By Lacey V on Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 5:26pm
Moving with any pet can be stressful, this is a how to guide to hopefully put less stress on you and your crabs.
What You Will Need
- plastic tote(s)
- tupperware dishes
- plastic bags (for left over sand)
- moss
- Spare UTH(s)
- Spare gauge(s)
Before The Move
As soon as find out you will be moving you will need to start setting up moving totes. A moving tote will consist of substrate and everything your crab needs just like a a normal tank (please see our all about the substrate file and basic care guides). UTHs are your best bet to heat your moving tote. I would highly recommend 20 gallon totes with a max of 4 crabs per tote. 20 gallon totes will be easier to move if a crab goes down to molt.
Once the totes are all set up, you can start moving the crabs that are not below the sub. Remove any decor (that won't disturb molters) leaving only water dishes, food dish and a hide for the crabs still under a molting. Now, you will play the waiting game. Keep checking on your main tank daily for any crabs, as they come up just gently move them to a moving tote.
If your moving day is within the next few days, start prepping the tupperware dishes with wet moss and a calcium source for the molters. Then very slowly start removing dishes and sand. When you come across a molter, very carefully move the molter to the tupperware dish. Place any remains of an exo you can find in a dish. Keep the tupperware dish in a heated dark place away from other crabs or stressors.
Do not throw out the sub in your tank, place it in the plastic bags or a big tote.
Moving Day
Prepare a smaller tote or tupperware dishes full of wet moss for the crabs that are still above the sub. Add as much moss as you can. The less room they have to be knocked around the better. Place the crabs in the dishes. Unless the tote(s) are too heavy leave the crabs under the sub where they are and carefully move the tote. If the tote is too heavy start prepping the tupperware dishes with wet moss and a calcium source for the molters. Then very slowly start removing dishes and sand. When you come across a molter, very carefully move the molter to the tupperware dish. Place any remains of an exo you can find in a dish.
Move!
Reset up your tank and place the crabs who were above the sub into the tank. Enjoy the show of them running around and exploring.
For Molters -
Reset up your iso tank(s) or tote(s). Keep each crab in iso for a week or more depending on how far along the crab was in the molt. Give them lots of healing foods, keep them in the dark and only check on them once a day. They may dig back down, so be patience.
The final step is to enjoy your new home! Happy crabbing!