HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I got my first 2 crabs 2 weeks ago in a 10g tank. Overnight one dug himself down. However he is still a little visible. He isn't very deep, maybe an 1 inch and he is almost completely under the log. . He has a pile of dirt on him and I can kinda see his shell still. So I'm wondering if this a surface molt. My substrate (coconut+playsand) is 6 inches deep and he is a little guy (under 1 inch). The conditions in my tank are stable at 80/80 consistently. He is in a spot that my other crab can't get to. My molter is in a spot between the tank wall and a log. He can fit in a out of the spot but the other can't because he is almost double his size. The little one has been a calm little dude so far but yesterday he did have a slight burst of energy (like looking at me and walking around his hiding spot) and ate a ton of eggshells like 2 days ago.

My questions are: Is this just the start of a molt and he will dig deeper tonight when he wakes up? If this is a surface molt, what can I do to help him? Could he be dying and this is a sign of that (no smell or signs of that just paranoid)? I really hope he this a normal molt because if I can get him through the first molt isn't that a good sign that he is adjusting.

Thank you for your help.

He’s probably just hanging out in that spot. When they go to molt a lot of their time is spent finding their perfect spot first. I think they wait a few weeks to make sure they feel safe enough to molt and shed their exoskeleton. As long as you don’t see any exo, I think your ok. A surface molt is above substrate and they have shed their exoskeleton.
Edit to add: A lot of mine like to go back to their spots to sleep and hang out, it might just be his favorite spot to sleep. They do like to dig just to dig.

Rod♡Salty♡Bob♡Squirt♡Crabina♡Who
»-♡-> Our Purple Pinchers <-♡-«

RiNiKy506 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 31, 2019 11:55 am

He’s probably just hanging out in that spot. When they go to molt a lot of their time is spent finding their perfect spot first. I think they wait a few weeks to make sure they feel safe enough to molt and shed their exoskeleton. As long as you don’t see any exo, I think your ok. A surface molt is above substrate and they have shed their exoskeleton.
Edit to add: A lot of mine like to go back to their spots to sleep and hang out, it might just be his favorite spot to sleep. They do like to dig just to dig.

Rod♡Salty♡Bob♡Squirt♡Crabina♡Who
»-♡-> Our Purple Pinchers <-♡-«

Ok thank you!

That makes sense. Last week, under a different log, he made himself a little cave and I thought he was molting and then he moved across the tank. I'll keep an eye out for exo. He is definitely under the substrate but just under a thin layer of it.

Thanks again!