i think i'm losing athena

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 14 Sep 2006, 22:28

athena is a large crab. when she went under about 3 weeks ago i was expecting her to stay under for at least 6 weeks if not longer, however she came up yeseterday and she looks awful. she was a deep red-purple and very active when she went under, now:
1) she's a purple-grey color
2) she doesn't have enough energy to even move her shell around
3) she's not as active
4) she's not eating or drinking

anyone have any suggestions? i cleaned out the ISO cage and need to get some sand in there today, so i can put her in there ASAP. is there anything else i should do besides wait and worry?

iluvhermies · Post by **iluvhermies** » 15 Sep 2006, 00:11

She may be molting and just came up. I would move her to ISO ASAP while she is up. She may go back down or she may do a surface molt. Just make sure she has plenty of salt and fresh water and some food.

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 15 Sep 2006, 04:17

ok i have transferred her to ISO (over my lunch break). she has fresh water and some dried blood worms with crushed egg shells. i haven't added salt water yet. does she need enough to completely submerge?

hermiesrokmysox · Post by **hermiesrokmysox** » 16 Sep 2006, 08:40

i don't know, if you can find a bowl deep enough that would be good.

shw might be in premolt stage........

iluvhermies · Post by **iluvhermies** » 16 Sep 2006, 12:08

If she is in pre-molt she definately needs salt water to be able to get into.

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 17 Sep 2006, 04:19

well i haven't expected her to live as long as she has. i'm really happy that she has! last night i noticed she moved from one side of the container to over near the water. that's a good sign. anyway, i'm going to the store today, bc i don't have a container deep enough for the salt water. i'll go get some cheap tupperware to put in there with her. i guess i'm just confused as to why she would stay under for 3 weeks and then come up. that's early isn't it? is there any reason that she wouldn't stay under longer?

iluvhermies · Post by **iluvhermies** » 18 Sep 2006, 12:42

I had one who did the same thing. He then went back down and came back up and down 3 more times over a 3 month period before he molted all the way, and has stayed up.

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 29 Sep 2006, 01:26

athena's become more active in ISO, so i have moved her back into the main cage with her brothers. she seems to be doing ok now. i check on her at least 3-4 times a day. zeus is under for some reason and aries is under for a molt. i should be seeing him in about 3-4 weeks. i have noticed that athena's purple claw has blotches on it. there are darker purple spots on it. the rest of her has darkened in color, however the leg that didn't grow completely during the molt for some reason, still isn't growing. it's weird. they have 3 joints on their legs, the 1st and 2nd ones are ok, however the 3rd one (the foot i guess) is the one that didn't grow completely. you can see a little of it and the black tip, it's weird. any reason this would have happened? she had all her legs when she went under....did i do something wrong?

iluvhermies · Post by **iluvhermies** » 29 Sep 2006, 05:36

I do not think you did anything wrong. Things happen that we have no control over and maybe it will grow back during her next molt

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 02 Oct 2006, 08:22

here's her leg...oh whats left of it...
its the 1st one on the right next to her big claw

she uses it just fine though