Successful moult! (I think...)

[Mapplinator]

Hello fellow crabbers,

Signed up just so I could express my relief!

I have two little hermies (not sure what species, I'm in Australia so whatever they sell here) and they both suddenly vanished about 6 weeks ago. I'd had them about a month and they'd both been doing a lot of digging. The tank they were in at the pet shop had very shallow substrate so I wondered if they were moulting. Weird that they both vanished together - but whatever.

So I did some research and everywhere said that if the tank doesn't stink, just maintain the environment and don't panic. Which is what I did.

And I waited... and waited...

About 2 weeks ago the smaller of my crabs emerged! Hoorah! But there was no sign of the larger. I started to worry that he'd been eaten by the other, and that if that was the case, there might not be a smell!

But I waited... and today the larger has collapsed the roof of his hidey hole and is back in business!

I'm so relieved, and I feel like a successful moult (x2!) is a sign that I'm keeping them in pretty good care. However I was expecting them to be 'pink and squishy' after a moult - but they both look about the same as they did before, except I swear the smaller has a grey-blue tint. Is there a way to know for certain if they've moulted? Does it matter?

If you read my little story - thanks! And if you've got some tips - thanks again!!

[appps]

Congrats!! Glad your patience paid off :-). Sometimes just sitting on our hands is the hardest bit!

If you look really closely after a molt you will see they have all these tiny little hairs on them. By the time they are getting ready to molt they have pretty much worn off.

[Mapplinator]

Thanks appps! I can indeed see hairs all over both of them - and I'm sure (from the unusual colour) that they're still hardening up. Both also seem a lot more happy and active then they were before, though perhaps that's just from being underground for so long!

[Ginger]

Congratulations! I'm waiting for a crab to come up at the moment and I defintly know how hard it is not to worry!

I know - I was expecting them to look kind of squishy when they moulted as well lol, but obviously not. I'm pretty sure they harden up underground for the most part anyway...?

If you are in Autralia, you will have Australian crabs or strawberry crabs (the latter being much more expensive and harder to find).

[emmac350]

Congrats! Another sign of a freshly molted crab you can look for is very sharp leg tips. Over time after a molt these sharp leg tips will wear down, but right after a molt they'll look almost like mechanical pencil lead sticking out of the end of your crabs' legs.