Another Molter Up, but...

[unicorn_malice]

Last night Sesshomaru came up from under the sand and ate! I'm pretty sure he had been molting because I had seen no sign of him since March. Still no sign of my third crab, Mr. Tadakichi. Jadis is up and has stayed on the surface since he came up from the molt. Not Sesshomaru. When I got up this morning, he was back under the substrate. This is pretty much how he was before he molted, too. Mr. Tadakichi is even more scarce. My concern is Jadis is not getting the "company" he needs as a social creature, because the two other crabs are ALWAYS under the sand! (It's kind of depressing for me, too). I COULD get another hermit crab and hope this is one who likes to stay above ground, but with my luck it would just be another crab who likes to be under the substrate all the time. What should I do? I don't want Jadis to be lonely, and I'm also worried that I haven't seen Mr. Tadakichi, my smallest crab, since March.

[kip.rogers357]

Sesshomaru might just be recovering or simply digging. With having three other crabs in the tank (buried or not) I'm sure that Jadis is aware that he's not alone, more so if he and Sesshomaru interacted during the time he came up.
I wouldn't worry about Mr. Tadakichi, crabs know what they're doing. I'd start to worry if the strong fishy smell or his empty shell appear.
I wouldn't purchase a new crab to keep Jadis company, depending on pet store conditions (which usually aren't the best) the new crab will most likely end up digging down to destress/molt. The best thing to do is wait it out, depending on the size of your crabs it could be months before they come up! As long as you provide them with ideal conditions, they'll be fine!

[unicorn_malice]

Okay, thank you for responding, crab master! I am keeping conditions in the tank at around 80% humidity, 80 degrees F, so hopefully they are all comfortable. These guys require so much reassurance from this community! Since I purchased the two new guys, I have only seen them all together in the moss pit one time. I do hope I see Mr. Tadakichi again someday.

[kuza]

what kind of substrate do you use?

[unicorn_malice]

Roughly 70% sand and 30% eco earth, all mixed together. The sand is play sand from Toys R' Us. I have been terrified to spray it very often because of the time I accidentally created too much ground water and a molting hermie drowned. It is sand castle consistency, though.

[kuza]

My 2 PP have only both been on the surface at the same time for 2 days over 3 months because of them taking turns to molt. And only 3 E's have been up together at any given time. It's normal.