When are they going to molt?

[alyssacolby]

I have had my hermies for a year now. "Jefe" just moulted. I didn't know he was molting. I went to clean the tank and I picked up Jefe and his shell broke open. I didn't know what to do so I took him out and put him in a bucket with a towel....Needless to say he didn't make it. His limbs and everything dried up that made me so sad.

I've been reading the backgroun information and my other crabs should have moulted by now! what gives?

Brenda

[alyssacolby]

bump

[Titans]

Was he moulting on the surface? What is your tanks set up and conditions such as substrate depth, temp, humidity...? What kind of food do you provide them? Do they have access to both saltwater and fresh?

[alyssacolby]

yes it was surface. I think everything is okay. the sand and rocks are not very deep, i've been thinking about making it deeper though...I've had these guys for a year!

i feed them all kinds of hermie food, plus fruits on occasion, and two dishes for salt and conditioned water

[krabby_katie]

You should have it atleast 2 inches deep. Have it the height of your largest hermie, and then an inch or two more than that.

[Titans]

Yes, other than the current depth of your substrate, providing saltwater and a variety of foods will help promote a molt. Add more depth and it may encourage them. Also if your hermie is doing a surface molt you should just cut a bottle in half, open the top for air and place it over it to section it off from other hermies. By taking it out and placing it on a towel you might have not given it the proper parameters such as humidity and temp to molt in peace.