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1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
5:1 sand:coir, 6”-8”
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
2 gauges, one closer to water and heat the other on the far side
Temp will sometimes drop to 78 but I’ve been insulating it well and it stays around 81.5. The humidity used to be constant 85% but I’ve been able to get it stable around 78%
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
UTH - on the back with a thermostat, plus I got foil, cardboard and blankets to keep it stable during winter
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Prime both waters and add instant ocean to one. I follow instructions. Both are in a fancy bubbler from Etsy.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I replace the raw food (fruits, lettuce, meat, etc) every day to every other day. I keep worm compost and green sand and change that weekly. For the raw foods I try and switch it up as much as possible. Chrishell seems to really like popcorn and ate a ton of it - gave it to her for the first time. Is it making her take her clothes off at the pool crazy?
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
Few days after Thanksgiving. I think it’s a PP?
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Not yet
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
10 gallon (I know as soon as the two come back from molting going to upgrade to a 20 gal) I have a plastic lid that cracks just a tiny bit for the bubblers
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
3, small (1” shell opening)
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
6-8
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Once a week, trying not to disturb much with the 2 crabs below
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
….popcorn? I was worried Chrishell maybe felt a little exposed so I added a new hollow log and CAREFULLY placed it on the substrate, she hardly uses it though.
15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
Never been as active as the others. Seems I need to entice it with food sometimes to entice it. If it is active, it’s only at night when I don’t see it
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Ive had 3 crabs for a little over a month now. They’re pretty small (1” shell opening.) 1 was given by a friend and I added 2 for company. After slowly increasing their Crabitat conditions (PSS method) 2 have gone down to molt! Yay! Except for one lonely guy who has never been as active and has been slower to recover. Last night, I could not sleep so at 4 am I decided to see what my crab(s) were up to. I was pretty surprised when I saw Chrishell standing at the edge of the bubbler water dish without her shell, which was now floating at the other end of the pool. Not sure what happened but maybe she fell in and ditched it to get out? It had a ladder but it was messed up and it has built in stairs… anyways, I followed the method from central station and in fact had it ready. I put her in a Tupperware with 3 shells (including her original) and she quickly jumped into her original. It’s about 10 hours later and I see her shell moving a little so I go to check on her and she lost a bright red leg at the base. I decided to go ahead and turn off the light and wrap the tank with the fitted sheet I use at night. Anything else I can do/not do?
.
Skinny dipping rescue followed by leg falling off
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Topic author - Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2024 2:32 pm
- Location: Charlotte, NC
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- Administrator
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- Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 3:54 pm
- Location: Manitoba, Canada
Re: Skinny dipping rescue followed by leg falling off
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
5:1 sand:coir, 6”-8”
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
2 gauges, one closer to water and heat the other on the far side
Temp will sometimes drop to 78 but I’ve been insulating it well and it stays around 81.5. The humidity used to be constant 85% but I’ve been able to get it stable around 78%
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
UTH - on the back with a thermostat, plus I got foil, cardboard and blankets to keep it stable during winter
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Prime both waters and add instant ocean to one. I follow instructions. Both are in a fancy bubbler from Etsy.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I replace the raw food (fruits, lettuce, meat, etc) every day to every other day. I keep worm compost and green sand and change that weekly. For the raw foods I try and switch it up as much as possible. Chrishell seems to really like popcorn and ate a ton of it - gave it to her for the first time. Is it making her take her clothes off at the pool crazy?
Curly - No, it's not the popcorn. Are your providing calcium and protein daily?
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
Few days after Thanksgiving. I think it’s a PP?
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Not yet
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
10 gallon (I know as soon as the two come back from molting going to upgrade to a 20 gal) I have a plastic lid that cracks just a tiny bit for the bubblers
Curly - Nothing wrong with a ten gallon for small crabs.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
3, small (1” shell opening)
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
6-8
Curl - HCA recommends 3 to 5 extra shells per crab.
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Once a week, trying not to disturb much with the 2 crabs below
Curly - There isn't really a need to clean much that often, maybe only a bit of surface cleaning.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
….popcorn? I was worried Chrishell maybe felt a little exposed so I added a new hollow log and CAREFULLY placed it on the substrate, she hardly uses it though.
15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
Never been as active as the others. Seems I need to entice it with food sometimes to entice it. If it is active, it’s only at night when I don’t see it
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Ive had 3 crabs for a little over a month now. They’re pretty small (1” shell opening.) 1 was given by a friend and I added 2 for company. After slowly increasing their Crabitat conditions (PSS method) 2 have gone down to molt! Yay! Except for one lonely guy who has never been as active and has been slower to recover. Last night, I could not sleep so at 4 am I decided to see what my crab(s) were up to. I was pretty surprised when I saw Chrishell standing at the edge of the bubbler water dish without her shell, which was now floating at the other end of the pool. Not sure what happened but maybe she fell in and ditched it to get out? It had a ladder but it was messed up and it has built in stairs… anyways, I followed the method from central station and in fact had it ready. I put her in a Tupperware with 3 shells (including her original) and she quickly jumped into her original. It’s about 10 hours later and I see her shell moving a little so I go to check on her and she lost a bright red leg at the base. I decided to go ahead and turn off the light and wrap the tank with the fitted sheet I use at night. Anything else I can do/not do?
