Rough molt....

[RussGB]

Re: Rough molt....

By the way, her favorite home was one of thos artifical plastic or resin logs, I think made for lizards and the like...

[Spot86t]

Re: Rough molt....

Nice Pic Russ!  I've heard molts are harder the older they get.  Have always been advised to salt the tank and put a drop or 2 of iodine in the tank to help with molting.  I've had to trim shells off some of my florida guys - hard to do since they're so soft after a molt.

That's funny about your girl - Blindie's favorite cave was one of those fake slate caves from petco too.  He doesn'st fit in it easily anymore tho.  Maybe it's a blind yabbie thing....  

he's recovered from his molt, and has come out a bit more, but I still have the divider up until I can spend a day without it where I can check on them frequently.  Nearly all his old shell has been eaten, save for a few pieces of his claws.  Guess they're harder than the rest - except the red part which never hardens.

I'll have to sneak a pic of my one-armed guy if I can get him to stay out long enuf.  He seems camera shy.

[ghoastgirl1]

Re: Rough molt....

Awesome photos Russ. Really impressive animal.
I just finished installing my new slate caves for my three guys.
Hope they like them. I threw in some rocks and seashells for some extra color.
Hopefully in the morning they won't be so shy...or traumatized.
My big FB cray just molted today...his molt is being passed around between the other two. One thing I noticed though was that he was being picked at by the fish which is very unusual. He's about 3'' now. The smallest is about 1''. Hope the others catch up...

[ghoastgirl1]

Re: Rough molt....

Here's a quick shot of my new guy and the slate...what do you think of the layout?

[Spot86t]

Re: Rough molt....

Looks like it'll work fine!  You may have to get some larger slate when they get full-grown.  Just make sure it's stable so you don't have anything go 'squish'.  I've noticed they like to have at least 2 openings, so if you make a single-entrance/exit cave, they might try and dig out another side.  So make sure there's support in case they do.  I had a slate fall once, landed on one guys claw and he couldnt' pull it out.  No idea how long he was like that but once I freed him he was OK.  Couldn't have been too long or the others would have taken advantage of his immobility.

Don't worry about the layout too much - there will come a time when no matter what sort of layout YOU like, they'll rearrange it for you on a regular basis.  Sometimes the fun part is watching them rearrange everything, then change their minds and rearrange it again.  Some of mine eliminate all the gravel from their 'cave' which I think is odd since they have such a hard time maneuvering on glass (too slippery).