Please Help...molted crab naked

[galaciel21]

Nope, no interest in the shells. Still laying in the same spot, same position =o/

[Wai]

Okay, perhaps leave him alone until he finishes hardening. Make sure the air is very humid as it is and make sure he doesn't look dehydrated.

[galaciel21]

Okay so I have good news and bad news to report.

The good is...he is alive!

The bad....he is STILL in the same spot, same position.

I woke up and found my buried molter standing a distance away staring at him so I promptly removed her. I found he still hasn't moved, antennas are still tucked in and his abdomen was still coiled. I lightly dropped some water on his abdomen and he did move so I knew for sure he was still hanging on.

He is still a salmon color...same from last night.

I guess just wait it out some more and see if there is any progress throughout the day.

Should I try to cover him up with a coco hut? I'm not sure if I be able to but, I could figure something out if you suggest.

[ladybug15057]

I would like to suggest to make a divider to section him off so if the burrowed one surfaces he cannot disturb this hermie either. Please also make the area shadowed, or cover him with a hut so not shadows pass over him to stress him any further than he is during such a delicate time. As well as cleaning out the shells, you may also wish to spray lightly within them with ocean/sea water in hopes of encouraging him to take the shell. (preferably the one he was wearing. Hermies will normally pick a shell prior to molting that they feel they need and will be safe in)
Bump the humidity up a tad, even if it is up to 82-85% temporarily. This will help to keep his abdomen moist where he should not need water droplets as often. Over ‘dropletting’ can also cause dryness, the opposite as to what one is trying to accomplish. (similar to a human getting dry hands)
Put both fresh and ocean water next to him, in case he needs it and this may help to keep the area he is in a little more humid.
I agree with Wai, I would leave him be at this point. Molters usually don’t move at first, their new body is like jello as first until they begin to harden, no support.

[galaciel21]

Hi Marie! Thank you so much for your advice.

My burrowed molter did emerge this morning and I was able to remove her from the tank and placed her elsewhere for the time being. Right now, it is just my nude molter in the tank.

The spot he is laying is shadowed as its a tiered level. I have one of those corner turtle landings above the area he is laying and the crabs use cholla wood to climb to it where I have a log hut.

As far as the shells, I rinsed them out (one being the shell he occupants) twice during the day yesterday using warm ocean water and placed them near him.

He is nestled in a spot between the side of the tank and a big fresh water bowl and I took your advice and bumped up the humidity.

I am aware they have little energy and soft bodies upon molting so I figured just letting him be by not touching and disturbing him as little as possible was prob. my best bet. If he does pass, at least I know that I did everything I possibly could in order to try to save him.

[ladybug15057]

And even being on a damp substrate can also prolong the exo hardening process. May I ask how much if any of his exo he has left?
Here's pulling for your little one!

[galaciel21]

There is no exo left on him. He is completely free of it and laying on top of it.

To date, he is still layin in the same spot, same position.

He is a little darker in color. Still that salmon but hints of purple and orange are startin to pull through.

I left him alone for the majority of the day today other then placing some water on his abdomen this morning. When I did spray the water on the him, his movements were a lot stronger then yesterday. Not to long ago I lightly brushed my fingers against his claws to see what sort of reaction I would get from him and he was moving them around almost like he was trying to get me. Other then that, his antennas are still tucked in and he continues to lie dormant.

Thanks =o)

[ladybug15057]

At this time IMO any further bothering of him, touching him in any way, water droplets, blowing, etc. is only stressing him more. As opposed to the cocohut, if you have a margarine bowel (about med size or such) this could be placed over him in hopes of having him feel more secure. Am I reading this right that he has not eaten any more of his exo... still has the legs left? (He ate the torso?)
If so do you have any pure natural honey? If so could you possibly put a drop on an oyster shell or a small plastic lid and put this next to him?
The salmon color, is it a solid type coloring or almost that of transparent consistency?

[galaciel21]

I don't know if he has eaten any of his exo. Like I said, he is laying on top of it so its hard to see if anything has actually been eaten. When I found him out his shell and the other crab on top of the shell he occupants, he was just laying on top the molt and has not moved since.

The color isn't really solid but its not completely transparent. Its an in between I guess (I'm sorry, its hard to tell through the glass with the humidity and I can't get a good look at him from the lid because he's covered by my second tier).

I have pure honey but its a store brought brand. Is that okay?

[ladybug15057]

I give the store bought 100% pure honey to ours here and have done so for years. It has nutrients that are good for a hermie, as well as it is also a natural antibiotic. Longer story shorter a few years ago when Kathy worked at FMR before the present owner when a hermie was having problems after molting it was suggested to give honey and if one did not have honey a little sugar. Seemed to be a miracle food back then. (and today) After hours of research we found out how hermies should be offered honey at least a couple times a week.
And I did look back at the beginning of this and seems about 24 hours have passed since he has molted? May I suggest to take a deep breath and calm down a bit? Other than being shell less he seems to be doing ok. (our hermies here are surface molters... and a bottle molter) He really does need time to realize the other hermies are not able to bother him anymore and he can concentrate on recovering.