

hermietastic · Post by **hermietastic** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:05 pm

Ya, I have 2 crabs right now who have no leg tips. Kinda nasty.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:43 am

Oh, it was a molt. lol I checked on her just after she molted and saw the exo hanging out the front of the shell. A week after the molt, I checked on her as she was moving around and noticed she is missing the whole bottom segment to her two left legs. This is not an issue of harvesting. She came to me as an adoption 2 weeks ago and had all of her leg tips. She was whole. Other than that I know NOTHING about this crab. She molted a week after I brought her home, pretty well to the hour. She has been under my care for only two weeks as of today.

Here is a thread cataloging the adoption:
Link to Thread

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:18 am

It's interesting that you noticed back then the discoloration on her BP. Maybe it's related. How does her BP look now?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:15 am

Her BP looks fine now. That was something I was wondering too. If it were a bacterial infection of some sort. I did, however, find a piece of her exo that was a leg and broke it down to the point where she is missing her sements. The upper portion is hallow with a bit of substrate in it. The lower portion is not hollow. So, I feel a little calmer now and just think she had problems shedding her exo. It's also logical if you consider how long she had put it off and the lack of proper care she had received for those many months.

EDIT: If anyone thinks I'm way off base here, please let me know. I'd rather hear I'm wrong than risk her health.

bksbuddha · Post by **bksbuddha** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:34 pm

I'm so very sorry that you're going through this, sweetie. I agree w/Kathy that perhaps the exo got stuck & she just dropped the segments.

Perhaps her weakened state was responsible for it. The best that you can do is keep an eye on her & provide her w/the wonderful care that you're surely doing.

Maybe feed her some calendula blooms & some honey, & a bit of a soak in xtra strength saltwater...hope that she molts well the next time to repair the damage. I truly do understand that helpless feeling, but we can only do our best & hope. Keep us posted.

And for you...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:02 pm

She must have had it rough, poor thing.
I'll bet she is so happy with her new home that temporarily walking a bit lopsided doesn't bother her at all!

I'd love to see a thread when she molts again

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:23 pm

Thank you, ZatHermie. I will keep you posted on her fo sure.

Bks, where would I find calendula blooms?

bksbuddha · Post by **bksbuddha** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:28 pm

Online...Hermit Crab Addiction store. I got mine at a local herb place. Don't know if ya have any around ya.