How often do crabs shed their shells?

Question

I 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 I got him, and hasn't since.
The red claws, I have never seen shed... Does anyone know how often on average they shed their shells?

Answer 1

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