Surface molt. Need help...

jrosler04 · Post by **jrosler04** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 6:45 pm

On of the smaller crabs I brought home yesterday was very still once he got home.
I had appointments to have my foster dogs spayed & neutered today, and have been gone a good part of the day. (11 hrs)

I got home & the Exo is beside his shell. And I think he's still in there.
I know the others may kill him, so what should I do? I read something about a 2 liter bottle in half.. An doing an in tat iso..Do I need thermometer & stuff for under that?
Do I leave him alone? I was shocked to see him molt so quickly... I hope he was strong enough coming from petstore to survive..

Thanks in advance...

Kathy Freer · Post by **Kathy Freer** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 7:14 pm

Put a cocohut over him and then the top half of a 2litre bottle pushed down into the substrate so the other crabs can't get to him.put his exo in with him and a small container with water in with him then leave him alone till he eats his exo and comes out of the hut.I hope he makes it.
Kathy p.s. don't forget to take the cap off the bottle so he gets air.

jrosler04 · Post by **jrosler04** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 7:22 pm

Thanks so much! I appreciate the help!

Should it be fresh or saltwater?
I will do that & hope he pulls thru. He chose to molt directly under the bulb... (it's a red reptile bulb)

I hope he does too. I guessed that he was molting this morning, because he was very pale & white looking...

I don't have a coconut, but I have little hideys that I can use. The Exo is directly beside his shell...

I'll use the little clam shells for h2o...

Kathy Freer · Post by **Kathy Freer** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 7:45 pm

I would give him fresh water.Any kind of a hide will do just to help him feel secure.
Kathy

jrosler04 · Post by **jrosler04** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 8:59 pm

Thanks. I decided to go ahead & just put a little shell of fresh water under there. I used a little plastic storage container that has mesh sides, but is solid color (not opaque) and as soon as I set the water in & covered him, I can see his legs & claws coming out of the shell. His shell appears to be facing opening up, but he is alive & moving around. I guess that's good, means they didn't eat him...

jrosler04 · Post by **jrosler04** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:24 pm

Wanted to add, just peeked in to see him happily munching away on the Exo.

hopefully this means he has a good chance of surviving?
He must have been very happy with the warm humid tank, as he was in a very warm, but very dry tank before...
How do I know when he is ready to be released from iso?

Kathy Freer · Post by **Kathy Freer** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 9:21 am

Once he has eaten his exo and is running around you can let him be with the others ,try to make sure the others have good protein and minerals while he is in his little iso. you can also give him a quick bath in room temp. fresh water before he is loose with the others.I would rather leave him alone too long than put him back too early.
Kathy

jrosler04 · Post by **jrosler04** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:41 am

Ok. Thanks.

I have a variety of stuff out for the other crabs, being that they are all new, I can only locate 1 other (above ground) I can see where 2 or 3 of the others tunneled down (1 under driftwood, & 1 under a hidey)

jrosler04 · Post by **jrosler04** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 11:05 pm

Just a quick update:

I got home tonight to find this little one had finished the EXO, and was running around like crazy, I saw it drinking from the clam shell in ISO with it, and it was bouncing (literally) off the walls of ISO, so I lifted it up, and it went over & started munching on a piece of chicken breast, & soon moved to peanut butter... There were 7 others out at the time & no one seemed to mess with it. I watched them for over an hour.. they amaze me at how active they are!

So far, I consider this a successful molt, although the one leg looks odd, not sure if it's deformed or if it's just the way it's supposed to be...I will try to get photos..

tigermoon89 · Post by **tigermoon89** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:36 am

Congrats!!!

Kathy Freer · Post by **Kathy Freer** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:32 am

Sounds like he will be OK.If one leg isn't quite right it will probably repair itself on the next molt.Good that you saw he was surface molting and could help him be safe!
Kathy