Found Jasper naked!!
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:13 pm
He had been molting in a corner of the tank, under the substrate, and I guess Beatrix smelled him out. She had been digging in that area the day before and I just figured she had found a piece of food or something. Turns out that Jasper was there, and the next morning I found him naked! He was still partly buried next to his empty shell. After a moment of panic, I managed to gently scoop him up and put him in iso with fresh water, salt water, lots of damp moss, and several kinds of tempting food. I then placed him in a shallow dish with his empty shell and left him there for about half an hour. When I came back, he was in the shell and hunkered down in the moss! I felt much better then. His color was a nice, dark purpley-red, no body parts were missing, and he was very active and alert, so I don't know why he was streaking. Maybe Beatrix pestered him until he got out of his shell. He seems to be okay now, but I'm leaving him in iso for awhile with his favorite foods.
I gave Beatrix some fresh fish in case she needs extra protein, but now she is burrowing for a molt! Little jerk! And yes, they do have lots of extra shells, and Jasper is more than twice her size, so she couldn't use his shell, anyway. She must have been intrigued by his molting smell and went after him. Shall have to give them more protein foods, to reduce the chance of that happening again.
I gave Beatrix some fresh fish in case she needs extra protein, but now she is burrowing for a molt! Little jerk! And yes, they do have lots of extra shells, and Jasper is more than twice her size, so she couldn't use his shell, anyway. She must have been intrigued by his molting smell and went after him. Shall have to give them more protein foods, to reduce the chance of that happening again.