HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I have a crab that just molted (lets call him Cheetah because I can't keep track of my sons names so I gave them my own). The whole time he molted Spike was at the top of the tank. When Cheetah finally emerged (from what I could tell) Spike left him alone. Well then Spike started digging and has been under for 2 days now but so has Cheetah. There was a window where i could see Spike but now I can't.

I have another molter in an ISO tank. Honestly I don't trust Cheetah because he isn't very social with us so I haven't bonded with him but his is also sneaky LOL. Would you dig or just wait and see? if Spike is molting would I kill him if I discovered him?

Thanks
Jana

I personally would leave them be. Has Spike ever attacked anyone before? Sometimes ya just don't know something until it happens.
Just wondering why you have one in ISO?

Spike hasn't. I am afraid Cheetah would attack Spike. He has just been very stand offish and RUNS every chance he gets. LOL mostly I just don't know him well so haven't been able to establish a great relationship with him. Spike is one of our original crabs and is such a sweet heart I am just a bit protective

We have one in ISO because we brought 2 new ones home from Petsmart. One attempted a surface molt almost immediately and didn't make it The first two nights the other one soaked in the salt bath, drank the water, ate the food and dug. Haven't seen him since. I found a little window to his molting cave and at first thought he was out of his shell but then could see that he was in his shell and a light pink with a lavender pincher. What I was seeing was his exoskeleton. He has been consuming it fairly quickly but has not surfaced and isn't ready to go in the tank.

I just realized I have a 10gallon fish tank we could setup as an emergency ISO or just get Cheetah out our something LOL. But then I haven't seen either of them so I have no clue where they are or what they are doing. Honestly it is driving me a bit nutty! LOL

I honestly wouldn't bother them, but try to keep an eye on both.

I totally understand your concern, but sometimes ya just gotta let nature do it's thing. Hold tight & just watch & listen. We're always here for ya to support ya. :grouphug:

That is so hard! I can see spike but can't tell if all is ok. Cheetah (who has now been renamed Rogue) is gone like the night! Hopefully he isn't up to mischief!

They can be quite the little buggers for making us worry. If you can see Spike & that Rogue isn't near him, then that should reassure you that all is well. Hang tough. :grouphug:

http://www.hermitcrabpatch.com/Hermit-C ... -a/138.htm

This is the best article about molting I've read and I wholeheartedly agree!