New Crab mom with buried crab - should I wait to add substrate/tank transfer?

[CrabmomMA]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this board and a new crab mom (3 days!). My daughter and her friends brought home a little guy from the beach. One of the girl's moms bought him at a tourist shop. The friends planned to pass him around in a shared ownership. Haha... NOT. It's now my daughter's turn, and I was horrified to learn that he was still in his little cage, no sponge, no substrate, no humidity,... Bad conditions for the past month at the other houses. I also discovered from the first video that they took that he came from the store already missing his small pincher, and back legs. Poor guy. I took him over, and I knew I had to improve conditions. I did a lot of research. I added him to a 5 gallon tank (already owned), added substrate (didn't buy enough), bowls with salt and fresh water, extra shells, and a coconut to hide in. I'm awaiting the heating pad in the mail with temp/humidity gauge. I know I need to switch to a 10 gallon, add more substrate (it's only two inches), and ideally get him a friend when I feel this is going to be successful.

Problem is: he has now gone into his hut, built a sand dune around himself, and hasn't come out that I can tell. Should I wait on the tank transfer and adding more substrate? Could he be molting in there? He's only been in the tank for two days. Thanks all. Glad to find this active community.

[JoeHermits]

If he were molting he’d create a cavern of total darkness. If you want to move him you can probably do so safely since all you have to do is lift up the hide and grab him. If you see a shed exo, though, leave him be.


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[CrabmomMA]

I took a peek. He is not under the hut. He dug and tunneled under the hut and is now at the bottom of the tank buried in the deeper part of the substrate against the glass in his shell. I peeked up at him from the bottom of the tank, and quickly put the tank back down for total darkness. Thinking I should leave him alone?

[JoeHermits]

Yeah, leave him be. If he’s molting he’ll return in a few weeks.


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