Lazarus

[c est ma]

This is for everyone who's just gotten hermit crabs and never witnessed a molt before. It's completely understandable that one's first response is "OMG, it's dead!" (or, " 'X' must have killed it!").

 

Yesterday my scarlet hc molted in a convenient place to get some fairly nice pics...

 

1:43pm--the 'OMG it's dead' stage:

 

 

Boy, that top shell sure looks empty:

 

 

And this sure looks like a dead crab--"meaty parts" and all:

 

 

(Just a perfect molt, of course. Though we take molting for granted, this characteristic of arthropods is amazing. Look at the perfectly detailed abdominal appendages exoskeleton in that shot!)

 

8:43pm. Lazarus:

 

 

 

(Note color difference between fresh crab & old exoskeleton. The newly molted crab will get lighter and brighter as time passes...)

 

 

One more shot of the molt:

 

 

Interestingly, this crab has been molting and keeping the same shell for quite a while, now. (Note--not that they change shells at the time that they molt!) I'm thinking he's full-grown and has found a nice heavy shell that he likes, so he's "happy."

 

Also, he molted right there--on top of the rock, in the back, next to the glass. Usually this one and my other--a Mexican red-legged--tend to disappear w/in the LR at molting time...but fairly often they just grow inactive for a day or two and then molt more or less in plain sight. I suppose this means my tank doesn't have any serious predatory threats to them...

 

--Diane

[Thunil]

Awesome pics, good job.

[Balmarog]

That's awesome. I like his shell too, he's built like a tank

[chazertis]

great pictures, should really calm some folks down

[c est ma]

Thanks, all!

 

That's awesome. I like his shell too, he's built like a tank

 

 

Yeah, what has happened to these shells that look like they're covered in cement? Are they showing dead layers of coralline or something? At any rate, this is one of those shells that look way too heavy for a hermit to manage...though of course, he does just fine.

 

(Tho at times he's the 'bull in the china shop'... )

 

--Diane

[dshnarw]

Thanks, all!

Yeah, what has happened to these shells that look like they're covered in cement? Are they showing dead layers of coralline or something? At any rate, this is one of those shells that look way too heavy for a hermit to manage...though of course, he does just fine.

 

(Tho at times he's the 'bull in the china shop'... )

 

--Diane

 

 

I think its time for you to build a website. All those other ID/WTH?!?!? websites would be put to shame by your photodocumentation skillz

[fries852]

I think its time for you to build a website. All those other ID/WTH?!?!? websites would be put to shame by your photodocumentation skillz

 

 

+1, I agree

 

great shots Diane!!!! Thanks for sharing.

 

Andrea

[c est ma]

Aw, thanks, you folks are way too kind!

 

Thing is, I just have my humble little 5.5g...can't add much to it...so instead of new stuff, I just spend a lot of time looking at the old! (And it's funny how often you can notice something new about something old. )

 

--D