Newish Crab caretaker & new to forum

[Ditch]

Hi.

In October 2020 I was walking my 6 mo old pup along the neighborhood road while on vacation in Corolla North Carolina.
Tourmaline found what I thought was a painted rock. It looked like Sylvester the cat complete with clay molded ears and googly eyes. When I picked up the rock I realized it was a painted shell and it was occupied. I believe that the kid in the house across from us left her there as I had seen him run down to the court and back to the house shortly before they left.
Since I was not just going to leave it by the road, and I don't think winter in North Carolina is the ideal location for a hernit crab. The cat shelled crab came home with me and my dogs. Since I have 2 cats with meaningful names of Hitch and Glitch. Crab in its cat shell became "Ditch" sine Ditch was ditched by the kid in the road ditch. And I have determined that she is a she based on the pores on her legs.
When we got home first thing was get her some shells so she could ditch the cat. She tried a few before she stayed in one. Cat shell out of there! I believe she is a purple pincher and is in a shell about 1.5 or so inches at its widest.

She has a 10 gal tank. 1 side coco coir other side sand. Fresh treated water, salt treated water and food bowl. She has commercial food but likes peanut butter, bananas, and clementines the best. There is moss, fake plants for foliage some stick thing I can't remember what it is called (from cactus?) She hides under and a piece of drift. The are about 10 shells of various sizes. 3 temp/humdity gauges, a Flukers red bulb and a flukers day light bulb.
I need to increase my substrate as it is about at 3x and this forum reccomends 5x. I have a hard time with humdity as it is very dry in here but I mist several times a day. I need a better glass lid to lock in the humidity. It stays around 78 to 81 degrees F and humidity varies more like 50 to 90+.

She had been buried under her stick thing on the coconut side. But 2 days ago she came out and has been sitting by or partially in the fresh water bowl. I have been somewhat obsessively watching her and keeping the humidity up in the 80 to 90 % range. I don't want to add substrate right now if she is doing a surface molt. But it is a bit freaky that she is just standing there at the water bowl not moving much. She isn't pulled back into her shell but she isn't all the way out either. She has moved a little that I can tell. I had eggs for dinner so I could give her some egg shells. Washed with treated water.

So is there anything I should do if she is molting on the surface? No other crabs to worry about. Her color looks good.

I definitely didn't plan to get her but she is kind of cool. Definitely didn't deserve getting dumped/ditched.

Thanks,
Tourmaline, Topaz, and the human Lizz

[EastCoastyGhosty]

Thank you so much for saving this crabbie! you are amazing. i would reconmend mixing the sand and coco together instead of having them on one side. and i reconmend using a stick on heat mat and a thermostat instead of lamps. the stick on gauges arent too accurate and it is best to use a digital one, you can get those on amazon for 12 bucks, they can messure both humidity and temp. if she is molting on the surface, i would leave her and not bother her. but once she is done deffinently get a cocofiber/playsand mixed substrate that is at least 5 inches, or deep enough for her to completely bury herself. im sure this crab is super happy about you saving it!

[curlysister]

All play sand is safe, all coco fiber is safe, or a combo of the two. If using both play sand and coco fiber, a person can mix them in any ratio, or layer them, or put them side by side. Whatever a person uses, the substrate should be moistened so that it holds it's shape when they dig. It should be at least three times as deep as your largest crab.

[crabbycasey]

You saved her! It’s sad, but that little boy could have thought he was doing the right thing by releasing her back into nature, having no clue the cold weather would kill her. You did good though and have clearly done some research on the best care for her!

She might be hanging by the water bc it’s more humid there and her humidity sounds a little inconsistent. Moistened moss pits can help with that, plus they love to dig in them. Just a thought...

What’s her name?


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[mool]

Welcome to the forum Ditch and Lizz!