Despite my relentless opposition, we have managed to acquire our first pet. Not a cuddly puppy or a sweet purring kitty. Not even a furry hamster or nose-twitching bunny. Certainly not a slithery amphibian or an eight legged creepy crawly nightmare.
No, we have the pleasure of owning a crustacean.
Tommy was thrilled. Really, he was. "I FINALLY have a pet!" he shouted when he unwrapped the birthday paper to find the cage containing his new hermit crab.
[I should add that this "gift" was from his aunt, my sister, who seems to take pleasure in giving my kids things that she knows I will dislike. Gifts that seem harmless enough, but are really packed with a few sibling punches].
"COMET! His name will be COMET!" Tommy announced.
Even though another living thing to feed, bath and clean (unless it counts as a tax deduction) is pretty low on my wish list, I thought I could atleast deal with a hermit crab. I mean, how hard can that be?
Turns out, hermit crabs require more attention than I thought.
Hermit crabs have specific and particular hermit crab needs (who knew?).
I have learned that optimal temperatures for Comet must be between 70-80 degrees (no small feat for a New England hermit crab in the winter). Comet can only consume non-chlorinated water, which means I am buying bottled water for a hermit crab.
Tap water for my children. Bottled water for Comet.
Comet enjoys hermit crab food pellets, which contain all of the necessary goodness a growing hermit crab needs, but he may also be given small nibbles of apples and carrots as treats (you know, if he has a particularly rough day or something). Comet needs to be bathed once a week, and prefers to have a variety of shells in his crabitat so that he can choose his next home appropriately (so the overly-enthusiastic-about-hermit-crabs guy at Petco told us).
So much to know about hermit crab care.
And speaking of hermit crab care, guess who's responsible for said hermit crab?
Here's a hint: it starts with an M and ends in an E.
But we all knew that would happen, and I'm using this as reason number 508 why we will not be getting a dog, or any other animal that requires more care than a crustacean.
So, without further ado, a big warm (or cold and crusty?), hermit crab welcome to Comet. I don't know how long you will live, new friend, and I apologize for your less-than-optimal conditions. But knowing that you have the honor of being our first pet should make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 
Monday, January 14, 2008
Crustacean Goodness
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15 comments:
I had many hermit crab friends growing up. Every trip to the Jersey shore lead to another crab purchase. At least you took the time to learn how to care for the crab. The temperature thing is key. One year my crab made it to the winter. My mother thought its home had an odor so she moved the cage (along with the crab) outside. Winter. In New Jersey. Needless to say when I picked up the crab's shell his lifeless body came tumbling out. Ahhh, memories.
Well, nothing about that picture makes me feel warm and fuzzy;) That being said, good luck to you and Comet!
oh my!!! I have never heard of such an animal as a pet! This coming from a gal who had a pet duck that lived in her house!!!
thanks for sharing!
Magoo has been begging for a hermit crab for months. After reading this post, the only crab in our house will be steamed and lightly buttered.
I'm secretly afraid of those.
Aren't sisters fun like that! Have you ever read High Tide in Tucson by Barbara Kingsolver? The first chapter is all about their pet hermit crab. Your blog is reminiscent. Good luck!
Aren't sisters fun like that! Have you ever read High Tide in Tucson by Barbara Kingsolver? The first chapter is all about their pet hermit crab. Your blog is reminiscent. Good luck!
Aren't sisters fun like that! Have you ever read High Tide in Tucson by Barbara Kingsolver? The first chapter is all about their pet hermit crab. Your blog is reminiscent. Good luck!
Opps, sorry for that, I'm not that hip with leaving comments and thought it didn't post but it actually posted 3 times. Sorry!
Another plus: you now have hermit-crab-related ads on your blog!
Have fun with the crab, if that's possible. Do NOT EVER go for a rabbit. If anyone wants to know the dark side of bunny ownership, speak to me.
Oh, what a lovely pet.
My sister also takes pleasure in giving my kid things that she knows I will dislike - like the silver plastic with pink maribou mules she gave my daughter for Christmas.
Awww, he is so cute. And you are such a wonderful hermit-crab-mommy.
But - didn't I hear that hermit crabs get lonely? Perhaps you should purchase another one, or maybe two, to keep him company...? Just a thought.
(Okay, okay, I'm KIDDING, for pete's sake! ;)
The whole time I saw this post on my reader, I thought it was titled "Crustacean Goddess." hehe. I need to pay more attention!
A little heat lamp should keep him warm, right? And, you'll want to check on this because my only source is Mike, but I think if you let tap water sit out in the open air for about 24 hrs, it 'removes' the chlorine. That's what he tells us about the plant water. :D
Good luck with Comet!!
Hypothetically speaking, if your son walks in and it looks like Comet is dead because he is outside of his shell and not moving, check inside the shells to make sure he hasn't molted before tossing the crabitat outside because you don't have time to deal with it at that particular moment. If you don't, a couple of months later when your son finds a lizard that he wants to keep as a pet he will pick up the crabitat and realize that Comet actually died because he was tossed outside and neglected. Not that this scenerio has EVER happened at my house.....
My sister has a heating pad set on the lowest setting under my nieces crabitat to keep the little buggars warm.
And for the first time ever, I am glad to be an only child. But at least a hermit crab is better than a snake, right? Or a tarantula?
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