Please Help...molted crab naked

[ladybug15057]

This is hard to say, but with Vanessa her first molt was in 37 days after she was attacked, and her molt after that was 41 days. Due to the severity Vanessa still had a couple imperfections after her first molt so she molted sooner and it did correct them. Binker, a little over a month but not quite 2.
To encourage eating, attempt to put the goo in the middle inside of the large pincher as opposed to in the large pincher. This may make him attempt to 'groom' himself.
Maybe since you are using sand, smooth the sand too before going to bed just to see if possibly he is moving about? (you can look for tracks)
This is going to be hard to explain/ask. Is there anyway you can very gently attempt to uncurl his abdomen just a little to put the very tip of his tail in a shell and lay him down that way prior to retiring for the evening?

[galaciel21]

When I first attempt to put him in his shell, his tail was slack. As I slid the shell under it he immediately tightened up. I tried to uncurl it but wasn't pushing it. He has it so tightly curled I don't want to force anything to avoid anymore stress/harm.

I'll be on the lookout for tracks but I'm not expecting anything. Other then being attached to his body, his big pincher seems totally useless. He hasn't moved it and he hasn't closed it. It just remains open and that's the side he lays on.

I'll try to place a food mixture inside the open claw and see if it does anything.

[ladybug15057]

Chances are he is attempting to protect his soft abdomen and why he is curling up so tightly. I agree, I wouldn't keep it up either after an attempt so not to stress him any further.
For the food, I would not put it "In the open claw", but on the inside side of it about in the middle. See if this will work:

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> <---inside of Middle of large pincher next to ----> feeder pincher (small pincher)
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^^ <--- open pincher

[galaciel21]

I was gonna be out of town pretty much all afternoon so before I left, I placed food in the middle of the claw like you had suggested. Since he gives me a hard time with me trying to hand feed him, I thought maybe placing something strong smelling like a small brine shrimp might encourage him to go for it. When I came home (was about 6 hrs later) I took a look and he hadn't ate the shrimp. He did move it though. It was no longer near his big pincher but near his abdomen so that showed me he must move around on his own without me being in there, even if its just his claws.

I mushed up some bananas with a small amount of honey and put it in the middle of his big pincher. I place a saturated sea sponge near him since he doesn't attempt to get up or drag his body to the water or even out his hut. I'm trying to make him as comfortable as possible.

I'll prob. take a look and see if he has bothered to touch the banana before I go to bed. I still have the shrimp nearby in case he wants it.

[galaciel21]

**Update**

So he is now darker in color and yesterday I noticed he is now moving about.

Last night I placed him outside the cocohut hoping maybe he get into the water (and some exercise to go with it) and if he never made a move, I would cover him up again before bed. When I went to go to bed, I saw he wasn't outside the cocohut anymore!

This morning when I looked through the cocohut door I saw his abdomen (yes, he is still shell less) in an upright position. I pulled the cocohut up and noticed he was scoping his shell out. I quickly covered him and hrs later noticed he didn't make the move. Not to long ago I placed a new shell I got him (he has like 10 shells in the tank to pick and choose from) in the cocohut and placed him outside again (he scooted himself back into the cocohut immediately). He was standing up so I was able to get a better look at his right side where he missing his last two legs and there doesn't appear to be any gel limbs. Hopefully they'll pop up later. He still doesn't close his big pincher but, its nice to see him holding himself up on it now. He does lean a little to the right side and I see him using the right legs that attach to the shell doing most the work for him.

Unfortunately, he still doesn't appear to be eating or drinking. I attempted to place him in the water bowl today but, he just wasn't having it and I won't push anything with him. Everyday I place something different for him to eat and it just sits there untouched the next morning.

I'm hoping maybe tomorrow he'll be shelled and after that hopefully moving about in the tank. I'm going to continue to keep him isolated until he's made a full recovery, new limbs and everything.

[ladybug15057]

Couple ideas here that may help. Do you have any margarine lids, or tupperware lids? Maybe put some cleaned shells on it (misted inside with ocean water and shaken) close to the water dishes? This way nothing will get in them that would make him need to bother cleaning them prior to sliding his little bottom into them? Do you have any really smelly food? Sardines, tuna, shrimp that would encourage him to eat? Since he isn't closing/using his large pincher the food would need to be almost a powder form because he won't be able to tear at it to pass to his feeder claw then to his mouth.
Thanks you for updating us on his situation!

[galaciel21]

I have the shells all faced up and cleaned for him. I also have them on a VIVA brand paper towel that is moist. The paper towel is really soft and durable. My husband used to use them when he housed snakes. I figured it was easier to place them on that instead of in the substrate or sand so he didn't have to drag his abdomen and get it dirty.

I also placed him on the paper towel too. I sectioned my tank with the sand, eco earth and the paper towel. If that's not okay please let me know. He seems perfectly content being on it and the paper tower stays moist without him getting dirty and keeps his abdomen moist as well.

I left the small piece of spinach in there for him over and saw that it was gone! So he seems to be making a slow process with eating. I did ground up some stinky stuff for him so hopefully he will indulge himself a little more.

Otherwise, he seems to be perfectly content. Even with all the ocean sprayed shells, he still won;'t make the move. He continues to stay in the cocohut and moves around and about in there. I did place two bottle caps, one with ground food and the other with distilled drinking water for him (I have one of those rock like water dishes and I don't think he is able to pull himself up into it). Everyday though when I lift the cocohut up to mist his towel and check on whether he has been eating and his whereabouts in the cocohut, I'll leave him outside of it and place the cocohut across from him with the entrance towards him to get him a little bit of exercise.

[ladybug15057]

I am so happy to hear he is still holding his own. The paper towel, not sure about snakes never owned them and deathly afraid of them. (long story from childhood) but paper towels are usually bleached to get the white coloring. Bleached items should not be used with hermies. Not sure either if any of it could be absorbed through his exo or abdomen? Anyway of changing it out for a plastic larger lid?
I just had a thought too... (not a pleasant one) It is very unusual that he is not taking a shell. Are you able to see without disturbing him too much if he has the little legs still that hold the shell on? (being he is missing so many legs?)
Thanks again for the update... I do hold my breath sometimes when clicking this thread to see how he is doing. Chelipeds are certainly crossed here for him!

[galaciel21]

I'll have to rummage through my little pile of Tupperware (my strange husband does not eat or likes me to keep leftovers because he apparently has a sensitive nose so I cook enough for him, my daughter and me to where it leaves no leftovers). If I don't have anything that would really work I can run out and get him something. I'm not sure if it could be absorbed either but, I'll def. be changing it out. Safety first.

Do you think it be okay to lay him on the sand now? Because he doesn't seem to groom himself, I didn't want him to get stuff on his abdomen. He actually does have his shell legs. When he props himself up, he tends to lean towards the right side. When I saw him for the first time standing like that, it was the first time I was able to get a good look at that side. He uses his big pincher to hold him up but, he does use his shell legs to support him as well and its the shell legs that look like their supporting him the most.

When I check on him tomorrow I can try to snap a picture and post it so you can get a look at him. Maybe you can spot something I can't.

No need to thank for the updating. I thank you though for being so helpful and supportive. If it weren't for your help I wouldn't have known what to do or be confident in my decisions of what I do or that it was even possible for crabs to survive after being cannibalized. Just knowing that I have been receiving help from someone who has been through has helped ease my anxiety as well. I'm so grateful to have your help =o)

[Wai]

He is having a tough time, but there is still a chance he will survive his next moult to regenerate those missing limbs.