PPS Home free?(sorta...pics of possible molt?)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:08 pm

So after about 3 weeks, Kali has finally surfaced 2 nights ago. I immediately gave her lots of honey, peanut butter, cuttlebone and spirulina.
Am I home free with her? No more worries of possible PPS?

Though she is still digging back under in the morning, probably because she is lonely, and ignoring their little hut. But then she comes back out at night.

That being said, she's been digging down exactly where I last saw Loki. Should I be worried? Should I check on them? I wasn't as worried about Loki because he got good food before he dug down to destress, and he dug down days later than Kali did. But now that Kali's picking the exact spot where Loki was, I'm starting to worry a bit. I checked the rest of the tank by looking below, and don't see another cave.

Or should I just leave it be and hope for the best? Today is the second day that Kali had dug down at that spot. Maybe she's just lonely and wanted to find him? *prays it's so*

wickedannabella · Post by **wickedannabella** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:14 pm

I never felt "home free" from PPS until their first molt since the stress previously can affect how their molt turns out.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:20 pm

*sigh* That's what I figured.

*goes back to anxiously waiting*

Any thoughts of what I should do about her digging in the same spot as my other one? Or just leave it all be?

Post by **wodesorel** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:20 pm

wickedannabella wrote:I never felt "home free" from PPS until their first molt since the stress previously can affect how their molt turns out.

I agree with this. Sometimes, despite their activity level, a brand-new crab will still mysteriously pass away during it's first molt. I've had it happen only a few times, but it is heartbreaking to find a crab you think is perfectly fine not make it through that first molt. However, once that first molt is out of the way there is no risk of death from PPS, at least in my experience.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 1:08 am

Hmmm... I'm not getting myself worked up yet... but...

Both Loki and Kali surfaced today, and both of them have that extra dark/blackish sharp nail on their legs. Would it be possible that maybe they did molt when they were under for 3 weeks?

I took some pics of Kali, because she's the feisty one who is NOT shy. And her nails are SHARP. But Loki's is more rounded, so I don't think he's molted yet, probably just destressed. Plus, the pics I took of him suck, because he wouldn't come out to say hi to the camera.

Anyways, here are the pics of Kali... I know that she is definitely looking more faded than before.

And Loki's hiding pictures...

Now that I'm really sitting here looking at them, Kali's look much sharper, while Loki's is more rounded.

Sorry for all the noob questions, but I figure I ask before I get myself all overexcited.

Marina · Post by **Marina** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 1:21 am

Kali has definitely molted. Do you have any pictures of Loki before he went under, to compare?

Post by **wodesorel** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 1:23 am

I only have PPs and Es, so I have no idea what the molt time is for a Straw. However, I've had Es start-to-finish molt in 5 days, and a PP that doubled in size in just 10 days. Some crabs are really remarkable with how quick they can molt.

Looking at those photos they certainly look as though they're freshly molted! If they didn't have sharp and black toes when you got them, and they certainly do now, then for sure they're home free!

Straws can be difficult to care for, and even the best crabbers haven't been able to keep them alive for more than a few years. Make sure they always have sea water present, and you may want to read up around the forums (the search feature is wonderful for this) on what has and hasn't worked for other straw owners. They are beautiful crabs, but for some reason are also very sensitive.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 1:50 am

Unfortunately, I don't have any close up pictures of either of them before they went under, because I didn't want to stress them out more by handling them. As as afterthought, I probably should have taken close ups, but oh well.

So either way, I'll err on the side of caution for now, just in case.

The first thing I gave them when I first got them was a dish of dechlorinated plain and salt water dishes.
I have been doing a lot of reading, and I'm just so excited now that Kali's molted! I still know I bit of more than I can chew for a beginner crabber, but thinking back on it, at least I'm giving them better than what could have been their fate...
The booth was selling the "package" $45CAD for 1 crab, SMALL plastic tank(prob not even 1L) thing which has slipped my mind what they're called, 1 cm of sand, plastic palm tree and water dish. And then get discount on 2nd crab.

Thank goodness I found my way here...

heh, thinking about this some more, I think Kali went and poked and prodded Loki to surface with her. Since she started digging down to go find him.