I was feeding the crabs and cleaning the water dish when I found Shawn in a little hole he dug and there was a leg next to him. I couldn't tell if he dug up a molter or if it was his. I looked at him and he was missing his second left leg. It has beautiful orange coloring on it.
? Should I leave it in the tank with him?
He's in a deep bowl for now until I can get to work tomorrow to buy him his own ISO unit, (all tanks are being used). He has deep, deep eco earth, water, food, extra shells, his own hermie hut, a plant, and a damp wash cloth over him to keep the air moist and the bowl dark. I picked him up to examine him and I watched him walk. He doesn't look too well. He's very lethargic and slow and moves his legs in such a way that I've never seen before. It's almost as though he cannot control them. He hides and leaves his big claw open. I got him from the store and haven't seen him in a while. I thought he was molting because he really needs to. I hand fed him honey with organic boost powder on it from the addiction store.
? Is there anything else I should add when I get his iso tomorrow?
I will be feeding him twice a day to ensure he gets plenty of protien and vitamins he needs to get better and make it through a molt should he have one. I will be looking through the posts to look at what everyone else did to help their little ones that also lost limbs.
I've never had an unsuccessful molt or lost limb problem until today. Any help/comments are appreciated. I don't know what this is like
I'd throw the leg out before it decomposes too much. I remember one time when Earl dropped two of her legs in one day, which was also the day after Toejam died. I was panicking so much... it was what prompted me to start researching online.
Well the good news is Shawn is active, moving around as best as he can, and he's not hiding and sitting in one spot. I think he just needs to recover from this and he'll be okay. I just wish I knew what caused it.
“I was feeding the crabs and cleaning the water dish when I found Shawn in a little hole he dug and there was a leg next to him.”
The little hole he dug, would it of resembled as though somebody took a golf ball and pushed it about ½ way down in the substrate? (this is a comparison if he is in a shell about the size of a nickel/quarter.)
“He's in a deep bowl for now until I can get to work tomorrow to buy him his own ISO unit, (all tanks are being used).”
I see you’re from New Jersey? And you weather is about as chilly as it is here in Pa. right now. Are you able to place this bowl in one of your tanks where the temp and humidity are controlled? (Just being in a bowl without these being I proper range is going to cause him more stress)
“He has deep, deep eco earth, water, food, extra shells, his own hermie hut, a plant, and a damp wash cloth over him to keep the air moist and the bowl dark.”
Please excuse me if I am reading this wrong, but water as in singular? Or both fresh and ocean water? May I ask what ocean/sea water mix you use?
“I picked him up to examine him and I watched him walk. He doesn't look too well. He's very lethargic and slow and moves his legs in such a way that I've never seen before. “
As in unsteady possibly dragging his large pincher under him almost and his legs looking almost like a squashed but look… out to his side? Is he dragging his shell, where you can see drag marks in the substrate?
“He hides and leaves his big claw open.”
Sounds like he is being defensive.
“Is there anything else I should add when I get his iso tomorrow?”
Is he getting a balanced diet with a wide variety of food supplements such as copper, lipids, foods high in zeaxanthin many of which have bete carotene in them, high protein source, a high calcium source, chitin, cellulose, spirulina, seaweed, omega fats, Carbohydrates, etc.
“I will be feeding him twice a day to ensure he gets plenty of protien and vitamins he needs to get better and make it through a molt should he have one.”
May I make a suggestion here? Since you mention he is able to get about himself, just offer him the food do not handle him to stress him any further than he already is. Being he has his large claw open, he is being defensive. You mention you have a hidey for him in the bowl, place the food close to the doorway so he doesn’t have to venture far from it. Double check the perimeters of the tank he was in to make sure they are in order, and please do place him in an environment bowl and all that has the correct readings. (and remember to check the substrate temp too)
For what caused it? Being you mentioned you got him from the store and haven't seen him for awhile, you maybe observing a delay in PPS.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)
If you are contacted privately (via pm or e-mail) and enticed to join another forum, please contact a Crab Crew member. This is an unethical practice.
In another thread it says you have recently bought Shawn, so maybe its a cause of PPS? If you can care for 16 crabs without any difficulties than I don't think you are to blame for this problem, I think maybe feeding a bit more protein and insuring Shawn has his one space to get away from the other crabs is enough to heal the crab. However, maybe another crab attacked him?
ERIK LEESON
These are currently living in a better home... Zeke+Finnigan+Wesker+Mendez+Xavi+Garth+Zoidberg+Gomez+Gilbert+Bobo+Luther SEE THEM HERE
Need help? I'm on here lots so PM me for any questions you need answered!
He was in a bowl for one night. I got him a small tank for himself with everything that is in the main tank. I thought by saying water it would mean fresh and salt water since that is what every crab needs. The temp is always perfect and I spray the tank with water everyday to keep up the humidity. Temp is 75 and humidity is always between 70-75%.
Shawn lost another leg shortly after he lost the first and when he could no longer feed himself I started to feed him and help him into the fresh and salt water dishes. Now I can't tell if he has passed on or if he's molting. I've lost one crab during my time crabbing and he was in a painted shell from the mall. He had pps and would never come out of his hermie hut. I saw how in the mall they were always bathed together so he could have easily gotten something another crab had.
But Shawn came from a good tank set up with eco earth, plants, climbing branches, hidey places, and fresh and salt water. Not many stores have that. He was active at the store and active at home.
Maybe it is a cause of fights? Very well possible but pretty unlikely. Maybe if he's so active it broke off if he where to fall? Like if he was climbing then he fell and his leg hit like a rock or something?
ERIK LEESON
These are currently living in a better home... Zeke+Finnigan+Wesker+Mendez+Xavi+Garth+Zoidberg+Gomez+Gilbert+Bobo+Luther SEE THEM HERE
Need help? I'm on here lots so PM me for any questions you need answered!
I observed him with the other crabs and when he was active and healthy he had a good time. If a crab falls in the crabitat I have set up they drop 6-8inches onto moist dirt. I don't think he lost it due to falling because other crabs fall and they are fine. I think it was stress.
The bowl he was in for one night before you got him his own small tank, was the temperature and humidity controlled and within proper ranges?
Even though he may of come from a pet store that had good conditions, this is not to say he could not still be experiencing PPS. Hermies go through a lot from the time they are captured until we get them home. Even before they get to the pet store, they could go as long as 2-3 'weeks' without the proper temps and humidity levels they require to remain healthy.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)
If you are contacted privately (via pm or e-mail) and enticed to join another forum, please contact a Crab Crew member. This is an unethical practice.
