Went down to molt without shell

[cindy3039]

Got home from work and my large PP went down to molt without his shell. I have visually examined the tank and I cannot tell where he's burrowed I have two other small PP who have been down for 10 days but I do not think they are molting. I've only had this crab for 33 days the other two less then 14 days. The PP who is molting was very dominating over the two new PPs and I believe they are afraid of him. What should I do? I also have concerns that the substrate is too dry and not sure how to proceed.

Here's my conditions: 10G tank, bottom layer 2" aragnite top layer 2" EE. Temp-77. Humidity-80-85 (having troubles keeping it down) Substrate UTH side 81, cool side 76. Ocean water,spring water & assortments of fresh foods listed on the epi list. I do occasionally use day & moon glo bulbs as needed but never on more than hour or so.

[CrabbyJo]

To lower the humidity, crack the lid on your tank open just a little. Even 1/2" can make a huge difference.

Is your substrate dry or moist? I wouldn't worry TOO much about him being down without his shell, it has been known to happen. I'd make sure he has plenty of choices available for when he comes up though.
If your substrate is moist, make sure it's not TOO moist. That is actually probably more dangerous than too dry.
I had a PP toss her shell while molting once, she actually took it off and put it on TOP of the substrate over her cave (she had made it next to the glass, so I could see her) and left it there for a week (I rinsed it out for her though). She picked it up again after a week and went back under. This is in the main tank with other crabs around. it may have also had something to do with other crabs digging nearby, no idea.

[cindy3039]

Whew! You posted right in time. We were just preparing to do a search but checked back one last time for a reply. Thank you. I've been frantically searching the different forums for an answer but didn't find the same situation. I was really starting to freak out after reading a post from a guy who had a hermie molt in his hand and he said it used its shell to pull itself away from the exo. And then I read another on how they make a perfect balance of water in their shell to use for their molt. I guess I'll just leave him be and let nature take its course. I wish I could be more hopeful on how this is going to turn out but my gut is telling me this is not going to end well. I've unplugged the UTH because I think he's on top of it and the last sub reading was 82. Was that the right thing to do? Thanks again for helping us out.

[ladybug15057]

Substrate UTH side 81, cool side 76.

The cool end should be a little cooler too, about 71-73* F. Unplugging the UTH does need to be done sometimes if one does not have an electric temp controller for their UTH. (or lights) But one should keep a close check too so the temp doesn't fall too far on the warm side.

[cindy3039]

We found him. I was awoken to the sounds of scratching on the side of the tank (I must be in worried mother mode because the tank is in another room and yet I heard it.) He's in his old hide out in a corner under a hut on the bottom of the tank which has a little window with a lot of sand stuck against it and all I could see were tips of legs moving against the glass. I shut of the lights and sat and listened for awhile and I heard him chirping during the nearly timed movements. Then it hit me that maybe one of the other crabs were in there disturbing him. I woke up my son to pick up the tank and thankfully the other two crabs have not moved. Unfortunately, as my son put the tank back down half the tank slipped off the 1" lego blocks and made quite a bang...yikes. I wanted to put a divider up but I haven't heard any activity since we disturbed him and I'm reluctant to stress him anymore at this crucial time. Honestly, if someone told me a few a few months ago I'd be up at 4am typing in a hermit crab forum I would have died laughing.

[cindy3039]

To add to my above post, he is on the cool side of the tank which has been too warm so I'm unplugging the UTH until he's done. I put a towel over the tank and turned the house thermostat up to 74 and I'm just hoping it all works out. I hear him moving in the tank again so things are proceeding.

[ladybug15057]

To add to my above post, he is on the cool side of the tank which has been too warm so I'm unplugging the UTH until he's done.

With the way the utility companies keep raising their rates, and we are in our fall with wide fluctuations in our temps are you able to purchase a temp controller for your tank? (thermostat, not a rheostat)

One that permits for a specific temp to be set, not hi, med, lo? Something like this:

zilla 500 watt

and they sell a zilla 1000 watt too that permits for 3 different plugs to be plugged into it. On sale now at the Petco site.

[cindy3039]

Thanks for the advice and link to the sale Marie. I'm ordering the 1000 watt. We have our eyes open for a larger tank because we have the room and it is to difficult to keep the 10G stable. We'll use the 10G for iso. Sometime yesterday morning our crab came up and got his old shell and then went back down so it's obvious has not molted. He has been down there non stop chirping so I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. We never heard him chirp before until this past week. He also started hissing, yes I said hissing, at us if he's on the surface when we change the food & water. The other day, he crawled on the underside of a coconut fiber bridge and ripped it to shreds as he chirped his little head off. We let him go for an hour or so but then we moved him to the moss pit because it looked like he was barely able to hang on anymore due to exhaustion. He stopped eating and I rarely see him by the water bowls. All these things are new behavior within the last week and we're not sure what to make of it. He just seems so angry or frustrated. Oh, and one other thing, the last time I misted the substrate I sprayed a little more over the spots where the other two hermies are buried and I noticed that he sat on one of the damp spots with his legs in the EE. Maybe he needs the substrate wetter?

[cindy3039]

I should also mention his eyes were black and now they are a dark amber color and the area behind his eyes has turned an ashy gray. We haven't noticed any changes in his legs nor have we seen a sack. Obviously, these are pre-molt signs but I guess he's decided not to go there for now. Wish he'd do the deed already because his grumpiness and aggression is a little unnerving.

[ladybug15057]

Most certainly sounds to me like he is displaying a few pms signs. Not always will the exo show any signs of molting, but the amber eyes as opposed to black sound like another to me. (my jumbos sometimes get the 'brownish/red' colored eyes as opposed to cloudy)
If the water sources are large enough, he should be able to dampen the substrate more himself if he wants it damper?
For a larger tank, have you considered looking on freecycle or Craigs list in your area? Sometimes one can go to a pet store and ask for a leaker too and get a good deal on one.