Bye Q-ueen

It was a fighter . A survivor. It went down with DIGNITY like none-other.

Will always be remembered. Will always be missed.

The last of its kind.

The end of an Era.

Moment of silence... for it deserves. No tribute is fitting.
R.I.P . n Out .
Q

Crush is crushed

Crush, my bright orange Hermie Ruggie is the lastest casualty.
(Yeah, u read right, I'm using the word 'last-est' because I really hope so!)

Now only Q is left.
God bless the last of my Chocolate Chip Peppermints.

What's happenin?!! Why are they all 'konking out'??? :(:::

Devastating.

R.I.P n Out, Crush.

Truly a Survivor.

A Moment of Silence, pls.

Steel .... is not as hard :(

My other Giant 'foot-balley' Hermie, Shen-Steel, is dying. Possibly.

Two or three legs have fallen off. Bad bad signs. B.A.D

This is getting so depressing. What a time for the dead and dying. :-(:::

What da HELL IS HAPPENING ????????!!!!!!!!!!

It was well just yesterday.

The whole Crabitat looks just fine. Why then are my Ruggies dying?

I'd be left with ... two? OMG.

Giant Hermits are so rare. Arrggggh .

Bawl.

Fossil ... extinct: Fighters Fall too

The KING is dead.

Tenacious and bold Fossil, is DEAD.

It really is a season for the dead n dying.

I JUZZZZZ ... DONT Understand why. What's goin on. What the hell is up?

It got stressed apparently, with a dropped leg... then the dreaded slump of death.

It's a Fighter and extremely bold.

Guess, even fighters Fall, too.

Most memorable indeed.

Goodbye Fossil . R.I.P. n Out. :(

Sea Biscuit... to a better place.

A season for the Dead n Dying.

One of my Peppermint and Choc-chip ice-cream Hermies,

Sea Biscuit, has died.

FOR NO REASON.

It was fine just yesterday. :-(::::

This morning, it just schlumped.

It's puzzling me... what's wrong with my Crabitat???!!!

All stunned n upset.

Also, latest update:

Fossil, new in it's base-ball shell, is not moving and a leg has dropped.

Is it moulting? It had better be!

Watch this space n pray for good news. No news... IS good news. Shucks !!!

R.I.P, Sea Biscuit.

You were a long survivor. You will be missed.

King Crab

Some thing so Festive n elaborate... fit for a King Hermie. Fossil IS the most tenacious. Buuurrr, is Fossil, King?

How 'bout a glass shell? Edgy but totally defeats the purpose of being a Hermit.:) Fossil is da boldest . Buuurrr, That bold?


My spikey Herbie Ruggie , Fossil, is the MOST fussy crabby, eva !

Even Stars aren't so fickle about their red-carpet outfits.

It's been trying to find a bigger shell for weeks now and it simply can't settle for one.

And I've provided it soOOOoooOOOooo.... many !!!

It would rather go all vulnerable (it means courting death in Hermit crab terms) and naked than to settle for a shell.

Sheeesh. This morning, I JUUUZZ had to isolate it (had I come any later Crush would have ripped it to shreds ... so close!) , in all it's naked glory, and finally, it settled for a Base-ball shell.
(It must be embarassed now. LOL)

Watch this space for another change of outfit.

Fussy Fossil. :O/
Notti Notti.

KaKa is Dead

My spiral-shelled foot-ballie Hermie Ruggie is Dead.

It got weak, it died. Did it drown? Did it get ripped out by Fossil? Or BOTH?

We'll never know. (Latest update: Now I do! Food poisoning...boo!)

R.I.P. n Out.

It will be missed. :-( ::::

Hermie and Steel

Since Scarab, my Mod-Hermie died mysteriously (probably due to a bad bath my bro gave... ^*()$##$$#%^&^&*(*!!!!) about 2 months back, life's been a lil' lonelier in my Crabitat with only Qyn, Fossil, Sea Biscuit, Crush and Kaka to entertain each other (as you know, hermies aren't exactly hamsters).

