Molting in EE Only

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RAHermits
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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by RAHermits » Tue Aug 27, 2019 3:07 pm

Is there an issue with warming the substrate as well as the air? I've got an UTH coming, but I just realized that it's going to cover the entire back of my tank, substrate and all, as it's an 11x17. Should I not use it and try for a 6" tall one?

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gunstreet.girl
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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by gunstreet.girl » Tue Aug 27, 2019 4:43 pm

RAHermits wrote:
Tue Aug 27, 2019 3:07 pm
Is there an issue with warming the substrate as well as the air? I've got an UTH coming, but I just realized that it's going to cover the entire back of my tank, substrate and all, as it's an 11x17. Should I not use it and try for a 6" tall one?
I wouldn’t recommend covering the entire back of the tank - firstly, it will dry out the substrate really quickly and cause humidity issues. At first it’ll be great, increasing the humidity as it evaporates out of the sub, but then you’ll have a hard time keeping the sub consistently moist. Secondly, it could heat the sub to a dangerous degree. I generally don’t let the sub pile up more than an inch or two over the bottom of the UTH that’s on the back of the bottom level of my crabitat (the UTH on my topper is obviously another story as there’s no sub, so it covers the full size of the topper.. our winters get very cold).


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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by RAHermits » Tue Aug 27, 2019 4:58 pm

That's a good point, I just ordered another skinnier one as am having it rush shipped to me.

And it looks like I spoke too soon, little crab is buried again 😞. I should've moved him over before work. What are the odds that he's just buried himself again and I could simply dig for him? If he has actually started molting, which I doubt, would that happen so quickly once they're down?

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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by gunstreet.girl » Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:32 pm

RAHermits wrote:
Tue Aug 27, 2019 4:58 pm
And it looks like I spoke too soon, little crab is buried again 😞. I should've moved him over before work. What are the odds that he's just buried himself again and I could simply dig for him? If he has actually started molting, which I doubt, would that happen so quickly once they're down?
I wouldn’t personally risk it, although it’s likely that if he just came up and went back down he’s just finding his comfy place, settling in. Do you have any hides in the tank? If not, he may be feeling exposed. You could always try putting in a hide or two and some really tempting food right near one of the hides (raw honey, popcorn, stinky fish/shellfish) and see if he takes the bait and then discovers the hide as a cozy place rather than underground. I’ve successfully “trapped” nervous new crabs that way when I needed to get them in/out of ISO or give them a once-over inspection.


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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by RAHermits » Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:38 pm

gunstreet.girl wrote:
Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:32 pm
I wouldn’t personally risk it, although it’s likely that if he just came up and went back down he’s just finding his comfy place, settling in. Do you have any hides in the tank? If not, he may be feeling exposed. You could always try putting in a hide or two and some really tempting food right near one of the hides (raw honey, popcorn, stinky fish/shellfish) and see if he takes the bait and then discovers the hide as a cozy place rather than underground. I’ve successfully “trapped” nervous new crabs that way when I needed to get them in/out of ISO or give them a once-over inspection.
I actually moved the hides to the other tank for the other guys, so I'll have to get him something.

I'm having a heck of a time getting anyone to eat, but I'll keep trying different foods. Might have to see how I can feed them eggs tonight...


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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by RAHermits » Thu Aug 29, 2019 10:17 pm

Moving them was a bad idea. The tank didn't keep humidity, hardly at all, and I ended up losing one. Picked him up and he just fell out of his shell, mostly. Limbs came off.

For the time being everyone is back in the old tank with 70% humidity. Ideal? No, but I'm going to work on a big tote this weekend.


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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by Kydra » Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:35 pm

Just jumping in on your last post, haven't completely followed the whole thread quite yet, but you are sure the one is dead? Not exo that you saw or surface molt type deal?

From everything I've read it's pretty easy to think a crab is dead when not, but going to read through everything now; didn't want you to just trash the crab if possible still may be alive.

Edit: I have a crab down in 3" EE from a temp tank for over two weeks now. Saw some possible 'bugs' as I can see if I lift gently; has an air cave at the bottom around the center of the tank. We'll see how it goes especially being his first molt. Just leaving him alone for now without peaking. He's by himself so not worried about other crabs with such shallow substrate.

