help!

Roobear · Post by **Roobear** » 13 Feb 2005, 20:36

hi, i am a new hermit crab owner

and my hermit crab has just molted,am i suppose 2 wet it? on another website i says you are, but on this webbie it says you aren't

Post by **Wai** » 13 Feb 2005, 23:52

Don't wet the crab. He/she must be very stressed after molting, so you should leave him/her alone. Do keep the humidty and temperature up though, or he/she won't survive the hardening process. Wetting the crab will just make hardening more difficult.

Roobear · Post by **Roobear** » 18 Feb 2005, 13:06

ok thanx

Hannah · Post by **Hannah** » 21 Feb 2005, 06:41

don't wet the crab when molting, it stresses and it also promotes the growth of mold and bacteria.

YoursTruly · Post by **YoursTruly** » 18 May 2005, 21:54

Coming from an expirienced crabber - don't wet your molter, under any circumstances. If the crab happens to go in the water bowl on it's own...okay...but don't put it in there, or spray it!

Other sites do say to wet it, but this one is the only one that matters! Nah, just kidding with you. Indeed, other sites say to wet your crab, but pay attention - Does it say wet the crab AFTER it has shedded it's exo, or before? When the crab is in the process of shedding it's exo, you should give it maximum hydration. But after, you should not, because the new exo is now hardening in place. So this will disturb the process.

I've done this before, and I've since learned that it's not good to wet it. If you have, do not be afraid. Nothing horrible will happen, unless somthing else occurs. Don't wet it again, though.

And another thing you might do by accident, DON'T THROW AWAY HER/HIS EXO!! This will also disturb her immune system, as she needs her old exo to regain her calcium, and energy. While shedding her exo, she becomes super-tired, and very weak and sickly. The exo, by eating it, helps her come up to health. Also, do not crush the exo! She'll crush it herself. Some crabs like their exo powdery, some like it crunched slightly, so the crab will fit it up on it's own - just leave your crab alone. Make sure she has fresh water, and salt water(not table salt!!!It'll kill her like a snail!!).

Hope I helped.

Post by **Wai** » 18 May 2005, 21:59

You sure helped!

It is fine to wet the crab BEFORE molting, but not AFTER molting. If the crab has molted but goes to sit in the water dish, leave them (just don't deliberately put them in!)

YoursTruly · Post by **YoursTruly** » 18 May 2005, 22:13

Me? Helped? *blushes* Why...I must be recovering from my huge mistake. lol. Just don't want others to make the same mistake.

ayianna · Post by **ayianna** » 19 May 2005, 16:14

YoursTruly wrote:While shedding her exo, she becomes super-tired, and very weak and sickly.

Crabs are actually very hearty creatures. Unless a molt results from injury, this is a time that their immune system is working at almost peak capacity, as their bodies are somewhat more vulnerable to disease with a softened exo.

It is very uncommon for crabs to molt above the sand, so the likeliness of anyone having the opportunity to dip their crab in water is relatively slim.

Also, please do not dig up your hermit crabs when they have molted. Leave them alone for at least 2 or 3 days. If you happen to dig them up, put them back where you got them and cover them with sand.