Is it the end for my dear Arwen? 17-year-old Rose T is motionless in molting position for 19 hours

[Larry]

Last night I was VERY excited to discover that Arwen on her back in molt position (she has not eating in months, her joints looked exposed, bald patch etc... all signs pointed to molting) -- I set up a timelapse camera before I went to bed ---- but overnight she did not move - ok one leg moved a tiny bit at the beginning of the timelapse but that was it

She hasn't molted in a couple of years, so I'm trying to stay hopeful that she is just old and slow...

She seems to have curled up a bit now but otherwise no movement. Is it the end? I'm going to be devastated.

While I've been watering routinely it's been really dry in Toronto, perhaps she is dehydrated... is there ANYTHING I can do at this point to help?

Would misting with a spray bottle of room temperature water do anything? I have not touched or blown on her or interfered in any way yet.

Please help if you can!

 

[Casey K.]

Her abdomen looks shriveled. That's usually a sign of dehydration unless she has just started the molting process but she should be exposing at least some of her new exoskeleton. I would not spray water but pour it gently around her and moisten the substrate. If she is molting it will help her but if she isn't molting, it appears that she needs water.