bright red--pre-molt?

blckuncrn · Post by **blckuncrn** » 22 Apr 2005, 13:36

We have seven purple pincher crabs. We noticed recently that one of the crabs, Tiger, had one bright red leg, as in cooked lobster red. Tiger just molted today. Now, two more of our crabs have patches of bright red on their legs and they have been exibiting other pre-molt signs (burying, behavior change). Is the bright red color a pre-molt sign for this type of crab?

Do crabs that have lived together for a long time (more than a year) ever start molting together? Tiger is the second crab is the last few days to molt, and two more seem like they're going to.

Post by **Wai** » 22 Apr 2005, 18:56

If you look carefully, you'll notice that hermit crabs have one leg that is more armoured than the others. It's normal for that special leg to be a different colour. I don't think the red patches are pre-molt signs.

Hermit crabs will molt when it's time, so don't worry

.

ayianna · Post by **ayianna** » 27 Apr 2005, 02:53

Many PP's have a red tip on the last section of their left, hind leg. This is normal. As they gain more nutrition and carotene, their color will increase, including on this tip. This indicates you're doing things right!

I have not known brightness of exoskeleton to indicate pre-molt signs, but you will notice after they have molted that they have to re-start the process of eating carotene and nutrients to regain their color.

After a while, yes, you will begin to have molts that occur during similar times. This is a combination of similar stress, moisture, warmth, and growth rates within an environment, particularly occurring when crabs are of similar size. The closer in size they are, the more likely they are to molt at the same time, regardless of species. I have an Equadorian, DigDug who molts within a week of Eeky, a PP almost the same size. It has been this way since I had the both of them.

bennynlewie · Post by **bennynlewie** » 27 Apr 2005, 07:29

ive noticed that right after a molt then they are all hard again they are bright red not before

vergil397 · Post by **vergil397** » 09 Dec 2006, 13:11

that is kinda cool is like as bright as a straw that would be cool

Jaci · Post by **Jaci** » 21 Dec 2006, 06:21

craig is like 3 colors (orange, purple, and his tip is bright orange. apollo and aries are a dark purple/red. lemi is extremely active and has molted 7 times but should i feed him something to help his color brighten? wendy and bebe are a medium orange and purple. zeus is brighter than apollo and aries, but you can tell that his orange is fading and he became darker after his first molt.

bright red--pre-molt?

bright red--pre-molt?

huh