Anyway, so far only Qyn, is a giant hermie. (G.I 's been dead for months and is but a distant memory). So I figured that perhaps, another giant will prove a better companionship. So, tah dah!!! ...

Introducing Steel. ^^

It has a huge football-design shell, not unlike Kaka's, only that it is round rather than spiralled.

Initially, me and my bro kinda wanted to name it
'Shen Gao Ren', after this colossal hermit crab in his PSP game.

But it sounds clumsy, no?

Also, I got inspired by the name 'Steel' after having gotten my Calvin Klein Steel undies, yesterday. (Lame, but true dat. LOL)


BTW, I got a white, low-rise trunk. Love it. :)
You should see the packaging.... Woo! It really does look like polished steel!!!

Yay!!!! ^^

Scarab Goodbye

My Mod-Ruggie , Scarab, was found limp and dead last night.

Mysterious. Tragic. Expensive.

Lost but not forgotten.

Fossil was beside it.... like it did for all the past-away Ruggies.

Hmmm. Ominous presence, it is?

Only the beautiful shell is left . Only. :< ::::

RIP

Let's have second of silence as a form of respect to the brave and gone.

" One Thousaaaand" . Ok , DONE.

Thank you for the condolences.

Shells... the FAVs and the NOTs

Well, another post on my dear Ruggie Hermies. :p

Been getting inquiries on their favourite and least favourite shells .

So kinda looked around and found (finally!) pictures of the shells Hermies love A LOT and those whom they love VERY LITTLE .

The bottom pic are the type of shells that not only look gorgeous (looking like scoops of peppermint chocolate chip ice cream duncha think??? LOL .... :0), they are all-time favs with the Hermies.

These shells are hard, ripped,very spacious, large openings and smooth-inner silver lining for ultimate comfort (no, I'm not talking about condoms here). It's hardly a wonder.

Well as for the top pic, it shows shells found at the opposite end of the fav. spectrum with the hermies (aka hate-as-hell-shells), would be the quintessential commercially-driven painted shells. They are pretty kewt, yes, but only to us. But are usually, not well-shaped and un-ideal for any self-respecting hermit crab.

My tw0-cents worth trivia. heh heh.

Newest Member , Qyn

Gather all and hail my crabitat's latest Hermie ruggie, Qyn .

When Uncle 'Haha' (btw his sales assistant is HAWT!) brought out Qyn, it was crabby-luv at first sight I tell ya..

First of, it was like a perfect representation of both the late G.I and McQueen.

It has the beatiful green Mother Of pearl shell just like whatMcQueen had before it died (now home to Sea Biscuit)and it was huge just like G.I.

Apart from it having the perfect semblence to the late two, it was active and full of vigor.

Expensive, yes, but so far, it proves to be worth it.

In fact, it's so bold and adaptable (something which G.I simply wasn't) , it's begining to show whose the boss on Carapace Island (as I've said, go ahead and laugh). Even the normally Bold Fossil is timid now ; getting me a lil worried... hmmm. (Shudder)

Anyway, I've also added more sand onto the beach so that if a moult was to happen, it'll happen and I'd be less worried that I'd miss it happening and have another death similar to poor McQueen (as I suspect) .

Also, I've rearranged the whole set up. Hopefully they all are adapting well. I sure hope!

Still a work in progress though. (I hope to add a canopy and a backdrop) So it's close to completion.... Yay !

Welcome again, Qyn .

Clap clap clap.

Finding the right shell ~OBSERVATIONS

Ok , still on the topic of hermie shells. (Told you to bear with me just for a while longer :p)

I've observed that bright painted shells are not popular with my Ruggies.

Those who had the chance to change to a au naturel one all have (even if its former occupant litterally just died in it aka recall late McQueen & Sea Biscuit saga). Those who had the good fortune of already being in one, stayed on in theirs aka Fossil)

So Uncle Haha's scam of selling expensive painted shells to the owners as a premise that the Hermies love to change shells (this I can't refute though) and will love what's been provided at the shop (which is major cappola; hence this blog entry), is scam !

So now I know.

