Denver Has Crabs!!!

After visiting the beach last weekend, Denver found a small (dime-size) hermit crab and decided he would take it home for a pet. We didn’t know he was taking it home until he pulled it out of his pocket when arrived. After years of begging us to have a pet, we decided to give in and let him have some hermit crabs of his own. As far as owning a pet, you can’t do any better… no licensing, no veterinarian visits, no barking, no meowing, no shedding, and you can just throw them back in the jungle when you are done. However we found out there is one downside to owning hermit crabs, to be discussed later.

Introducing Denver’s Crabs Russia, Canada and the twins North Pole Light and North Pole Dark

Please contact Denver directly for further information concerning their names. I am sure that he would be very glad to share with you his naming logic.

Denver’s Hand and Canada

More Crabby Fun

Denver Walking the Crabs

About the Downside to Owning Crabs…

As I was posting this blog and Denver was collecting the Crabs after their walk, I heard Denver screaming bloody murder and looked out the window to see Denver running towards me with a crab stuck to his thumb. North Pole Light was feeling a little crabby after his walk and decided to pinch Denver. I ran outside and tried to get the crab to let go while Denver continued freaking out. After hours (or at least five seconds) of trying to get the crab to let go, I decided that the best approach would be to pull the crab away from Denver’s thumb. As I have learned in my post-pinching internet research, THIS WAS A BAD IDEA. I must also admit that I didn’t exactly need to do internet research, because Denver’s scream when I pulled the crab away proved that this was a bad idea. This picture was taken as I was gathering the medical supplies for Denver’s impending surgery.

The Battle Damage

This picture was taken by a technician before the surgery. The surgery went well and the Neosporin and band-aid seem to be holding up well. The doctors expect him to make a full recovery. Immediately after the incident the patient requested the crabs be thrown into the jungle, but he has since come to his senses and has now just requested some thick gloves for handling the crabs.

For future hermit crab owner parents I suggest reading the following website before letting your children handle hermit crabs: http://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-Hermit-Crabs You can find excellent warnings such as, “Crabs are exactly that. Crabs. They can produce a powerfully painful pinch! Supervise and instruct children on behavior while handling hermit crabs!”