HCA: Hermit Crab Association

As some should know, I'm new here, and have settled my two PPs, Ark and Ender, into their brand new tank / container. Ender was destressing in a hole earlier today.. But, guess what? Now I can't find her! I did hear some scrabbling on the plastic, and there's a good pile of sand near a wet rag ( I use to help humidity ) , and think she's buried herself? I checked on a gel limb ( She had been missing a leg from a petstore incident before I got her ) and it didn't seem to be fully grown in terms of its usual premolt size earlier.. Could it be a molt? Or just more destressing underneath the rag? I have their light off, it's pretty dark near them, and they were both wandering around earlier, so its a bit odd that she's already going underground, as their light hasn't been off not that long.
I just want to know in case I might need to be extra careful with Ark so he doesn't bug her. He's a bit of a Teddy Bear to her from past behaviors while I've had them ( No more than a week ) , but can't be too careful, mostly when she needs to regenerate a new skin and leg.
In other news - Ark, I think, has finally decided on a shell after hours of shell shopping and switching. I'm surprised he didn't stick with the golden mouth, considering how much time he spent in it and how much he seemed to like it more than the others.

Hello!

I would recommend to just give it some time. It's most likely de-stressing or digging for fun. But, If you see that Ender doesn't come back up within 48 hours, I'd considerate it a molt. Have you noticed Ender eating more lately or more time in the water bowls? If yes, then it is most likely a molt!

Happy Crabbing,
Richard

If you've only had them for week, I'd give them some time. Some crabs are almost rarely seen topside; they just like to dig and be underground, popping back up to eat and drink some water. The best advice I can give you is to change their food and water regularly and leave them alone for now. If their conditions are correct and they have everything they need, it's best not to handle them or stress them out any more than absolutely necessary. If you see a cave "window" cover it with some dark paper or cardboard and tape so that light doesn't get in. Back to back molts aren't uncommon if a crab is injured and they are trying to repair it. Just make sure they have some great protein sources, calcium and energy boosting food like raw honey.

Alright, I just was curious since she wasn't much of a digger earlier today when she was active. It's hard for her to get around, after all. She sidewalks half the time, and she was shaky before the new tank, but she's doing a lot better. I haven't really been watching them at night, so I can't be sure about the eating and drinking, really. Ark certinaly is doing okay.. He knocked over the food and got sand in it and is moving the shells around like crazy..
And I was planning on taping a dark rag over a window if I ever see one, so it's dark, but I can still check in. I'll keep a watch for her to see if she comes up though c: Thank you for the help~
Also, I was just given them pelletes, but now they have a ton of random foods, fruit, vegies, eggshell-small-chunks, bloodworms ( Freezedried ) , boiled egg, and some meats.

If they make a cave it's best to leave them alone and keep it covered. We lost a crab due to PPS (1st molt with us) and I honestly believe that us letting light in every couple of days was disruptive to his molting process. When they are underground no light can get to them (obviously) and the hormones involved in the molting process are able to work the way they are supposed to. This is why we treat surface molts as an emergent situation because they aren't natural and are very stressful to the crabs.

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She ended up digging around, and the tunnel fell in on top of her ( She had made a window ) . I think she is just kinda playing in the sand! Ark is too busy randomly looking shells to really dig at the moment.. But she was running around again after I helped her out of the tunnel so she wouldn't suffacate and such. If she does make another hole somewhere in the corner, I'll just put the coconut back on top of her to let her get some peace. We need to add more sand to the tank, actually, make it a little deeper and all.. Hopefully she doesn't decide to molt yet until then so she'll be okay.

Erm, I think Ark got himself stuck in a shell? Though I've seen him eating a ton ( I actually caught him in action while he was dumping the food bowls over ) , he hasn't been moving much.. Is he going to be my first molter? I'm thinking he did get himself stuck in a too small shell though, since he can't go all the way inside of it. The race is on to see who's the first, and I just hope that both survive it. Ender has been running around at night and night only ( AKA, whenever I turn their light off ) , can't check on the progress of her gel limb since I don't want to scare her too much. She's also been a little slower than shje was the first day I put her in there. Maybe both will go down around the same times.. That.. will be very boring on my end since I won't be allowed to check on them unless they make a window..

Sometimes they put on smaller shells before a molt, then put larger ones on after.

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I went ahead and made a thread on Ark.. He's been acting a bit odd.. He tried to streak.. About to show his bum from trying to get out of his current shell ( He switched AGAIN, this time I think it's heavier, but more roomy ) before I shooed him back inside. Since I've threatened him with a dunk if he wouldn't 'behave and stay in his shell unless he's switching again', he hasn't been a problem with it again xD

Wow. He listened. Shocking! Mine laugh at me.

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..I cleaned out their poop earlier in the day, and I was seeing Ark knocking over the food bowl ( I have two, one with more protien than the other, she was getting the more protien filled one ) , so I moved him to tilt it over so it would be easier to reach.. And there was a turd there.. Right after I already spot cleaned the poop for the day.. Nasty little things, but at least they're both seemingly well. Ark is being a piggy, and Ender is drinking water and running around at night.

Mine poops in the food bowls and so far, almost nowhere else. :roll: Gross, but I suppose it makes for easy cleaning?

Ark has mostly just been hovering over the food bowls lately, and has just been pooping around them.. At least it isn't in them, I suppose, still nasty xD

Ah.. Ender went down.. I haven't seen her all day yesterday, or most of the day before. Normally with destressing, she's everywhere in the tank. She was actually climbing about on the fake plants from the shellshop last time we saw her. What a little spunky girl, eh? Last I checked, her gel limb was fairly long, if I looked at it properly.. So if it's a molt, I hope everything goes okay! Ark is still up and stuffing his face / pooping everywhere around the food bowls, but he's been venturing away from them lately.. Maybe he's thinking of a spot for himself? I hope so, since all his signs are pointing to a molt and me and my cousins haven't seen him digging around not once ( Lethargic, eating a ton ( From the protien filled food bowl mostly ) , just kinda staring into space at times )

Updates -
Ender has been down for a few days now, I think it's safe to say that she might be going into a molt!
Ark has been climbing up a cup with netting I put in the tank, and has been promptly pooping on it, and because it's inside the sand, I'm worried I'll disturb Ender if I take it out to clean it ( It's underneath the netting, so the only way to clean it is to remove the cup, remove the netting, and clean it that way ) . He's still been eating a ton, but has been slowing down in it, but that also means he's been speeding up with his movements. Now he's going back to randomly trying to climb the tank, or pushing the small shells out of the shell shop basket. He's been by the water more than usual, but aside from that, hasn't shown any other signs of premolt. Hopefully he'll go down soon, but either way, he's stuffed with protien from the foods I've been feeding them so I don't think I havew to worry about attacks.