Mehitabel has gone under

pstice · 09-13-2006, 12:50 PM

On Monday I watched mehitabel dig herself into the corner and then tunnel a bit inward. She has not emerged. This is the very first time she has dug, since she never had anything to burrow into until two weeks ago. Her companion, archy, has stayed under the hideylog since she went under. I've moved a little dish of food under there for him and he's eating. I can't see that she is coming out at all. I have plenty of food in there and will get some cuttlebone to put in there in case this is a molt. I am basically leaving the two of them alone except to change their water and food. The temp is maintaining at around 75 and humidity hovers around 80. Of course I am worrying, being new to this stuff but trying to go moment by moment. Am I missing anything?

rodent111 · 09-14-2006, 07:57 PM

i think u've got it all. i would just leave them alone but keep a close eye on um. if it does turn out to be a molt i would dvide the tank in half just in case. dont want to risk one bullying the other

pstice · 09-15-2006, 06:03 PM

This morning, archy burrowed partway under the grapevine; when I walked through a moment ago, he was completely submerged under a mound of sand and coconut fiber. Far as I can tell he and mehitabel are in opposite corners of the tank. All is quiet now. Feeling a bit bereft. But there's food and water available; I'll get more shells and the cuttlebone and play the waiting game. Thanks for your encouragement.

pstice · 10-10-2006, 12:31 PM

It's been a month now since mehitabel went under. Three weeks since archy went under. No movement at all. The tank still smells okay, like coconut fibers. I go from feeling confident they will emerge to feeling awful and sad and wondering what's happened down there.

Jason · 10-10-2006, 02:21 PM

I know how you are feeling, since every crabber has been there. It is stressful at times but they know what they are doing. It is best to leave them alone, not disturb them and they will come up when they are ready. If you are up late at night, you might hear a scraping sound since I seem to hear it every night. That is the only way I know for sure that they are alive. Of course I always think they might be trapped under the water bowl and are trying to scratch their way through it. So it can be stressful at times. Hopefully all is well and they will come up soon.

Jason

reader101 · 10-10-2006, 04:46 PM

NEVER underestimate the cunning of the hermie!

I have had several molt right under the water dishes; I couldn't figure out why they burrowed in the worst place...until I realized the dishes were going down quickly, as the molter underneath just stood up when he wanted a drink and tipped the dish!
Please, if anyone ever thinks they've got these guys figured out, let me know!

reader101 · 10-13-2006, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pstice

It's been a month now since mehitabel went under. Three weeks since archy went under. No movement at all. The tank still smells okay, like coconut fibers. I go from feeling confident they will emerge to feeling awful and sad and wondering what's happened down there.

It's been a while...any update? (Or is it in another thread/forum).

pstice · 10-14-2006, 12:00 PM

They are both still under. No sign of any movement that I can see. If they are eating, they are eating the substrate (mehitabel loved to eat the EE), 'cause they haven't touched the food. Not even the shrimp I put in last night brought them out. Trying to keep up my spirits and am very appreciative of everybody's encouragement. I posted pictures of Mehitabel on here somewhere. Having only the two of them and having them both disappear at the same time left me sort of stunned, I guess. It's an experience, this is. Keeping my pincers crossed for them both.

Jason · 10-14-2006, 02:04 PM

Keep your spirits up and don't worry about them not eating when they are under. They can go a long time without food when molting. If you are up late a night, listen for movement. When you hear it you will know what I mean. It is sort of like the scratching sound you hear in the horror movies.

When they are ready they will come up and hopefully with a shiny new set of armor.

Jason

pstice · 10-14-2006, 07:40 PM

Thanks. This is sort of goofy, but I've been trying to memorize the patterns in the substrate sand and EE against the glass, so that I can tell if somebody's been making movements under there. Watching the water dishes carefully too. Again, thanks.

09-13-2006, 12:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
pstice "Never Molted" Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 35	Mehitabel has gone under On Monday I watched mehitabel dig herself into the corner and then tunnel a bit inward. She has not emerged. This is the very first time she has dug, since she never had anything to burrow into until two weeks ago. Her companion, archy, has stayed under the hideylog since she went under. I've moved a little dish of food under there for him and he's eating. I can't see that she is coming out at all. I have plenty of food in there and will get some cuttlebone to put in there in case this is a molt. I am basically leaving the two of them alone except to change their water and food. The temp is maintaining at around 75 and humidity hovers around 80. Of course I am worrying, being new to this stuff but trying to go moment by moment. Am I missing anything?

09-14-2006, 07:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
rodent111 (Micro Crab) Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 87	Re: Mehitabel has gone under i think u've got it all. i would just leave them alone but keep a close eye on um. if it does turn out to be a molt i would dvide the tank in half just in case. dont want to risk one bullying the other __________________ sydbob

09-15-2006, 06:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
pstice "Never Molted" Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 35	Re: Mehitabel has gone under This morning, archy burrowed partway under the grapevine; when I walked through a moment ago, he was completely submerged under a mound of sand and coconut fiber. Far as I can tell he and mehitabel are in opposite corners of the tank. All is quiet now. Feeling a bit bereft. But there's food and water available; I'll get more shells and the cuttlebone and play the waiting game. Thanks for your encouragement.

10-10-2006, 12:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
pstice "Never Molted" Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 35	Re: Mehitabel has gone under It's been a month now since mehitabel went under. Three weeks since archy went under. No movement at all. The tank still smells okay, like coconut fibers. I go from feeling confident they will emerge to feeling awful and sad and wondering what's happened down there.

10-10-2006, 02:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jason Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Posts: 319	Re: Mehitabel has gone under I know how you are feeling, since every crabber has been there. It is stressful at times but they know what they are doing. It is best to leave them alone, not disturb them and they will come up when they are ready. If you are up late at night, you might hear a scraping sound since I seem to hear it every night. That is the only way I know for sure that they are alive. Of course I always think they might be trapped under the water bowl and are trying to scratch their way through it. So it can be stressful at times. Hopefully all is well and they will come up soon. Jason

10-10-2006, 04:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
reader101 Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 242	Re: Mehitabel has gone under NEVER underestimate the cunning of the hermie! I have had several molt right under the water dishes; I couldn't figure out why they burrowed in the worst place...until I realized the dishes were going down quickly, as the molter underneath just stood up when he wanted a drink and tipped the dish! Please, if anyone ever thinks they've got these guys figured out, let me know!

10-14-2006, 12:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
pstice "Never Molted" Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 35	Re: Mehitabel has gone under They are both still under. No sign of any movement that I can see. If they are eating, they are eating the substrate (mehitabel loved to eat the EE), 'cause they haven't touched the food. Not even the shrimp I put in last night brought them out. Trying to keep up my spirits and am very appreciative of everybody's encouragement. I posted pictures of Mehitabel on here somewhere. Having only the two of them and having them both disappear at the same time left me sort of stunned, I guess. It's an experience, this is. Keeping my pincers crossed for them both.

10-14-2006, 02:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jason Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Posts: 319	Re: Mehitabel has gone under Keep your spirits up and don't worry about them not eating when they are under. They can go a long time without food when molting. If you are up late a night, listen for movement. When you hear it you will know what I mean. It is sort of like the scratching sound you hear in the horror movies. When they are ready they will come up and hopefully with a shiny new set of armor. Jason

10-14-2006, 07:40 PM	#10 (permalink)
pstice "Never Molted" Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 35	Re: Mehitabel has gone under Thanks. This is sort of goofy, but I've been trying to memorize the patterns in the substrate sand and EE against the glass, so that I can tell if somebody's been making movements under there. Watching the water dishes carefully too. Again, thanks.

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