Naked newly moulter

Questions about unexpected problems.
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POPPIT
Zoea II
Zoea II
Posts: 219
Joined: 05 May 2015, 17:26
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 4
Total gallons: 69
Total tanks: 3
Location: Melbournes Western Suburbs

Naked newly moulter

Post by POPPIT »

Hi All...My crab Peetrie came up from about a 6 week moult(buried few days after i got him)...I had him in a 2ft long iso tank and had already moved his 2 companions(His twin Ducky and my big guy LittleFoot)into my main 3ft tank..I moved him i think 2 days after he came up as he looked good into the main tank...he has been doing well exploring the tank with my other crabs(4 above and 1 currently moulting)...However this morning i uncover the tank and see Peetrie's shell empty and after a quick scan i find him half sitting in the salt pool naked(From losing a couple of new moulters before i know this is a bad sign)...I managed to gently scoop him up and put him back in my 2ft tank, which was still set up, I put his shell and him in the purple igloo and he went straight in his shell(currently just sitting inside the igloo in his shell)....I possibly moved him too soon after his moult but i was worried about loneliness...I plugged in the heat pad and put 4 spare shells in there with fresh food and left him to settle down and hopefully de-stress...I just lost Gonzo after a suspected bad moult(main 3ft tank moult)so im worried about Peetrie making it through.
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ladybug15057
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 3098
Joined: 03 Mar 2008, 04:12
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 82
Total gallons: 305
Total tanks: 7
Location: Southwestern Pa., U.S.

Re: Naked newly moulter

Post by ladybug15057 »

Any update on your streaking molter? Did you rinse/boil his original shell prior to offering it back to him in case something was inside of it? Is he in a darkened area for now where no shadows can startle him? Usually after a hermie molts and they are eating well on their own, getting about with no sign of weakness and their exo is hardened a dip in the main tanks fresh water is a way to get them to all smell the same and cut back on aggressive behavior, or to even rinse the fresh molt smell off of them.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

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POPPIT
Zoea II
Zoea II
Posts: 219
Joined: 05 May 2015, 17:26
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 4
Total gallons: 69
Total tanks: 3
Location: Melbournes Western Suburbs

Re: Naked newly moulter

Post by POPPIT »

Really sorry about the very late reply.... Peetrie did go in a new shell in the 2 ft tank by himself and for the past weeks has been changing shell... recently he started becoming less active and for fear of loneliness I put Neelix in with him...Neelix is similar in size.... Peetrie seemed to become a little more active however in recent days Neelix has buried himself and in the last 3-4 days Peetrie has been naked 80% of the time with occasional shell try ons...after a day of nakedness I decided to step in as I thought perhaps his little body is too sandy to be comfortable in a shell...I gently managed to wash off the sand(I persuaded him into an upside down home and placed it in the salt water then dribbled fresh water over him with my hand)...I rinsed the sand out of his shells with his fresh water then put him on a cardboard lid with a dome home and six shells to choose from...he went back into his original shell...I put him back into his tank and left him be...next day he's naked again...tried on a few shells but has been in the sand next to the salt pool since last night naked...this morning I thought he was dead but he moved slightly when I kept gently touching one of his legs...I put a shell next to him(he lifted his body slightly up when I did this) and I have left him in the dark today..I am about to check on him after I send this...His exo still looks slightly pinkish and I think he has never recovered from his moult...My 3ft tank is dormant as all 4 of my crabs are under...I am at a loss when it comes to Peetrie and am thinking he has suffered not only from after effects of a bad 1st moult but also PPS.
POPPIT
Zoea II
Zoea II
Posts: 219
Joined: 05 May 2015, 17:26
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 4
Total gallons: 69
Total tanks: 3
Location: Melbournes Western Suburbs

Re: Naked newly moulter

Post by POPPIT »

Just checked on Peetrie and he is sitting naked with 2 of his legs in the shell i put next to him this morning...to check if he was still alive i made a shadow over the glass where he is with my hand..i did this twice before he moved slighty.
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