Shell less Crab!

[curlysister]

A crab will drop it's shell when it is too weak to carry it. It is good that she went back in a shell, as stated a crab will die without a shell. But it is concerning that she keeps dropping it. Has she dropped any limbs? Feed some high energy foods, like honey and peanut butter, and if she seems weak, be sure to isolate her from your other crabs.

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

She changed back to her original shell again this morning.

I don't think she's weak, as she is my most active crabs in the evenings/early morning (she even ocationally comes out during the day). She still has all her limbs.

I will definetly feed her some peanut butter+honey!

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

I had another crab (Ocean) have a succesful molt, and he came out and joined my other crabs at the surface. Because all the crabs were at the surface, I started diging a little, to mix in the new dirt I added all at once (I decided not to dig up my crabs when they are underground anymore). Anyways, so I noticed he left his exoskeleton buried in a completly different part of the tank, and didn't eat it. Is it normal for crabs to eat their exoskeloton? Should I be concerned?

I put Crystal and Ocean in one of the 10 gallons, and the other crabs in the other. Crystal left her shell (again), so I tried gently placeing her in a shell. She willingly went in, but not very far, and as soon as I set her down she calmly walked right out and walked away! She didn't even try to pull it. I tried a couple shells, including her original shell and the other shell I've seen her try on, but she did the same thing.

I isolated her in a small container inside the tank with Ocean, but I doubt he'd present any threat to her because he literaly just molted. I added a couple shells, and a tiny bit of water to keep her moist. Should I put food in there too? I want to, because curlysister said:

A crab will drop it's shell when it is too weak to carry it... Feed some high energy foods, like honey and peanut butter.

I want to make sure she has food to recover her streath. However, HermitGuy3 posted this, which made me think maybe she shouldn't have food, so she will move into a shell sooner:

We put them into a small place with only shells so that the only thing they are thinking about is which shell to pick. When they are in the tank, they could be hungry... When we put them into a small space, the only thing they have to think is "shells".

Food or not?

[curlysister]

The naked crab care sheet:

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=122302

The priority is to get the crab into a shell. No distractions in the container with the shells. Then feed high energy foods when they are back in their shell. That you crab keeps dropping her shell is not a good sign, I am sorry to say.

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

Thanks! She went back into her shell (while, the other shell (not the one she came in, but the other one she has tried). I let her back into the tank with Ocean, and gave her lots of honey, peanut butter, and salmon.
She was still in her shell this morning...

I do hope she survives! :praying:

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

Good news!
Crystal's been doing okay lately. She is my most active crab in the morning/evening!

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

I spoke too soon...

This morning, I noticed both of the shells that Crystal has moved into from time to time are empty. I don't see her anywhere, she may have moved into a new shell? But I'm not sure. Should I dig around for her? I have other crabs underground, that may be molting. I could look around for her, but I don't want to disturb my other crabs... Or I could leave her, possibly out of a shell, and she will most likely die. Help!

[JoeHermits]

If she’s underground it’s best to let her do her thing, especially if there are other crabs down there too. Maybe she has a shell you didn’t account for?


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[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

Well, she buried herself without a shell on and died. Thank you all for your help!

[curlysister]

I am sorry to hear. How did you determine that?

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

I moved the water dish to clean it, and I found a dead crab who had buried itself under the water dish. My other crabs were up, so I dug all around and couldn't find anything else, so I figured it wasn't a molt. Is there a way to tell the difference between a molt and a dead crab?

[curlysister]

A molt will be hollow.

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

Thanks, this crab wasn't.

[curlysister]

Aw, I am sorry to hear that.