Crab Comforts and the Parting of the Cash- Part V

I don't know if it was guilt or just a need to protect, but now that the crabs had been found after such a traumatizing effort, I felt compelled to provide the best in crab comforts now for these little creatures. I couldn't possibly leave them in a tiny container and definitely could not place them back into their original Crab Home that had been the very place where they had almost met their demise-- not once but twice!

No, I had to get them the very best I could afford-- they needed a true crabitat, no, they needed a CRAB MAHAL.

I began by doing the research that very same evening that I had been reunited with the fellows (disclaimer-- I think I've since found out that Steve is a girl, but we won't tell him that). I found out that to be properly kept, the crabs needed to be provided with at least six inches of sand and a substrate of shredded coconut shells, a heating pad, hiding places and the debate was out on whether or whether not to provide a natural sea sponge for watering purposes. Sounded easy enough- I'd just make a visit to my local pet store the following day and purchase a 5 gallon aquarium, a screen top, some bedding and we'd be good to go.

Remember in my first part of the Crab Saga when I said that I thought $30 or so would be plenty to spend on these creatures? Boy, oh boy, was I wrong!

I entered the local commercial chain pet store the next morning, mistake number one I know, and began looking for the 5 gallon aquariums. Didn't it figure, they were completely sold out. However, shock of all shocks-- they had an aquarium sale whereby I could get a 10 gallon aquarium for ONLY $1.00 a gallon! What a deal! Cha-ching.

I grumbled, but again thought of the fate that the crabs had endured and figured that it would only be a few dollars more for the bedding and top and maybe a couple of bucks for the special hiding places and we'd be good. I selected a 10 gallon aquarium and then made my way over to the screen tops. I surely thought it was a joke-- $12.00?! Ugh. Thoughts of the former spilled Crab Home seeped into my thoughts though and I figured-- well, I don't want them to be able to escape again or have something else get them so I'd better spring for the top. Cha-ching, Cha-ching.

Next to follow was the substrate and I thought-- it's shredded coconut, can't be that expensive right? I wasn't too far off for the bedding fortunately, only $4.99 for a brick of the compressed stuff. Okay, I could live with that. Maybe this wasn't going to be too bad after all. ching.

Then I wanted to get the special crab heater that I had read they NEEDED and a special water bowl that wouldn't allow them to drown themselves, and two hiding places (I know I said I had three crabs, but the one was so tiny that they could share their digs I figured), and heaven knows you HAVE to have a thermometer to track what the temperature is within their home and, wait, what's this?? A special Hermit Crab Kit! Oooooh, my eyes must have grown to be the size of the cat's in the Shrek movies. I- MUST- HAVE- KIT! My mind echoed. The kit came with special bedding, special food, a small water dish, thermometer and sand. Wow, the cost of these items by themselves wouldn't be as great of a deal as the Hermit Crab Kit! I picked up the kit and placed it in the aquarium with the screen top.

Now, I just needed the special heating pad that I was told I MUST have and once I located said item I balked at the cost-- $19.99?!!? It was a tiny pad with an electric cord attached. How in the heck could the heater be so much?! I debated for a few moments and I thought of the poor little shivering crabs, alone and in the dark with no food, no water, oh, they deserved so much more my mind was thinking. Was I mad?! Most likely I was, but I selected the heating pad anyway and made my way up to the counter -- I was a poster child for any of those poor suckers that get an animal for the first time and think that they need to purchase everything offered for said animal. I'm sure the CEO of the commercial pet store chain was greedily rubbing his hands together somewhere on my need for all things crab. I am definitely a marketing target sucker.

I paid for my items and shuddered at what I had just shelled over to create this ultimate redemption Crab Mahal. I won't go into detail at how much all items ended up costing, but I will say that I could have gotten a kitten or puppy started for what I paid for these crabs.

Oh well, no matter I thought. They're been through a traumatic event and they're so going to appreciate all of the time and resources that I'm going to give to them. Ha!

I brought all of my items home, again passing through doggy security as I entered the back door to my house, and started to set everything up. I couldn't wait to see the crabs in their new, secure, home. It was going to be like the movie "Free Willy" or perhaps the theme from Born Free would start playing as they stretched out in their new area.

I also thought, how in the world can the pet trade say these are great first pets?! They're expensive, they require so much care with keeping temperature and humidity within acceptable limits and you have to mist them every day! This was definitely going to be the ultimate test in keeping such pets.

This thought quickly dissipated though as I put the finishing touches on the home and then went to get my three crabby pets from their small holding container. Steve, George and the sympathy crab, which by now had been named William, all got placed into the container gently and with a "enjoy your new home." I fastened the screen lid on, double checked to be sure it was secure and then sat down in front of the aquarium to watch them emerge to start exploring.

 Crab Mahal

 

A minute went by, and then 5 minutes, and then 10 minutes and the creatures were not moving from their shells. My older dog, Gracie, came up to me and started to cry for attention-- not understanding why I was staring at something that wasn't doing anything, smelled funny and didn't involve her. I patted her head, told her to wait a minute and kept watching the shells for movement.

 

Finally, Steve started to stretch his crabby legs and I thought, "Yay! He's going to look around his new home!" I watched him completely emerge from his shell, and start to head towards the white sand of the Crab Mahal. Oh, isn't this wonderful? I thought to myself. He's going to eat some of the food that I had just mixed moments before-- what a great crab mamma I am.

 

Steve bypassed the food dish, approached the wooden hiding box marked with "Sleephouse" on the front, crawled inside and didn't move again. Harumph, I thought, that was less than exciting.

 

My attention now turned to William and George. Surely one of these crustaceans would take notice of my crabitat decorating skills and appreciate the glory that was the Crab Mahal.

 

More minutes ticked by and Gracie pawed frantically at my lap, begging my attention away. Finally, after 30 minutes or so, I gave up and went to do other tasks that afternoon. I guess all of those days alone in the house had exhausted the crabs and maybe they just needed to sleep. Perhaps later they would be doing the hiding, digging, crazy stuff that I had read about in all of the crab care manuals (especially the one that came with the Crab Kit).

 

I've now owned the crabs for roughly 4 weeks and I rarely catch them moving. I'm told they are nocturnal animals and move mostly at night. In the mornings when I go to mist their home with a little squirt bottle, I notice that sand has been moved around and various other signs that something has been moving around through the night, but other than that-- they're pretty boring pets. I don't know how, but I've somehow managed to keep them moist enough, warm enough and fed and watered enough that they're surviving. I still don't understand how they can be great first time pets-- they require so much more care than your average goldfish or even cat or dog.

 

Still though, it has been an adventure in trying to get these guys to where they are today. I've seen even better Crab Mahals that are bordering on the extreme with special grow lights and water features, misting machines and climbing branches. These are great and I'm sure my crabs would appreciate a home more closely related to where they originate from which would be the tropical area around South Florida and closer to the Equator. In the meantime, however, I'll just keep watching for that next story to happen around my little urban zoo.