The following story is true. No names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Saturday: 2pm
Morgan has been talking about hermit crabs off and on since encountering them on the beach in Cozumel, so Susan decided to buy her one. After dropping Mason off over at a friend’s house to play, Susan, Morgan and I stopped by Alligator Alley off of NW10th and bought one. Well, two (they were on sale).
The hermit crabs we saw in Cozumel lived on the beach and ate algae and dead things. Imagine my surprise when I discovered domestic hermit crabs eat specially designed cookies, live in designer dirt, and need at least two different water sources. $30 later, we left with our $5 crabs: Lolly and Pop.
Saturday: 6pm
The crabs have been home for a couple of hours now and are happily living in their converted aquarium, which currently sits on the kitchen table. Both Morgan and Mommy have held the crabs and let them crawl all over their hands and arms. I have not, because they (both the girls and the crabs) are “icky”. Morgan has tried to pick up the crabs a couple of times on her own and we’ve had to stop her.
Sunday: 7am
When Susan and I awoke we found the aquarium sitting in the floor on its side. Dirt was scattered. Morgan was awake. The hermit crabs were gone.
Sunday: 7:30am
Susan and I ruled ourselves out as suspects; Mason was quickly eliminated as well. That left two primary suspects: Morgan, and Don Piano, the cat. Got basically the same information out of both of them.
Sunday: 2pm
Spent hours following wild goose chases. During different interrogations, Morgan has told use she (A) put the crabs in the bathroom drawers, (B) let them loose outside, (C) didn’t do it. I’m sure with a little more coaxing I could have got her to admit (D) sending them to the moon or (E) sticking them up her butt. This was hopeless.
Sunday: 4pm
Susan found Lolly hiding underneath the couch.
The whereabouts of Pop and the identity of the perpetrator are still unknown.
How funny. You know I have a large salt water aquarium in my house, and I have several pet crabs in it. Next time save some cash and just stop by and say hi. :-)
PS – My Dad is doing much better now.
If you want to get to the truth you may have to start water boarding the kids.
@Rivas: My kids would love to check out the aquarium sometime. Let me know when a good time to come by would be. Oh, and put the breakables up high …
I believe Hermit Crabs tend not to want to be found, ergo the name Hermit Crab. I would build a small Lincoln Log Cabin in your living room floor, and most suredly your Crab will try to move in… If you have any tiny fake trees that you can place near or around the Cabin, that should help attract the Crab as well.
We built a small LEGO house (complete with trees) and set it next to the couch. Hopefully, “Pop” will see it and come out of hiding.
Embarassingly enough, Pop turned up…buried in the shredded coconut rhind in his own cage.