My daughter got 2 hermit crabs for her tenth birthday, Speedy and Slowpoke (as she named them). They were really boring and never came out of their shells, so I got her a third who is very active (Spiderman).

Well a couple of days ago, Slowpoke went missing. He couldn't get out on his own so it was one of three of my kids (including the daughter who owns the crabs)... I can't get them to confess (ARGH) so I don't know if it was an accidental death, or a "show and tell" at school, or a deliberate "murder". This just happened to be my daugther's least favorite crab so maybe she thought if he dissappeared I would replace him.

Anyways... so the crabs are now off limit to those kids, and the three are not even allowed in the basement without me (as there are other pets down there). The "crab shack" is in the Greenhouse on a shelf, so the humidity stays good. And the kids stay away.

But I still needed to get some more hermit crabs so Spiderman wouldn't get lonely (because Speedy really is like a rock). So I got MYSELF some today so Spiderman isn't lonely.

Here is Speedy - this is the most I've ever even seen him out of his shell!


Here is Spiderman:


And here are my new three, Dave, Dave and Dave (I thought about naming them after my daughter's "S" thing - Spoon, Spork and Smitty - but I figure if they start switching shells, I won't know who is who anyway!):

We try them each year. I vowed never to get them again. The kids just have to have them and then they forget about them and then I forget about them and then.....well, you know.

If you want a hermit crab to come out of his shell, turn him upside down and breathe warm air on his legs.