Going Under and Never Coming Up...

[rjstani]

Since Jan 8th or 9th my biggest crab has not been back to the surface. Before then he was down for 2 days. I put a shell shop finally out, he came up, switched out his shell into one twice the size of his original painted mall one (which made me happy) and hasn't come back up since then. I only know this because there isn't any new holes or diggings showing he's come back up. I turned off the heater at the bottom BC I was afraid it would be to hot and cook him. I was hearing him scrape around the bottom underground a couple of nights ago but haven't since. Two days ago for the third time since he went down he made a window from the very bottom and I could see him but just like the previous ones, they have all been covered or caved in. Should I attempt to undig him in case he's lost or something? Only reason why is because of this...

My second and smallest crab went underground and he never came back up for almost 20 days. 2 days after he went down the big one seemed to go under close to where he did. I was worried the small one was molting and my big one went down to eat him. By advice of Calli I left them alone. Then night before last in a small area between grapewood, tank, and water dish there was a tiny window and my small crab looked like he was trying to come up, but was too big to fit! Can't begin to tell you how delighted I was BC I thought for sure he was dead. He couldn't get up so I decided to drop some cuttlebone and a mealworm down there out of sympathy. He immediately devoured them. Next morning hole was still there but couldn't see him so I lifted the water dish and he was in a tiny burrow with nontunnels. So I decided to pick him up and put him around the shell shop so he can see he finally had some new shells if he wanted. Since then he has been re-exploring the cage and climbing and hanging the moss pit and has been visiting the food dish a couple of times. Was hoping he'd ditch his painted mall shell but not yet. He seems to be happy exploring, basking in area of heat lamp, and eating topside again alot and hasn't gone back under.

So do you think I should try to do the same for my bigger crab? Or just leave him alone in the cold substrate? I try to not get so excited and leave them alone but its so hard! I've been so elated of my little crab still being alive! I don't know if he could have molted in that small of time or not but he looks healthier. Like I said, as early as 2 days ago I saw the big one at the very bottom in the window he mad sand he seemed fine, just want to make sure he stays happy and alive.

Specs:
-10 gallon tank
-About 50/50 to about 60/40 of sand/ecofiber substrate 6 inches high one half, maybe 4 inches on other
-Fresh and saltwater pools with both ammonia/ dechlorinators and ocean something-or-another brand for saltwater (they never seem to go in saltwater one though)
-Heat dark light and normal tank UV light
- Heater glued to bottom right side of tank (bought tank that way used)
-Been feeding non processed fresh people foods plus recently adding mealworms and cuttlebone

[singlemomwithcrab]

Ok, so priority number one is get that heat pad out from the bottom of the tank. #1, it's a fire hazard. They aren't meant to heat the type of SUB for crabs. It needs to be on one of the sides of the tank, most chose the back side.
#2, it will cook crabs. The sub is supposed to be cooler than the air above.

Two, there is little that you can put in your tank that the crabbies can't find their way around by tunneling. Both crabbies are fine and just love digging. If you only have two in a 10 gallon, they shouldn't go after each other.

Breath deep, know that your bigger crab is ok. Get a second set of hands, and move that heat pad.

Edit - if you can't get the heater off because of the glue, just leave it unplugged and get a new one for one of the sides. Go with the largest that will fit on the back side of the tank. Ignore the sizing for the reptile mats.