Molting or dying possibly?

[CheekyChels]

So my boyfriends crab Fido does not look like he’s doing too well. He got worried about him and dug him up a few days ago against my wishes but there was nothing I could do. The crab was doing well he was very active and had color and he dug in the sub where just the tippy top of his shell was visible so I thought maybe he was just stressed but I looked over a few minutes ago and he was out by the food bowl. He is very pale and is kinda half way out of his shell, just his legs are out. He does have a small part of banana on his leg that it seemed like he was snacking on with his small pincher for a while. His feelers are moving around but my boyfriend is really worried about him and I don’t really know what to say other than he’s either molting or he’s dying and neither of those are really helping and I feel bad. I don’t wanna touch him and stress him out more and my other 2 crabs are hiding (one is under the sub and the other is in his little plant) is there anything I can do?

On a brighter note my smallest crab Hewie who is about the size of a dime had his first successful molt!! I’m so happy for him and I hope he starts moving more cause he’s so adorable.


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[RachelStark27]

You should never, ever dig up a crab unless you are 100% positive it's dead. (Usually by smell and by time) When you dig up a crab it stresses it out. Plus when they are molting they need total darkness, and when you dig them up it messes with the molting hormone that they need and only get from darkness. I know when one is molting it will stress you out because you cant see what's going on and if you can see it from the bottom of the tank it looks dead,, this is because during a molt they become paralyzed for a short time so therefore they aren't moving. My first one was probably more stressful for me than the crab..lol...but give it time. Mine molted for 11 weeks so I just knew he had died, but I just waited and waited and waited and one afternoon boom there he was. I was so excited.so I guess what I am trying to say is it takes alot of patience.

[angelbear]

You should isolate the crab from other crabs. If it is indeed molting it is in danger of being attacked. This could be easily dine with a margrin tub or the top part of a come bottle if you do not have another tank to move them to. You can provide small amounts of food and watwr using caps to drink bottles. All you can do unfortunately is wait.


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[CheekyChels]

My crab that is molting is right below him so unfortunately putting a bottle or tub over him would trap both of them in there and I don’t want to move him.

Also, I know you’re not supposed to dig for them when they’re molting I had no control over that though so I’m just trying to wait it out


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[angelbear]

My crab that is molting is right below him so unfortunately putting a bottle or tub over him would trap both of them in there and I don’t want to move him.

Also, I know you’re not supposed to dig for them when they’re molting I had no control over that though so I’m just trying to wait it out


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Are you sure they are? Most crabs move around once they are under ground and do not often stay when they are submerged where they went down. You could always carefully move them into a small container or another iso tank such as a kritter keeper. Either way not isolating will end up with a dead crab 100 precent of the time. Isolating at least gives them a chance.

Something I just thought of. You said you saw the tip of their shell to know where it was. How deep is your substrate?

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[CheekyChels]

I will try to move him into a container. Should I put some sub in there for him?

My substrate is about 6 inches I only saw his shell cause he didn’t dig very far down that’s why I thought maybe he was just destressing. He is about the size of a quarter so I figured 6 inches would be enough


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[angelbear]

I will try to move him into a container. Should I put some sub in there for him?

My substrate is about 6 inches I only saw his shell cause he didn’t dig very far down that’s why I thought maybe he was just destressing. He is about the size of a quarter so I figured 6 inches would be enough


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Ideally you want to set up your iso like your current crabitat. Substrate heat humidoty food water if your container can fit in your crabitat then heat and humidity you should not have to worry about. Substrate so the crab can burry bacl down if it chooses. Darkness is important if they are molting as well. Although I myself have never delt with a surface molt, I can only offer advice base on what I have read. Maybe consider searching the fourms for more detailed advice.

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