How much of their bodies are shed when molting?

[Calico]

Ok, I know that was poorly-worded and probably a dumb question anyway, but I don't really know how to put it Which "pieces" are shed when they molt? I know they do shed legs/pinches and I don't think they shed their gross little alien abdomens, but what about everything in between? Antennae, the exo on their heads, etc?

I ask because I have one crab down who I'm unsure about. He dug down right against the glass, so he's pretty easily visible. He just sat there for a couple of days, but yesterday morning he was limp and dead-looking. I would just attribute it to molting, but if he was molting, I don't know if I'd see as much of him as I do. I can see his legs, head, and antennae. Can't see his abdomen because of how he's positioned, and I don't want to shine light on him or mess with him at all in case he is molting. I don't see any "extra" legs (exo) but the legs I do see are pretty pale closer to his body. (Normal color at the ends though.) He's in the exact same spot this morning as he was yesterday morning. No death smell, but he is about 4 inches down, and a previous crab died while under and I never smelled anything. Are there any easy signs to look for, or parts that a dead crab would have that an exoskeleton wouldn't?

[CrabbyIrene]

They will shed legs, claws, head, antennae. Basically all the hard parts. Here's a pic of a crab shedding his exo. Does it look close to what you're seeing??

[NeviNuNu]

Awesome pic Irene!!!

[Calico]

That's a great picture, thank you! I can't see into my crab's shell like you can in your picture, but all the parts I can see on my crab are clearly exo in your picture...so basically, it looks like there's nothing that I can see on my crab that they don't shed. That's a relief. And I've just checked again (their tank is on a shelf with wire bars, so I can look underneath without disturbing the tank) and his BP and at least one leg are no longer connected to the main body...so either he's dead and falling apart, or, hopefully, it's just exo being dismantled. I can also hear some very faint noises, but I do have another crab down there somewhere, so I'm not sure if the noises are coming from my possible molter, or from my other crab shifting sand around somewhere.

I feel dumb having to post such a basic question as my first topic here I've had this crab for 5 years, but the only molt I've actually seen was on one of my very first crabs who surface molted, and I only remember seeing legs and pinchers, so seeing the head and antennae on this guy worried me. Hopefully all is well.

[CrabbyIrene]

It sounds like it's just his exo. The exo is a lot paler after they shed it too. The crab in my pic had pretty good color on her before she molted and the exo in the pic is pretty light. Chances are he molted, he will start to move around in his little cave in the next few days so you will see him in different positions which is always a relief because you know that they're alive

[CrabbyIrene]

Awesome pic Irene!!!

Thanks! My hands were shaking when I was taking the pics! I have minute by minute shots of the whole unexpected surface molt, little stinker almost gave me a heart attack that night!

[Calico]

Chances are he molted, he will start to move around in his little cave in the next few days so you will see him in different positions which is always a relief because you know that they're alive

This is exactly what seems to be happening, lol. His shell and the legs I can see have changed position a little, and at one point I did see an antennae wiggle. So unless my other medium-sized PP ninja'd in there and is impersonating him....he's just molted and scared me for nothing Thanks for the reassurance Hopefully he'll be back up soon!

[NeviNuNu]

I bet! It's so hard to be still when you catch your crabs doing something amazing and don't want to interfere. Really tho great pics def a must for explaining what molting looks like!!!

[teamtahoe]

CrabbyIrene: Wow, that pic makes molting look easy!

[Jemnem6]

Yeah exactly, but I can't see anything behind it in the back of it's shell.

Here's what mine looks like, kinda a bad picture because I didn't want to move her.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us