Curly - There is no need to gradually increase conditions, that method is based on a theory that doesn't even apply to crabs.
Crabs drop their shells if they are weak and can't carry them. Losing limbs is also a last ditch effort to try to conserve energy. Your conditions sound good now, but crabs go through a lot before we get them and sometimes cannot bounce back. Feed your crab some high energy foods such as honey and peanut butter, to see if it will provide more energy.
5:1 sand:coir, 6”-8”
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
2 gauges, one closer to water and heat the other on the far side
Temp will sometimes drop to 78 but I’ve been insulating it well and it stays around 81.5. The humidity used to be constant 85% but I’ve been able to get it stable around 78%
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
UTH - on the back with a thermostat, plus I got foil, cardboard and blankets to keep it stable during winter
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Prime both waters and add instant ocean to one. I follow instructions. Both are in a fancy bubbler from Etsy.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I replace the raw food (fruits, lettuce, meat, etc) every day to every other day. I keep worm compost and green sand and change that weekly. For the raw foods I try and switch it up as much as possible. Chrishell seems to really like popcorn and ate a ton of it - gave it to her for the first time. Is it making her take her clothes off at the pool crazy?
Curly - No, it's not the popcorn. Are your providing calcium and protein daily?
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
Few days after Thanksgiving. I think it’s a PP?
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Not yet
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
10 gallon (I know as soon as the two come back from molting going to upgrade to a 20 gal) I have a plastic lid that cracks just a tiny bit for the bubblers
Curly - Nothing wrong with a ten gallon for small crabs.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
3, small (1” shell opening)
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
6-8
Curl - HCA recommends 3 to 5 extra shells per crab.
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Once a week, trying not to disturb much with the 2 crabs below
Curly - There isn't really a need to clean much that often, maybe only a bit of surface cleaning.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
….popcorn? I was worried Chrishell maybe felt a little exposed so I added a new hollow log and CAREFULLY placed it on the substrate, she hardly uses it though.
15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
Never been as active as the others. Seems I need to entice it with food sometimes to entice it. If it is active, it’s only at night when I don’t see it
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Ive had 3 crabs for a little over a month now. They’re pretty small (1” shell opening.) 1 was given by a friend and I added 2 for company. After slowly increasing their Crabitat conditions (PSS method) 2 have gone down to molt! Yay! Except for one lonely guy who has never been as active and has been slower to recover. Last night, I could not sleep so at 4 am I decided to see what my crab(s) were up to. I was pretty surprised when I saw Chrishell standing at the edge of the bubbler water dish without her shell, which was now floating at the other end of the pool. Not sure what happened but maybe she fell in and ditched it to get out? It had a ladder but it was messed up and it has built in stairs… anyways, I followed the method from central station and in fact had it ready. I put her in a Tupperware with 3 shells (including her original) and she quickly jumped into her original. It’s about 10 hours later and I see her shell moving a little so I go to check on her and she lost a bright red leg at the base. I decided to go ahead and turn off the light and wrap the tank with the fitted sheet I use at night. Anything else I can do/not do?
Curly - There is no need to gradually increase conditions, that method is based on a theory that doesn't even apply to crabs.
Crabs drop their shells if they are weak and can't carry them. Losing limbs is also a last ditch effort to try to conserve energy. Your conditions sound good now, but crabs go through a lot before we get them and sometimes cannot bounce back. Feed your crab some high energy foods such as honey and peanut butter, to see if it will provide more energy.
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." -Will Rogers
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Topic author - Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2024 2:32 pm
- Location: Charlotte, NC
Re: Skinny dipping rescue followed by leg falling off
Yes they get calcium and protein daily. I could probably add more fish protein as they get the rotisserie chicken I use give my dog his daily medicine. I feel like this has to do with the trauma of losing their shell in the freshwater bath, but it could also be PPS. I guess my concern is do I leave Chrishell alone 100% or try and encourage with some high energy foods. This particular crab has not made the same increase in behavior since modification of the environment as the other two crabs have. I still care for it a lot and obviously want what’s best for it. That being said, it took the strength of God to not have me poke around when my two crabs dug at the same time, is it just the first time that’s so scary?! From that I learned: less is more, leave them alone, and trust the process. I don’t want to stress this crab out further, but I also want to help him if I can.