Possible Molt

lilhermitgirl17 · Post by **lilhermitgirl17** » 03 May 2005, 14:19

I think that my largest hermie Zipper is molting. he started trenching holes all over the tank, messing everything up, and he usually doesn't dig, so I put him in my Iso tank, it has lots deeper sand ect, for better molting, and sure enouph, he has trenched himself in. So here's hoping he does all right. Its his first molt here.

bennynlewie · Post by **bennynlewie** » 04 May 2005, 08:46

yep sounds like a molt to me

ayianna · Post by **ayianna** » 05 May 2005, 22:48

Please read what I have to say /carefully/.

When you remove your crab from the general population, you are changing it's stress level and the conditions of the environment around it. This can cause a crab that was in pre-molt to stop. Crabs have hormones that can onset or completely stop the molting process and they will use them when they see fit.

Also, iso for molting crabs has been so widely suggested out of paranoia of crabbers. Your crab has been molting for years without human help or isolation and still survives. The ONLY danger to your crab are the following:

substrate that is too dry and collapses on them - suffocation
an aggressive crab that pushes other crabs around - crab attack
being removed from their environment - stress
dirty tank conditions - mold, fungus, mites, etc.

Seriously, if you iso your crab for something as trivial as pre-molt signs, you're punishing your crab by removing it from everyone else. Crabs can show signs of premolting for months - even the little ones. How long do you plan on keeping your crab in solitary confinement?

lilhermitgirl17 · Post by **lilhermitgirl17** » 07 May 2005, 01:51

Thanks for your input. I put him back because he dug a huge cave for himself, sat there for a day or so, then came out on his own. I'll leave him in the big one now.