1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Eco Earth and play sand mix 10 inches
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read? yes, 80*F and 80% humidity
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? yes, uth on back of top half of tank
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)? fresh water and ocean sea salt, with prime dechlorinator (?)
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? mix from all categories: animal and plant protein, fruit, veggies, minerals, calcium, leaves and twigs
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? either 10-15+ years or an adoptee I took in a 4 years ago
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? yes, recently I'm assuming as I find them with three small pieces of how exoskeleton
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 55 gallon with mesh lid covered in packaging tape (sticky sides stuck together, so they're not exposed to sticky side
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 1 because other 2 rehomed January 2025, probably large
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 10-15 smaller and larger
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? no
12. How often do you clean the tank and how? it's been a while as they weren't coming up and and just replacing water weekly
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? no
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? no
15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)? I should know better, but I really thought they passed. I rehomed other two in January and it's June now, and I hadn't seen them. I've had motion camera set up and hadn't seen them. They all three usually took about 3 months when they molted, and surfaced within a few days of each other. I was also worried they'd be sad the others were gone or refuse to come up, if they usually wait for the others to come up. Like too depressed and would pass from that. The two I've had 10-15+ years always hung out together.
I started pulling substrate to clean out the tank, carefully, and did find them. They are incredibly dark, I've never seen them this dark, and they're missing a big claw and one leg on one side, and have a visible, small gel limb. There were three small pieces of exo, I washed them (with dechlorinated water) and they are hollow, so guessing they're from their molt. I put the crab in a small tank with wet moss, food, water, pieces of exo, and hideys. I did this because I was going to contact person who adopted others as they would be taking the third once they surfaced, and this ensures they are above ground once we have scheduled a pick up. Now I'm doubting if that was a good idea.
I'm rehoming due to disability and I haven't had energy or physical strength to provide more than bare minimum care past couple years, and I know they deserve a more enriched life. I'm worried if extra care is needed, I might not do as well as I need to if they need extra help right now. So also I'm looking for feedback on how to know it's okay enough for adopter to take the crab in, if they are willing to do so based on the situation with the crab and what would need to be done.
Edit: I added honey and peanut butter, and kept the other food still in the tank.
Edit Next Morning: After staying pretty inactive for some hours, between 8-10 pm they were eating and drinking, which they moved to other side of tank for. Ate either honey/peanut butter and was in dry food dish for a while, and drank from salt water. I'm having trouble keeping temp up in 30 Gallon, so I until I hear back might set up a temporary container (If I can find one) to put in main tank. I reached out to adopter and waiting to hear back. I feel bad about moving them so much, but if adopter can accommodate for this situation I think it's for the best. My legs are sore from going up and down the step ladder to reach into the tank yesterday and maybe from the angle I had to stand on ladder. I'm worried to push myself further when my muscles are already mad at me. As I'd need to use step ladder again to get tank set up (would pull out buried decorations, smooth out substrate, then get necessities back in, Between that and waiting to hear next steps and if adopter can take them in now, that's why I'm using the temp container in main tank. If no response from either in couple days, I'll probably take energy to prep tank and put them back in main tank. Hope I'm not hurting them by doing this. Also, based on behavior of being more relaxed (not running to hide, maybe retracting but also coming back out a little when I do into tank, also did not run under hidey when placed in and was chilling in the shell pile this morning), I believe they are one of the 10-15+ years as they seem more relaxed. I don't believe it's a not feeling well, so not putting energy into it, but that's possible.
Edit: Second day and through much of night they sat in dry food dish and appeared to be eating. It looked like they were trying to tear stuff. There was some powder food, but I did add another dish this morning with more powder food and tried to crush up other stuff.
What do I need to do?
How will I know when it's safe to re-home, and what will adopter need to do after that? (If they are willing and able.)
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail. previous question, sorry
Update: Evening movement to dry food dish and salt water. They seem to be moving well enough.
Update of little critter keeper I found. Barely fit two small water dishes, small dish with honey/peanut butter and another with dry, two shells (1 bigger on smaller), hygrometer and a small patch of moss in the middle. Pretty cramped, but at least they will be at proper temp. I put a towel in front of the tank where critter keeper is, since I could not put hidey in.
