Shell Evacuation and possible lethargy
Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 5:30 pm
Hi Everyone, Thanks so much for reading! I have a crab that evacuated her shell this morning, and while she’s back in now I just wanted to get some further advice! All the details are at the bottom.
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
70:30 Eco earth:play sand. It’s about 4-7inches deep.
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?
Combination analog Temp humidity gauge, hanging an inch above the substrate near the UTHs. It reads pretty steady at 75% humidity, and ranges from 70-80F.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Two ZooMed UTHs, one 6x8” and one 4x5”
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)?
Dechlorinated Fresh and Saltwater both available in dishes they can submerge/climb in.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
They get fresh fruit, fish flakes which they love, occasional raw meat, and frozen brine shrimp.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
2 purple pinchers, I’ve had them both about 3 months.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
She went down Mid April, and came up two weeks ago. Overall down for less than a month.
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 aquarium with a glass lid.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2, both about the same size somewhere near small. Both crabs fit in a shell with an aperture of less than 1”
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
8, I haven’t been able to find more due to COVID-19.
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
Not to my knowledge.
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I replace the water once a week, the food about every other day.
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?
I added a moss pit to stabilize the humidity last week.
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.)?
I spray the burlap, moss wall, and moss pit with dechlorinated freshwater to maintain humidity. I only have to do this if the lid is left open for an extended period of time.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
The crab in question, Kara has been much more lethargic and quiet than my other crab. She very rarely climbs, usually only doing it before we have rain. Normally she snacks on whatever food is out, stretches her legs a bit and chills out. In the last few days, she’s been 100% more active, climbing and exploring and reaching her legs into both water dishes.
Last night she tried on a new shell, but this morning I found she was in her shell but had not moved. A few hours later I found her naked sitting among the empty shells. The other crab seemed suspiciously interested in her, so I isolated her in some warm freshwater and four different shells, including her new and old shells.
In isolation, she seemed very active, alert, and obviously scared as I don’t normally handle them. She got back into her shell after about 15 minutes so I put her back in the tank.
I left them some honey and brine shrimp, which Kara has ignored and the other crab quickly ran to. Since I added her into the tank she’s been sitting by the water dishes. Now I’m questioning whether her slow crawl as compared to Barry my other crab, is a sign of some kind of weakness?
I also found exactly 1 small fast moving beige mite on Kara when I first got her. I haven’t seen any more mites since.
Is there any reason for Kara to have left her shell? Is there anything further I can do or provide for her?
Thanks so much for any help guys!
.
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
70:30 Eco earth:play sand. It’s about 4-7inches deep.
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?
Combination analog Temp humidity gauge, hanging an inch above the substrate near the UTHs. It reads pretty steady at 75% humidity, and ranges from 70-80F.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Two ZooMed UTHs, one 6x8” and one 4x5”
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)?
Dechlorinated Fresh and Saltwater both available in dishes they can submerge/climb in.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
They get fresh fruit, fish flakes which they love, occasional raw meat, and frozen brine shrimp.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
2 purple pinchers, I’ve had them both about 3 months.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
She went down Mid April, and came up two weeks ago. Overall down for less than a month.
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 aquarium with a glass lid.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2, both about the same size somewhere near small. Both crabs fit in a shell with an aperture of less than 1”
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
8, I haven’t been able to find more due to COVID-19.
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
Not to my knowledge.
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I replace the water once a week, the food about every other day.
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?
I added a moss pit to stabilize the humidity last week.
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.)?
I spray the burlap, moss wall, and moss pit with dechlorinated freshwater to maintain humidity. I only have to do this if the lid is left open for an extended period of time.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
The crab in question, Kara has been much more lethargic and quiet than my other crab. She very rarely climbs, usually only doing it before we have rain. Normally she snacks on whatever food is out, stretches her legs a bit and chills out. In the last few days, she’s been 100% more active, climbing and exploring and reaching her legs into both water dishes.
Last night she tried on a new shell, but this morning I found she was in her shell but had not moved. A few hours later I found her naked sitting among the empty shells. The other crab seemed suspiciously interested in her, so I isolated her in some warm freshwater and four different shells, including her new and old shells.
In isolation, she seemed very active, alert, and obviously scared as I don’t normally handle them. She got back into her shell after about 15 minutes so I put her back in the tank.
I left them some honey and brine shrimp, which Kara has ignored and the other crab quickly ran to. Since I added her into the tank she’s been sitting by the water dishes. Now I’m questioning whether her slow crawl as compared to Barry my other crab, is a sign of some kind of weakness?
I also found exactly 1 small fast moving beige mite on Kara when I first got her. I haven’t seen any more mites since.
Is there any reason for Kara to have left her shell? Is there anything further I can do or provide for her?
Thanks so much for any help guys!
.