Topic by Bunny Wabbit

  • Bunny Wabbit
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l have a fiddler crab and some red claw crabs- the fiddler i've had just over a year (Was of the understanding they only live a year- doing well!) and he shed his shell soon after l got him, and has not since.
The red claws, l have never seen shed... Does anyone know how often on average they shed their shells?

  Reply by Wil

  • Wil
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How often do crabs shed their shells

The fiddlers should be shedding every month & a half to two months. If they r not molting, there may be a problem. Do u keep them in water with sea salt added? You should - they need the calcium & iodine for the molting & carapace-building process. They only shed as a way of growing (their shells r solid, so it can not expand as they grow, they need to molt the old one, & the new one is soft for a few hours/days & it expands to the size the crab needs before it hardens). So be sure they're getting enough to eat as well!