When I flipped him over he came right out...he had 1 leg and big pincher on the same side and that was it. His antennae were flailing around and he was scooting in circles because, well, he only had left side limbs. His one leg was deformed with a piece of partially shed exo stuck to the end of it, making him look all around pretty gruesome. So...I called up my vet and told her I had a very sick crab that would be in a separate (iso) tank and told them not to mess with him, and that he would probably die.
When I returned from my vacation 10 days later the vet had decided to feed the crab....and he was completely covered in green fuzzy mold. I thought welp maybe he passed in peace and picked him up. I nearly got NAILED when his big pincher came out after me, he was alive and FIESTY!! I took him home, cleaned him up, and removed a crab poop
against all odds he is eating!That was over a month ago now...and the crab is still alive and kicking. He likes to sleep on his back because everytime I check on him I flip him over and when I check on him again there he is on his back. I can't believe his will to survive. He still has that nasty deformed leg (the funky piece has not broken off). My plan is to keep him in his iso (I have the tank inside of a closed box for darkness since he cannot bury) until he has remolted. I know if he eventually survives he will be SO tiny. I assume he is growing gel sacs (he wont come out far enough for me to see, he just waves his pincher around and sticks out an antenna to sniff the predator).
So now you know how hardy these little guys can be! If you all are interested I will keep you updated on his progress.
As in my latest post. I basically had to molt the crab myself.