Depressed or molting?

[mool]

I would get it to sand castle consistency in a bucket and then start adding it without disturbing him overmuch.

[singer86]

Ok will do! Thanks so much everyone for all the help u have been giving me!

[singer86]

So I was super excited to hopefully introduce crabbies this weekend, and of course, the new crab has to decide to bury himself. This morning he was nowhere in his tank, and it looks like there is spots he was digging around. Gonna make a wild guess that he is molting. Darn it!

[mool]

He could be molting or just de-stressing. Either way, it's a good thing!

[singer86]

Well I just got home, and when I peeked in to check the temperature in the buried guy's tank, he was up over by his food. So do you think he molted, or was just de-stressing? If he was just de-stressing do you think I am fine to introduce him and the other hermit crab and put them in the same tank?

[mool]

That quick, he was probably just digging. I would say its fine to add the newbies.

[singer86]

Well this morning yet again he was gone and there is this little mound over by the wall of his heating pad. It was a little cold in his tank this morning cause the heating pad was not sticking right, so I am not sure if he just buried himself again to get warm... He is not going to make this easy on me lol

[singer86]

UPDATE:
The little guy who surface molted is doing great and is very active and colorful again! The other crab has dug down in my big 20gal tank and I am suspecting he is molting since he hasn't come back up in a while. I really want to move the other guy into the 20gal because the little tank he is in now is does not keep in heat or humidity well and I REALLY want to get him out of there, but I don't want him to dig up the other guy. Should I just stick it out and wait till the guy in the 20gal comes up, or can I move the guy in the little tank in now?

[marandashermies]

UPDATE:
The little guy who surface molted is doing great and is very active and colorful again! The other crab has dug down in my big 20gal tank and I am suspecting he is molting since he hasn't come back up in a while. I really want to move the other guy into the 20gal because the little tank he is in now is does not keep in heat or humidity well and I REALLY want to get him out of there, but I don't want him to dig up the other guy. Should I just stick it out and wait till the guy in the 20gal comes up, or can I move the guy in the little tank in now?

I don't see why you couldn't move your other guy to the 20g. If the current crab is molting, it is still fine to add additional crabs to that tank. As long as there is enough room in the tank and they are being feed properly, they shouldn't mess with your molting crab. Crabs love to dig, so its a possibility he isn't molting in the 20g (even though it would be great if he was) Most of my crabs dig down or hide during the day to sleep and then emerge late at night, full of sand and ready to eat and climb! But IMO it is totally fine to add the crab in the 20g, especially if the conditions are more consistent in there. Good luck!

[singer86]

Ok awesome! Thank you so much! My substrate could probably be a tad deeper (which I am assuming adding more may add that last bit of protection for the buried guy) So do you think it would be ok to gently add a bit more on the top? or can that collapse the buried guy's tunnels?

[singer86]

And will he be able to dig back up? guessing the answer to that one is yes, but checking any way

[marandashermies]

Ok awesome! Thank you so much! My substrate could probably be a tad deeper (which I am assuming adding more may add that last bit of protection for the buried guy) So do you think it would be ok to gently add a bit more on the top? or can that collapse the buried guy's tunnels?

yes you can gently add additional substrate, handful at a time.

[singer86]

Ok thanks!