My theory as to why my Ruggies have a nack for natural shells:

1. Natural shells are harder and heavier and often comes with spikes/ridges: If I'm a Hermie, I too would feel safer being housed in one. The painted shells are light and comparatively brittle b'cos the external had been buffed down to have a smooth surface for the painting of designs to take place. This means that these shells are thinner. (Suffice to say "Looking good but not feeling gorgeous" LMAO)


2. Natural shells are as its name suggests, natural looking. Natural colored and textured like rocks and pebbles. Fantastic camoflage! As a reclusive Hermie, this is an obvious choice. Other than parrots, Birds of the Paradise, Poison Arrow frogs and the usual suspects, every creature out there would want to be able to blend. To hide. And most aren't even close to being as introverted as these crustaceans. This is probably the reason why KaKa and Scarab are into their black & White shells too. They are painted yes, but are at the very least closest to looking sedated. Think Zebras :-)

Why then painted shells?

1. To attract buyers; a novelty. " So cute!!!" Or that kid there would have ended up with yet another rabbit.


2. The poor hermies were forced out of their original shells and having no where to hide, have to make do with those pretty fugly painted shells; better protected and looking like a clown then a vulnerable shrimp waiting to be torn apart (it's like being raped naked AND cannibalised after that).

Devious Uncle 'Haha' and Co. :-/

So, in the mean time, I can only use the other shells I bought so foolishly, as art deco in the crabitat and crossing my fingers in hope that my Ruggies can be more 'adventurous' and try on some 'haute couture'. LOL ROTF.

Next time, more Naturals!!!

Cursed Shells?

Alright , another crab-tastic update.
(As I'm now part of this international communitee of Herbie owners, this is going to be quite often from now on; so brace yourself. LMAO.)

First off, lemme RE-introduce my army of Ruggies (a short for Coenobita Rugosus, a rare African-Australian land species) on Carapace Island (laugh!):

1. Fossil: my king of the hill, a notorious tree climber and 'out-in-the-open' herbie(bold!)
2. KaKa: my football-shelled sleeper
3. Sea Biscuit: another tree climber and the star of this blog entry as you'll see later*
4. Crush: Bold but less outstanding member now; nice orange exo though
5. Scarab: My 'mod' member (luv it's shell!); shy though
6. G.I (R.I.P): my limp and dead giant (it was HUGE! Like 5-times bigger than anyone else)
7. McQueen (R.I.P): my sudden-death tragedy

*The controversy:

McQueen had been d'capitated and dead for about two days now, and let's recall that it's original 'Red Race Car #4 shell' was taken up by Sea Biscuit. It was right before that time when McQueen switched to this green (and expensive! Damn..) Mother of Pearl shell. And it lost its vigour and went all reclusive, quiet and 'away' from the rest.

About a day ago, Sea Biscuit, now ( or rather previously) b'came the 'Red Race Car #4' , once so active and tree-climbing crazy, it switched to the green shell also previously occupied by the the late McQueen. Now it has lost its vigour and went all reclusive, quiet and 'away' from the rest.

Sounds rather like a string of curses here? Sounds creepy if you asked me.

A case of an alluring and very beautiful shell but by one that is cursed?

A fate that is somehow so remarkably familiar; it rings a deathly bell.

I cross my fingers and hope this is not the case!

Bummer.

Casualty No.Two .... D'capitation

My poor McQueen. My once robust race car ruggie-herbie.

It showed signs of moulting. But as always, it was mistaken as momentary lethargy.

It's been digging into the corners for awhile now. So I ought to have taken a hint.

Hey, I'm still a newbie to this ok??

It's still alive and well. But it's been victimised by Fossil; it by far the most notorious herbie on Carapace Island.

Two walking legas have be ripped off and shrewn all over.

I practically fell off my stool while sitting down to observe; when I discovered.


McQueen is now in ICU. And hopefully it will survive!!! Pls, don't konk on me!


Fossil is wild, bold and big. And it has been trying to get to McQueen for awhile. That too, should have been a huge hint.

Hey, I'm still a newbie to this ok??

The next two I must look out for are KaKa and Scarab. These two have been in their pits in B-Cave for a long while now.

