My crabs have not molted since I got them!

megan_noel · Post by **megan_noel** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 3:45 pm

I got my babies, Booger & Jelly around July 4th 2013, it is days away from Christmas now and they still have not molted. Is that normal or should I be worried?

Geranium · Post by **Geranium** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:34 am

How big are they and how are you sure they have not molted?

megan_noel · Post by **megan_noel** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:22 am

Both of them fit together in one hand. I dont know if they have molted before IGot them or not but I have had them since JulyAnd they still haven't molted.

megan_noel · Post by **megan_noel** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:23 am

I haven't seen them burying themselvesOr coming completelyOut of their shell... That's how they molt right

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 6:20 am

There are many different reasons a crab won't molt. At the top of this forum there is a list of questions you can copy/paste to answer doing that will help determine if something is wrong. I will not be on for the next few days but someone else will help you figure out what if anything needs to be done.

Geranium · Post by **Geranium** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:10 am

The reason I ask is your other post reflects that they have regrown legs which as far as I know only happens in a molt. So, as far as you know they have not buried in the sub even for just a few days? Surface molt is possible but only if you had a day or two without looking at them. That is hard to miss.

megan_noel · Post by **megan_noel** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:34 am

well when they get in their hut together, they hardly ever come out but there was one time a little while ago that they didnt come out for a couple of weeks and they when i finally took them out later that was when i noticed the new growth

megan_noel · Post by **megan_noel** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:35 am

i just thought that when they molted they would change shells... i obviously do not know much about the molting process.

Geranium · Post by **Geranium** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 2:11 pm

Sometimes they change shells when they molt. Sometimes before they go down sometimes after they come back up from the molt. They may have molted in those couple weeks you didn't see them. What they do is shed their exoskeleton and wait for the new one underneath to harden. Some do this quickly, some not, depending on size, breed and the individual nature of the crab.

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 2:41 am

Some crabs won't change shells until they are too big and falling out of the one they have. If they like the one they're in and it still fits then its not that big of a deal they didn't switch shells. However they may not like the other shells you put in try putting a few more different ones in.