A little relief in the house: It seems our largest hermit crab successfully molted.

[HopeHoops]

She's in a shell that's almost the size of a baseball. The larger crabs have a hard time molting in captivity and she'd spent about a week and a half in the same corner. We thought she was dead a few times, but this morning her former exoskeleton was next to her and she's got a nice healthy pink color. The post-molting time is almost as dangerous so we'll have to wait it out. Several of the smaller crabs had been hanging out around her and touching her like they were coaching her through it. That's pretty damn weird. I've never seen that before, but then again they usually molt under the sand or stones.

[lillypaddle]

1. Need pics

What's her name?

[HopeHoops]

2. Her name is Clarion (Clair) and I do have pics but don't have a flying fuck of an idea as to where.

She's about the largest hermit crab I've ever seen (if not THE largest).

[lillypaddle]

4. Clair's a hefty girl, eh?

Well, glad she is doing well.

[HopeHoops]

5. She at least got her exoskeleton off. Only time will tell if she's doing "well".

It is best to leave them alone after they molt.

[mockmonkey]

3. Our crab Amin...

He doesn't get to have any friends since he decided they are all yummy. He is currently under the sand and I don't expect to see him for a few months.

We have a couple of smaller crabs in another tank and only ever see the smaller of the two.

I don't think I've ever seen anything more disturbing than the back-end of a crab as it changes shells....yuck!

[HopeHoops]

7. Hell, they're fucking ugly when they go streaking!

At least with a shell change things happen quickly. There's a bunch of shit back there that doesn't look "right", if you know what I mean.

[mockmonkey]

9. Amin

I've never found an exoskeleton after Amin has molted. I assume he eats it.

This is what he looks like. I can never get a decent picture.

[HopeHoops]

10. They often eat it. Amin's a pretty good size for a crab.

Clair is about double that size, based on your picture. It also looks like Amin is probably a male, but the image isn't clear enough to determine that.

They're great pets, aren't they?

[TZ]

6. I love hermit crabs

we had some when I was growing up..but I think the unfortunate mix up of thinking a crab was dead when it was really only a shed exoskeleton caused the end of them as pets in the house...x(

[HopeHoops]

8. We've had a few of those. The exoskeleton hangs out and it looks a LOT like a dead crab.

We've found them tucked WAY into the back of a shell.

[Demoiselle]

11. I love your subject line.

I laughed at first...ignorant of all tensions and worries associated with hermit crabs as pets. And then I read. And learned.
I know that this is going to sound totally goopy....but the world is truly fascinating in its variety. And so are all of you on DU.

[HopeHoops]

13. Unfortunately we've lost a few over the years, mostly when they tried to molt.

Some were really cool critters with great personalities (and yes, they do interact with humans). We've rescued a number of them from really shitty environments where they certainly would have died. We've got a tank big enough for a substantial iguana so they've got a lot of room to cruise around, things to climb on, and both sand and gravel to molt in (they do have individual preferences here).

[Demoiselle]

14. Wonderful and amazing. Thank you.

[Demoiselle]

12. self delete. nt.

[caitxrawks]

15. well yay :)

And coaching crabs. That's precious. Even if crabs creep me out.

[Arugula Latte]

16. Or maybe the other crabs were hoping she'd croack so they could eat her

They were surrounding her like little vultures.

:D

Sorry to be gross. I'm glad she molted successfully. :)

[HopeHoops]

17. Not too far from the truth. They had a feast on her exoskeleton.

They often eat their own exoskeletons, but they'll eat any one they can get.