But I might still be wrong.

Hey, I'm still a newbie to this ok??


Lastest update:

R.I.P McQueen .... u will be missed.

First casualty... Dead and Replaced.

G.I the gentle giant Ruggie-Herbie is the first to enter Crab Heaven (that's what all crab-thusiasts say online when one passes on) .

It had been gravely sick since Day One and had been in ICU since then and had never set a claw in my yet-t0-be-named Crabitat.

So don't go pointing fingers about me being a terrible owner or something....

I went to Uncle 'HaHa' this late afternoon and he had the dead G.I replaced, 'cos that's what written on the back of its Certificate rather than 'Dead', with 2 smaller Ruggie-Hermies which I've certified as Sea Biscuit and Scarab.

Well, G.I had a hard life. Considering it weathered longer enough than the rest to grow to its enormous size, it didn't have a home to call it's own for long. On top of that , it was literally flushed down the bowl and de-shelled on the spot (apparently, the shell is more valuable.... true true.) Where's the dignity?

So never mind it stank to high-heavens in my car. That was perhaps the only it mark it trully left on me. ;p

So enuff with the sentimental.

Let's welcome :

1)Sea Biscuit: It had a stalllion head painted on its Blue shell

and

2)Scarab: It's really another race car like McQueen(albeit a shyer one) but me and my bro kinda decided we just had to name one 'Scarab' after watching The Mummy video last night. LOL (Besides, two 'S's is fitting considering the circumstances these two were adopted together.)

Bitter sweet. Clap clap clap.

A Crabitat .... to call me own:-)

To the uninitiated, a 'crabitate' sounds major crapola ... but lemme explain.

A 'Crabitat' is an artificial habitat created buy the owner of HERMIT CRABS so that these spoiled critters can have a whole mini-ecosystem to call their own. ( Crab + Habitat= Crabitat. Getit? :p )

Anyway, as mentioned, after years of haggling from my brother, I've finally took the chance and got myself my own Hermies.

Skeptical , even grossed out at first, but I was itching to bring in some new excitement into my life after the Venus Fly trap a close gal friend gave me a while back is becoming more a weed than a wacker.

Guess,my recent spate of depression is kinda making me more open to some meaningful retail therapy well...

Anyhow, I drove myself half way across the island to where it was the only place in these parts where I could adopt these exoticas.

Well, these Hermies needed special licenses to bring them in for legal rearing about 3 years back. It still appeals to an extremely niche clientele today. But in recent context, the word 'adoption' is hardly the apt word here.

My crabitat is only 'almost' done up and it had already cost me 300 bucks and rising.


Back then, perhaps it would have cost me 10Xs less.

Anyway, before I reel in the aftermath of a wanton retail therpy-spree gone bad, I'd say, I'm LOVING what I see !!!

The hermies come with cute adoption cards and their names are as follows:

1. Fossil (looks straight out of stone age)
2. Crush (had Crush the sea turtle of Finding Nemo fame painted on; but has since then shifted shell)
3. McQueen (my race car champion who had the entire family looking high and low for it)
4. KaKa (my football darling who is somehow being bullied by the others now)
5. G.I (we call it 'Gigi' bcos it sounds cuter; my gentle giant who's so limp & boring that it is beginning to become nothing more than a paper weight)

With a meticulous choice (ok , fussy) of furniture within the tank, my Crabitat is looking fantastic although I still feel it lacking something (more trees?) . Hmmmm.

I think G.I and KaKa are moulting and it's a worrisome time for me bcos they are so vulneralbe right now and have to be seperated from the rest and into dark isolation. Dun want the cannibalism to start! (Already, we spotted McQueen and Crush ganging up against KaKa! Phew! Was there on time. Gulp.)

BTW, I was totally grossed out when Crush slipped out of its shell, exposed it's alien-like soft abdomen area and slotted into another shell just to test for fit (it eventually settled for another one that is almost identical but bigger, a lil later) It looked like those Face Huggers from the Alien movies!

I'll be checking on them very often and I hope for the best.

I might even add pictures here. Stay tuned. :-)

Enthralled.