Bad luck? Worried about both Thisbe and Panic

[beepboop]

First off, my littlest Ecuadorian, Thisbe. Today I went to mist the tank and saw her empty shell. It was a bit too small, so at first I thought Oh, good, she changed shells! But no. I then found her shell-less nearby. She is not moving but the tank does not smell. Is she dead?
And my Purple Pincher, Panic, has been buried since November. At first I thought she was molting, but surely this is much too long. I would think that I would smell if she was dead. She isn't completely under, you can just barely spot a bit of her shell through the EE. Could she be unhappy and hiding? Is it because she is the only PP?
They eat dry foods that I make out of dry crayfish/shrimp, dry seaweed, coconut flakes, banana chips, peanuts, etc. I have multiple mixtures that I cycle out. I blend them up then put some (dechlorinated) water on them to make a mushy thing. Their salt water is Instant Ocean. They have a heat lamp on one end of the 20-gallon tank that keeps that end about 85 degrees and the other end is about 80 degrees. Humidity stays around 70-75 percent. They have EE substrate. Two pieces of cholla wood, a fake bamboo ramp, and a fake plant to climb on. I have one other Ecuadorian, Pyramus.
I don't take them out very often at all, they seem happy to just climb and be left alone. Thisbe loves/loved climbing and was very active before this morning. Panic was pretty active before she buried.

[CrabbyJo]

From what you've described I am thinking you have done pretty well and the only things I would question are how damp is the substrate? How do you moisten it?

The other is the temperature. I am thinking that may be a bit too high without a cool end to move to. Can you bring it down about 5 degrees or more on the cooler end? I have a cool end that hovers as low as 70* sometimes and the crabs will still hang out there. They love digging in the cool sand there too. They spend as much time there as in the warmer end (78 ish), and seem quite happy. They do need a place where they can cool their bodies down a bit.

Has there been anything different near the tank - air fresheners, perfumes, cleaners with strong odor used, scented candles, etc?

I agree it's unusual for an E to go Naked. Emma on here did have an issue with one of her E's who was so swollen from pre-molt she just seemed miserable. I can't recall if she left her shell though. I think perhaps for a short time she did. Or was trying on other shells. She was so swollen she seemed barely able to move, poor thing.

I'm sure Marie will be on soon to also give her advice, as she has a few years more experience than I.

[ladybug15057]

I am am at lost as what to say. Sadly it seems soemtning has been going on since October? I went back and have read your posts and found where the questions were answered and replied to. But to continue to have this many deaths, something is wrong.

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=4028

Seems they mostly leave their shells or begin dropping limbs, both signs of stress.

[beepboop]

85 degrees is what the thermometer on the hot end says, and the one that reads 80 degrees isn't really on the cool end but right in the middle, so I think the cool end is about 75 degrees.
I don't use air fresheners or anything in my room, I have birds, lizards, and rats who would also be sensitive to it.
I had to leave out of town, so I put a plastic cup over Thisbe like you do with surface molters, only in the side I put a small hole that she could get through if she suddenly decides that she is ok but that is too small for Pyramus to get in. The pet sitters said the tank did not smell last night, though I have not heard from them yet this morning.
If it were something about the environment it seems that the other E, Pyramus, would have some sort of reaction...

[ladybug15057]

85* F even for the warm substrate sude is too warm in a 20 gal tank. This does not permit for the variable in the temps they need. Warm side shiould be 78-80* F with the cool end of about 71=73* F. They must be offered these temps to regulate their body heat.

[beepboop]

Ok, I was gone for two days. Thisbe has not moved, but the tank does not stink.
I'm saving money to get a UTH, so that will probably help with the temperature. I almost have enough, so I should be getting that in about a week. The thing is, though, that I'll need to put a plastic container over it under the substrate so they don't burn themselves. And Panic is buried on the end I need to put it on. I know you're never supposed to dig them up, but should I dig up Panic because she's been buried for so long?

[CrabbyJo]

Fleabuskitty,
Have you checked Thisby to see if you can note any antennae movement at all? Don't blink, you could miss it. Watch very very carefully for any sign of movement. It's not good for the crab to not move for several days, but it could be that Thisby has molted and is hiding back in side her/his shell. If that is the case, Thisby should begin eating his/her exo soon. If this is not the case then poor little Thisby has likely passed. They do not always stink when they pass, so you can't always count on that.

As for the UTH, I think you are saying you could turn off the overhead lights and use the UTH to help create a warmer end and bring the whole tank temp down a little?

Also, a UTH is meant to be attached on the outside of the tank, so what you do need to be concerned about is making sure the crabs cannot dig down on top of it by placing items over it and over thin substrate, or else purchase also a thermostat to control the temperature so it does not get too warm (over 81*F). I found my UTH would get up to 100*F and lost a crab because he buried down on top of it. I know, I know, more stuff! More expense! But they're worth it.

You'll want the substrate to be only about 1" deep if you want the UTH to help warm the air as well as the substrate at the warm end.

[beepboop]

She still hasn't moved, the tank still doesn't smell.
Should I dig up Panic?

[CrabbyJo]

Since Panic has been buried since November, you have to trust your own instinct on that one. It's not likely that he took 4 months to molt, that is a very long time, but it has been known to happen.
If Thisbe hasn't moved in weeks, then likely Thisbe has passed. They don't always smell, it's just a good indicator when they have.
I'm really sorry
Let us know when you decide to check on Panic. :\

[beepboop]

Pyramus has done the same thing. Both he and Thisbe just got out of their shells and got completely still a couple inches away. I'm pretty sure they're dead, so I'm gonna go ahead and dig up Panic today.