Tales from the Crabitat part 2

It's riveting.....I know

So, I wasn't sure if the damn thing was dead or what the hell was going on with it. I call one of Big One's friend's mothers that knows of these creatures and ask her.....Val....WTF??

She tells me it doesn't look good. She's never seen one come out of it's shell and stay out ...... unless...it died. She asks "Does it have extra shells?" and I'm all...WTF?? what do you mean extra shells, how many shells do the little bastards need? I mean come on, these little boogers are becoming extremely high maintenance and costly. "But they have to have extra shells. They like to change shells and they also need a range of sizes for when they grow".

So now my Big One's hermit crabs are Fashionistas? They like outfit changes? They need variety? Do they think they've moved to Neiman Marcus?

So here we go off to Petsmart AGAIN to get shells for the diva.

When we get back home we put a couple selections in the crabitat and cross our fingers. We decided to keep them separated until we find out of Crabby is dead or sick or it's that time of the month...you know how that goes. And now that I know they are such divas.....

The next morning it is still not in it's shell. Still in the corner of the cage motionless, looking all gross and exposed. I made Big One put the crabitat down in the garage. We don't want Shellby looking over and getting any ideas you know. A full week later nothing has changed. At this point we are certain the crab has died a fashion victim and moved on to a better place with more shell selection. Alas, we have a 14 day guarantee from Petsmart so we plan to take Crabby back and trade for a new and better living crab.

Unfortunately we never got around to doing that last week and it didn't seem urgent since the crab was, you know....dead. Just hanging out in the crab-condo waiting to be transported back to Petsmart.

Friday night we had friends over and grilled out, drank beer and chilled on the patio. The minis were out in full force playing on the waterslide and sidewalk chalking the entire driveway and hide and go seeking and whatnot. I needed a beverage and they wanted popsicles so I walk around the house to go to the garage-fridge. I grab a couple beers and some popsicles and start to walk away and glace down and notice that Crabby's shell is turned back over the right way and sitting square in the middle of the cage. The carcass is no longer in the corner of the cage, however there are what appear to be leg parts strewn about and a large claw sort of just there.

hmmmm......strange. The gaggle of minis must have been messing with it or playing with the cage or something. Oh well. We'll take it in the morning, need to get rid of it.

I get back around the house and "Hey Big One....did you guys mess with the hermit crab cage in the garage?". She turns around with the most disgusted face you've ever seen and says "Um, EWWWWW....no way, it's DEAD Mommy...sheesh"

Ummm......then no, no it's not dead. It's alive. No freaking way. NO WAY. Oh yes way. The little diva is alive. So I run back around into the garage and use the little scooper thing to flip it over to see and there is a crab in the shell but it sort falls apart. A leg falls off and it kind of smells. I figure it had a last surge of life and got back in the shell or something cause no way was that thing still alive after all that time and being out of it's shell for over a week and all with no food or water (not because there was none but because it didn't move). So I dismiss it as one of those freaky things and go back to my friends on the patio.

By this time I am so over these damn crabs. I'm so sick of it's dead, it's not dead, it's dead, it's not dead and it's dead. But wait......the next day the damn thing is across the cage in a different spot. The little son of a bitch is NOT DEAD. Holy shit, who knew hermit crabs had 9 lives?

and all I can figure is it was molting or something. I have no idea. But it got back in it's shell and has since been moved upstairs with Shellby. We THINK it's still alive but have no proof and I've thrown in the towel so-to-speak and Big One is on her own with those damn creatures.

She totally ignores them now that she's seen one out of it's shell. I feel sorry for them. I think I'm going to give them to the neighbor girl that has 7 already. Or Big One starts school in 2 weeks, maybe her class will need pets???

Let me just say this with complete confidence......I hate hermit crabs and we will never have them again.