Molting crab being disturbed

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:27 pm

Okay, my golf ball sized Stawberry went down to molt before I could isolate her. Last night after work I found a similarly sized PP trying to dig her up. I moved the PP and smoothed the Forrest Bedding back over the Strawberry. What to do? She buried herself in a central spot in a 40 gallon breeder tank. I've thought of putting up some kind of barrier but not sure what since she's in the middle of the tank. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:37 pm

Use a plastic two-liter soda bottle. Cut the bottom off the bottle. Remove the label. Remove the cap. Make sure you have her location absolute, and then slide the bottle into the bedding until you hit the bottom of the tank. She now has her own round enclosure.

Hope that helps,
Candi

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:42 pm

Great! Thank you so much. I had something like that in mind but wasnt sure what to use for the enclosure. I'll do it as soon as I get home.

I've only had small crabs molt before. I've read that a larger one can take a month or more. Is that about right?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:53 pm

Or even longer, I have read.

I am 20 days into my first most and already chomping at the bit. Speedy, a large PP, left me a window (THANK GOODNESS) and I swear, he is just chilling in there and laughing at the crazy lady who keeps peeking at him. I hear scratching/wiggling. He has not shed his exo yet.

I am dying here! And I am probably not even half way through.

Candi

MushroomKitty · Post by **MushroomKitty** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:13 am

It depends on what you mean by 'larger'. Have you used the hermit crab size chart to figure out it's size?

My small crab took nearly two entire months to molt before she came back up. If you have a medium or a large you could be looking at even longer. And yeah, they do tend to wriggle around for a while before they finally dicide to molt. Just be glad you have a peep hole. When my little boy went down he made one for the first day to let me know where he was, and then covered it back up untill the day before he dicided he was finished. XD A whole 50-something days later!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:28 am

No, I'm not sure of the exact size. My large Straw is in a shell with a 2" opening. The molting one is a bit smaller than that - maybe a 1-1/4 opening? I can't measure since she's underground. Is there somewhere on this site or a link where I can go to determine that?

Thanks!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 4:26 pm

I would like to report that Nancy came up yesterday from her month-long molt. Woo hoo!!! [smilie=banana.gif] She's a little pale, of course, but headed straight for the salt water and dish of sweet potatoes and raisins. It was a long month but all turned out well. (I measured her shell opening by the way: 1-1/2") Thanks to all for your advice and suggestions.

~Darci

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:02 pm

Not too fuzzy but pointy for sure. She's still keeping to herself pretty much but I saw her last night munching out on fresh oranges and grapes. She's darkening nicely and those black eyes are shiny again. She's a little more shy since she came up but I'm trying to handle her a bit every night to get her used to mommy again.

~Darci