how do i tell if my crab is ready to molt but hasn’t started

[karishane]

so i just bought my crab from a store because my pervious one had passed after 8 years and i noticed it seemed like he wanted to molt and has changed shells about 4 times so can someone let me know what’s happening

[Xenocrab]

Your guess is as good as mine! I look for 1. Did he eat a lot? They eat a lot before going down because they need all the energy they can get. 2. Did he drink a lot?
But, with crabs doing what they want, they don't always do that! Some of mine eat a lot before they go down, others don't eat at all.
Just watch and observe!

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[crabby33]

Since you said you have a new crab, it is quite normal for them to de-stress and molt. It is unknown when it’s last molt was in the wild when it was captured. So as soon as hermit crabs find themselves in suitable conditions in the tanks we’re providing them, they are going to want to dig down and molt. It is highly recommended to leave them alone during this and never dig it up.

Some of the telltale signs of molting I have seen include:

* activity decline
* frequent shell changes
* “pigging out” at the food dish
* spending more time than usual around the water pools
* cloudy eyes
* faded exo skeleton
* digging “test” holes



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[RiNiKy506]

He’s just trying on shells bc he hasn’t been able to for who knows how long. Some like to change a lot and others don’t. Changing shells could be a sign of molt but he’s fine, he’s just doing what crabbies do.

[curlysister]

Personally, I don't keep track of what kinds of behavior might be leading up to a molt. Crabs don't need to be isolated or treated any differently for their molts. Be sure that you have enough substrate, and that all your conditions, including waters and food, are proper.

[JoeHermits]

He’s just trying on shells bc he hasn’t been able to for who knows how long. Some like to change a lot and others don’t. Changing shells could be a sign of molt but he’s fine, he’s just doing what crabbies do.

Agreed, he’s just checking out his options.

I tried predicting molts for a time, but after a few years I got lazy and stopped bothering. Now it’s just “oh, look, my crabs are gone again” every now and then and they’ve all been doing well.


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[crabby33]

The last time my crabs molted was January and December. So I don’t know when they’re going to molt again.


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[Xenocrab]

Crabbies gonna do what crabbies gonna do! And they won't let us know! They are the ultimate wild unknown, and here we are trying to do our best to keep them happy! Crabbers are a breed of our own! We love them and they don't care about us! We enjoy keeping them happy and healthy and they don't care!

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