Hermie's molting?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:39 am

Thanks Souledout4him.

Ok, I misted the ISO for the last time today and covered him up. I feel better now that you let me know this sometimes happens.

Now....as long as he doesn't lose anything else, we'll be ok. As far as I can tell, we have done everything we can to make it easier for him. We have only had Hermie since Dec and this is his first molt with us. It's our first molt with anything and I gotta say, waiting is not my strong suit!

Thanks for your help and advice! I feel a bit better now!
Rickys mom

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 3:32 pm

I kept four crabs in a plastic Kritter Keeper for four years while I was in college and they all came out fine.

I had to improv a lot, but it's doable. I even had a surface molter once!

Then when I graduated, I celebrated with a 20 gallon tank for them. Hehe. Good luck and don't worry.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:27 pm

Yes, we have a critter keeper for our ISO tank. So far, I like the idea that none of the other crabs can get to the molter. Wow, you kept 4 hermies in one of these keepers?

I'll have to tell my daughter that might be a way for her to have a pet at college. She starts college next year and with all the critters we have around here, one of her worries is the no pets thing. I'm sure glad I will have Ricky at home still! I already have empty nest syndrome starting!

Speaking of nests...Hermie is still in his trench. His shell is sitting in a normal position now and sometimes when I check under the towel, I can see parts of him. Today I saw a hairy leg!

As I slowly pulled the towel back to let him adjust for the lighting change, he slowly pulled the leg back in. I misted the tank, refilled the water bowl which was almost dry (yep, we have a humidity problem...sigh) and, I have to admit, took a piece of corn and a pea (his favorites) and dropped them nearly in front of his shell. It's been several days since he finished his exo but he still hasn't gone to the food or water bowl. Maybe the food was a bad idea but I would feel better if he would at least eat. Oh, I am thinking that the leg was exo also. It doesn't have a black toe and it isn't hairy. I still can't check it closely since Hermie is sitting on the end of it! :roll: He also still has the molted claw there and hasn't eaten any of it either.

Soooo, I guess that leaves us STILL waiting. I'll get pics of our crab family and try to figure out how to post them after Hermie decides to rejoin the group.
Thanks again!
Rickys mom

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:49 pm

He's UP! Finally after several days of just sitting there, looking at us looking him while he waves his antennas. He came up out of his trench today and Ricky found him in the food bowl!

Hermie looks really good! He's bigger, especially his BP

and is a deep, red almost brown! He checked out the new shells for a few minutes but doesn't seem serious about any of them. (I think he is very attached to his current shell even if it is a bit small for him.) :roll:

He is a little bit shy, quickly tucking back into his shell when he sees us come close to the ISO but hopefully that won't last long. He's always been pretty friendly.

I gotta say, I will be very careful around his BP. He has never pinched anyone but Anchor has and it was pretty painful. (and Anchor's BP is only half the size of Hermie's new BP)

So, I guess I can say that Hermie is finally finished with his molt! I want to thank everyone for being so helpful and comforting when I was

. You all are awesome!

Rickys mom

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:29 pm

Oh YAY!!

I'm so sorry I missed this thread for so long.

I didn't abandon you if that is what it felt like. I was gone that weekend (went to see my folks for Canada Day

)and just never realized the update.

Did he actually drop a leg or was that just more exo?

I'm so glad he's starting to be active.

In a day or two, he may even be ready to join the others!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:21 pm

Hi Raen!

Abandoned?? Not a chance! Everyone here is very good at helping everyone else, that's why I think it's such a nice site!

The leg we saw was exo! He has all his legs and is very happily running around on them in the ISO! :roll:

We have moved the ISO right up alongside the main tank so he can see the others but they can't get to him. I was looking at Anchor and shell he moved into. It's about the same size, maybe a little bigger than the one Hermie is in. I hope we don't have shell wars when I move him back with the others.

I am seriously thinking of ordering another just like it but I guess I can wait and see if Hermie tries to steal Anchor's. Geeze...always something to think about with these critters.

Of course, I haven't said anything to Ricky yet, but I might caution him so he can keep and eye on the situation. Who knows...maybe we'll get lucky and Hermie will pick one of the new unoccupied shells. :dunno:

I hope you had a wonderful visit with your parents! We are lucky that my parents live very close by so we get to see them all the time! Although I do tease my mom that I think she is more interested in seeing the kids than me!

She just laughs at me! :roll:

Ricky's mom [smilie=molted.gif]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:59 pm

lol Parents are like that once they become grandparents :roll: No love for the adult children anymore. ~*sigh*~

And as long as you have lots of shells for them to choose from, you shouldn't have any shell fights.

Don't fret too much.