Bath Time!

The crabs have been so busy exploring their new overnight playground that they needed a BATH!

When we came into school today, we found that the crabs had been burrowing in the moist coconut fiber in the crabitats, and when we removed them, they were covered in fluff! You can observe the fiber particles on Home Run's shell, and Ranger had a huge clump of fiber on his back side!

Home Run seemed a bit more sluggish and slow to come out of his shell this morning, which had Mr. Derringer worried. As we have come to know our crabbies, we have been able to observe their behavioral differences. Mr. Crabs is always hesitant and extremely slow to come out of his shell. When he is moved, he will sometimes sit perfectly still for up to a full minute or more. He will then typically poke out one feeler...then the other...then a leg...and sloooooowly start to crawl around and explore. Ranger has always seemed to be the sociable one: it's actually a little freaky when we pick him up, because he hangs so far out of his shell that we worry he will pop out entirely! Home Run is sort of in between: he is more hesitant that Ranger, but he seems more tructing and curious than Mr. Crabs. Poor Home Run just didn't seem like himself this morning. Bath time always perks the hermies up, and it did the trick this morning: Home Run was hesitant at first, but then he popped right out and started crawling all around in the water and on the wet towel!

We are concerned that he may be either a little stressed out from all the new activity, or that he may be getting ready to molt. When we found him in the Crabby Condo this morning, he was under the Coco Hut, and he was churning up the substrate in an odd way. Several students commented on his unusual behavior. When we placed him back in his original crabitat this morning, he went directly to the water bowls and burrowed completely underneath them! Only the tiny tip of his shell was visible.

When we released the crabs in the Hermit Learnit structure for the last time this afternoon, he took off as usual...we hope he is able to find a cozy, moist hiding spot tonight and that all is well with our little Home Run in the morning!