I read some posts from a while back debating that all EE could be bad for molting as it could degrade the buried crab over time while others said they've had multiple successes with molting in all EE. I have a 10 gallon now which I'll upgrade in a few months, but it's about 3:1 playsand and EE. The humidity is reading 90% right now. Just 6" substrate moist with dechlor saltwater. I have the mesh lid covered with seran wrap and the UTH on the side. Actually been waiting for the humidity to drop into the 80's.

Thought I'd share as I'm still maintaining both 'tanks' at correct temp and humidity until something happens one way or another and am also using all EE for the molter. Not sure why you are having so much difficulty with the humidity, but I added too much EE so it's definitely not 5:1 playsand:EE which could be the difference there. Hope some of this helps.
Last edited by Kydra on Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by wodesorel » Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:42 pm

RAHermits wrote:
Tue Aug 27, 2019 3:07 pm
Is there an issue with warming the substrate as well as the air? I've got an UTH coming, but I just realized that it's going to cover the entire back of my tank, substrate and all, as it's an 11x17. Should I not use it and try for a 6" tall one?
There shouldn't be an issue, and if you have a chilly room in winter you may need the extra heat. I've been heating the entire back of my tanks for years, substrate and all, since we get into the 50s in the middle of winter.
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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by curlysister » Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:46 pm

Hehehe, you guys are so cute, talking about 50s being cold.

RA, what do you have for a lid on your new tank? What was the humidity reading?
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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by RAHermits » Fri Aug 30, 2019 5:30 am

Thanks for the comments everyone!

I've got a good feeling this guy is gone. There were zero signs of life from him at all. I've placed a tupperware container over him with holes poked in it laid a cloth over it to darken it, in case it is a surface molt.

I don't yet have a hygrometer in this tank, but I can just tell humidity levels are low. There's no condensation buildup at all.

Looks like I'll need to head to Ocean City and find another one to rescue :(

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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by gunstreet.girl » Fri Aug 30, 2019 11:20 am

curlysister wrote:
Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:46 pm
Hehehe, you guys are so cute, talking about 50s being cold.
This. Makes me chortle every time..

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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by gunstreet.girl » Fri Aug 30, 2019 11:30 am

RAHermits wrote:
Fri Aug 30, 2019 5:30 am
I've got a good feeling this guy is gone. There were zero signs of life from him at all.
I’m sorry to hear it.

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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by curlysister » Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:21 pm

You will need to get a hygrometer ASAP. Do you have a thermometer? The digital thermometer/ hygrometer combos are generally more accurate than analog.

I lived in the Northwest Territories for a while, as well as the Yukon - I have gone for a walk at -40C because it felt so much warmer than the -50C weather we had been having! LOL!
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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by RAHermits » Fri Aug 30, 2019 1:04 pm

curlysister wrote:
Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:21 pm
You will need to get a hygrometer ASAP. Do you have a thermometer? The digital thermometer/ hygrometer combos are generally more accurate than analog.

I lived in the Northwest Territories for a while, as well as the Yukon - I have gone for a walk at -40C because it felt so much warmer than the -50C weather we had been having! LOL!
I've got one in the old (but current) setup. Everyone's in that tank now, the one this thread is about. It's EE only, but it's much more humid than the other one. I'm going to get a large tote this weekend, cut a hole in the top for plexiglass, and get it going. My Ultratherm UTH arrived yesterday as well.

Hoping I get the mixture a little more accurate with the tote. I'll probably need to add more EE so it keeps the moisture a little better.

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Re: Molting in EE Only

Post by gunstreet.girl » Sun Sep 08, 2019 9:35 am

curlysister wrote:
Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:21 pm
I lived in the Northwest Territories for a while, as well as the Yukon - I have gone for a walk at -40C because it felt so much warmer than the -50C weather we had been having! LOL!
I hear you. I’ve not personally lived in the far north (though i’ve always wanted to visit), but my sister-in-law lived in Nunavut for about a decade and I remember her always being thrilled to come down south to visit us in February when it was a balmy -40 in Western Québec 🙂

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