Crab abandons exoskeleton and doesn’t molt?!?!? HELP???

[River]

So I wrote on here about a week ago that I accidentally picked up a molting crab. I immediately put him back where he was and left him alone. I notice today he moved to a different hide. So I check the old one and parts of his exoskeleton are still in there. Uneaten. He hasn’t changed shells either. Im currently watching him Move a round and he seems fine. I moved the leftover exoskeleton near him so he can eat it.
I have 2 possible reasons. Maybe me picking him up stressed him out of molting? Or I don’t have an adequate shell for him to molt into. I have shells coming today that should be proper size and shape for him.
Any explanations as to why he abandoned the exoskeleton and didn’t change shells?


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[myllkti]

Hey so molting is just losing the old expo and growing a new one. So he did molt! They can but don’t always change shells when molting. He should be fine

[CrabbyLover77]

So he surface molted? If so that's not normal. I saw you posted about not having enough sand. That could be reason he surface molted. Grab a 50lb bag of play sand at a hardware store and hopefully that will get you the 6" of sub needed.

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[River]

So he surface molted? If so that's not normal. I saw you posted about not having enough sand. That could be reason he surface molted. Grab a 50lb bag of play sand at a hardware store and hopefully that will get you the 6" of sub needed.

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He always had enough sand to bury himself at least once his body size and still have sand under him. He only every buried himself halfway


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[CrabbyLover77]

He always had enough sand to bury himself at least once his body size and still have sand under him. He only every buried himself halfway


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That's still not normal to molt near the surface and be able to see him. I'd double check all tank conditions to see why he might have done that.

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[myllkti]

Oh it was a surface molt? Sorry for missing that. If you’re sure you have enough substrate, and you check humidity and temp like CL77 said, maybe check substrate consistency. It should be wet enough to keep shape when you make a hill or poke a hole without being dripping wet - “sand castle consistency”. Also check the food you’re feeding- pellets are toxic and some times contain molt inhibitors

[HermitCrabCHICA]

So I wrote on here about a week ago that I accidentally picked up a molting crab. I immediately put him back where he was and left him alone. I notice today he moved to a different hide. So I check the old one and parts of his exoskeleton are still in there. Uneaten. He hasn’t changed shells either. Im currently watching him Move a round and he seems fine. I moved the leftover exoskeleton near him so he can eat it.
I have 2 possible reasons. Maybe me picking him up stressed him out of molting? Or I don’t have an adequate shell for him to molt into. I have shells coming today that should be proper size and shape for him.
Any explanations as to why he abandoned the exoskeleton and didn’t change shells?


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That is what Kelpcake did before she died

[wodesorel]

How much was left behind? They don't always finish claw and leg tips.