Holiday problem

[Wai]

For those who don't know, I currently have two hermit crabs: Eris and Haumea. Eris significantly larger than Haumea.

Eris has been buried since Boxing Day and I suspect that he is moulting. Therefore, I have not disturbed him in any way. However, I don't know where he is exactly buried; I only know that he is buried somewhere in the "bottom-left" corner.

Up till now, since Boxing Day, I haven't done anything to separate Haumea from Eris. However, I just witnessed Haumea starting to dig at where Eris is buried and this has started getting me seriously worried. I gently pulled Haumea away from the burrow he was starting, and unsurprisingly, he wriggled around, trying to pinch me. Luckily, he only pinched at my fingernail, so it didn't hurt.

Unfortunately, I have to leave for Hong Kong at the end of this month and will be away until the end of February. I will have my neighbours dropping in to check the humidity and change the food and water, but that is all that I can request of them. There are no crabbers in my area.

All I have besides the 14 gallon main tank is a critter keeper. I could put the whole critter keeper inside the tank and leave Haumea in it. However, besides Eris's safety, I'm also worried that Haumea will be psychologically affected. He has been very lonely since Eris disappeared from the surface.

My other option is to fence-off the area which Eris is buried. However, I would have to pull out the giant plastic plants, otherwise Haumea (who is one of the best climbers I've had) will climb over the fence. The plants have helped provide shade from the sun (my tank gets small amounts of sunlight, since it's a few feet away from the nearby window) and consequently helped keep the humidity up.

What should I do?

[Chermo]

I don't know if you remember from my beginning crabbing in August Kermi dug down where Orangy was buried so I had to dig them both up. The thing is that Kermi dug where Orangy was but Orangy really was not there in the spot where she dug down. She tunneled over and Kermi was going the other way away from where Orangy had settled. I was not aware of that and dug them both up then Orangy actually had to pull a surface molt, it was not fun but I wouldn't worry about it. If you are worried about it you can maybe fence off the section and then if your neighbors see Eris you can ask them to remove the fence, that way they won't have to touch the crabs if they don't want to. I would however have some fresh and salt water and food in the fence too as if Eris comes up he will have some food and water. It is up to you as to what you do. I would not put Haumea in the KK in the tank as then he/she can't move around as much and that may stress her out.

[Wai]

Important update: I have located Eris. I was beginning to set up the "fence", so I had to remove some toys and the dishes. As I pushed the "fence" in, I touched some loose sand and it caved in. Following the burrow with my finger, I touched something hard, which no doubt was the back of Eris's shell. I think I heard a bit of chirping, so I think he's still alive. In other words, Eris is buried right under the fresh water dish, which is in the centre of the tank. I immediately covered back the mouth of the burrow with sand (as was before) and placed the water dish back on top.

Should I just do nothing for now? I don't want to bar off the fresh water dish. So far, Haumea hasn't been much of a digger. He prefers to sleep in the plant pot or on the surface. If he does dig, he only digs directly along the sides of the tank.

Will Eris be okay? I hope what I did does not count as "digging him up". I have "disturbed" him a little though and I'm a little worried, because every moulter in the past that I've dug up by accident has died.

[ladybug15057]

I would not put Haumea in the ck'er. Since you have the 2 hermies and now know where Eris is you should be able to section off the tank. I realize you mention he is under the water dish in the middle of the tank, but depending on how it is set up you can divide the tank in 1/2 and give each their own side. You can remove the fresh water dish and put a plastic lid off of a margarine bowl or such to still provide the hardened type 'covering' he was after when he burrowed under it.
Being gone a month... do you have a reptile reservoir or such that you can put water in to ensure they will have the water they need? (In case your sitter doesn't make it over for a day or two for some reason?) You may wish to make this as easy on them as possible so they don't dread checking in on the hermies:

http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modu ... toryid=154

[Wai]

Considering that I'll be away for almost a month's time, I would not be surprised if tiny Haumea moulted some time in between. Would it be a good idea to isolate him in the critter keeper inside the tank before I leave? That way I can be sure that post-moult Eris won't disturb Haumea. The critter keeper that I have is about 2/5 the size of the main tank.

Last night, I had a nightmare involving me coming home from Hong Kong and finding mid-moult Haumea murdered by post-moult Eris. That's why I'm so worried...

[emmac350]

I was away while one of my crabs molted. The two were similar in size, which is a bit different than your problem, but it worked out fine with both being in the main cage. I made sure that the food they had gave enough calcium and protein and chitin that if one came up he wouldn't have the nutritional need to dig up the other one for his exo.

[Wai]

I have now divided the tank in half so that the two can't disturb each other.

[ladybug15057]

I'm happy to hear that, it is much better than one being stuck in a pint sized ck'er.
Maybe while you're away if your sitter notices the other does molt and recovers she can give them a dip in a larger water source, remove the divider and let them both have all the room of the tank? (just a thought as long as she isn't skittish of the hermies)

[Wai]

I can't let her handle Haumea, because I know he'll try to pinch her. He's a tiny hermit crab and can easily reach our fingers as we're holding his shell. Haumea still insists on pinching me, let alone her.

I can't expect her to handle the crabs, because she's arachnophobic and can't stand things that resemble spiders. She already has to look after our garden and house, so I shouldn't ask for more.