molting plus moving

SaPen · Post by **SaPen** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 1:31 pm

I'm planning on buying a new hermit tank very soon because with all the large shells lying around there isn't a lot of room for you know, walking, especially for the poor little guys who have to climb over them.

Anyways, right now three crabs are below ground. Unfortunately because I go to college I am not home enough to know if these ones just like to go underground a lot or when the last time they molted was. So when I get the new tank I was just wondering what you think I should do? Try and wait until all three are up? Or should I try gently digging down to find them? What would I do if I found one that was molting? If I could transfer the ones who were up over to the new tank then it wouldn't be a problem but that would mean the new tank would have to be set up on the ground and because it will be larger than the one I have now I'm not sure I'd ever be able to get it up on he dresser once they were all in it unless I take all the substrate out again. And I don't think it would be safe to move the old one onto the ground while crabs are underground. So I'm just in a bit of a dilemma, I don't know if all six will ever be up at the same time. How you people with teens and up do it is beyond me!

TheCrabbyTabby · Post by **TheCrabbyTabby** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 2:03 pm

Take whatever crabs are up and put them in the new tank and keep doing so until you have all the crabs in the new tank.

SaPen · Post by **SaPen** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 4:57 pm

Is it safe to move their current tank while there are buried crabs or will that collapse their tunnels?

tigermoon89 · Post by **tigermoon89** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 6:07 pm

As long as you are gentle it will be fine. I've done so quite a few times. Just remember to take out water dishes so you don't end up flooding the molters.

Big MaC · Post by **Big MaC** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 9:24 pm

In the past when swtiching over tanks I have done it in very small layers just take the side of your hand gently scoop out your substrate into a cup

HC!!!

SaPen · Post by **SaPen** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:25 pm

I assume I can't take the heat lamp away from the molters right?