Molting Problems w/ Male

S

Severus

Third Instar
Okay, my poor little roaches were taken for a ride today. The **** cat knocked them off thier table while I was at work(I heard about my dad freaking out to see them walking across the living room floor). Mom managed to get four of the six back in the enclosure. When I got home, as soon as I took my coat off, I heard some frantic hissing and the **** cat jumped out with one in his mouth. As I attempted to kick the cat(I missed) he dropped the roach, unharmed, and I put her back. I looked back where the cat had come from and saw pieces of my little male. I found his head and a piece of his abdomen. I will admit I cried over this.

My problem my big male chose this time to molt. Humidity was probably under 30% and it appears that he had trouble. He didn't eat all of his shell, probably half of it, and he still has some dirt still stuck to his abdomen. And even now(he was already returning to color when I got home five hours ago) he is having trouble moving his middle limbs, and he can't stay on the wall very long. He just falls off onto his back and he can't roll himself back upright.

I have him separated. He is becoming more active, though he still can't cling to the wall, and he is not afraid to hiss. Is there anything I should do for him? Should I put him back with the remaining four? Should I try to get the dirt off his back or just leave it? I'm afraid he might still be soft and I might hurt him more.

Thanks much.

 
I would place him back with the others carefully, on the bottom right side up, and leave him alone. If he will survive it would be in the normal living situation. Dont bother with the dirt or anything else.

 
Thank you so much. I put him in about ten minutes after I posted that, right before I went to bed. He seemed to be doing alright, but now he is not very responsive. He didn't even hiss when I brushed him with a finger. He's a goner. The dirt is gone, but where it was is very deformed. Kind of like the dirt was a scab over a wound.

A good note though. Dad called me at seven this morning to tell me he found my last one, that I thought was the pieces I picked up yesterday. He was unharmed and hiding under a book. So at least I am not losing two.

They will be going back into my room for now, unless the temperature drops again. (my room often gets below freezing on really cold nights. old house)

 
He could make it, im sure he is tired from molting and roaches generally stay still as they harden. They also dont have full nerve function after they molt, that also comes with time.

Thats why they climb before they molt, not after they molted.

 
Well, sadly, he and my little male who spent a night on the cold livingroom floor did not make it. When I woke up the next day they were both dead. Stupid cat. Luckily it warmed up enough to be able to move them back into my room.

But it's all good. I have now three females and one male. They are all eating well, and are now safe and secure in my room.

 
Sometimes accidents happen you know, dont feel so bad. Could have been worse, you could have stepped on your roaches by accident.

 
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Oh lord that would be TERRIBLE!

Well the remaining four are doing great.

And my oh my, one of my females I think is finally an adult! Check out these pictures. They are of her on a 4x6 photo of one of them. You can see the size of the roach next to my thumb then, and now. hehehe. These are really neat pictures.

roachPic3.jpg


http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/Mok...ls/RoachPic.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/Mok...s/RoachPic4.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/Mok...s/RoachPic2.jpg

 
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