A sad day at my house...

Tattooed Goddess

Worshipped Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Posts
14,088
Media
70
Likes
20,563
Points
668
Location
United States
Verification
View
Sexuality
60% Straight, 40% Gay
Gender
Female
As many of you know i own hermit crabs. I took some photos not too long ago and put them in my gallery with my first jumbo crab Elizabeth. She was atleast 10 years old because of her size.

I've noticed the past few days that Elizabeth was becoming lethargic and lost all 6 of her legs lastnight. I was up the whole night with her frantic about the first 2 she lost, only to wake up after a short nap to find that she had lost the 2 more and then another two just now. A crab can't live without her legs and she is passing away and will be gone before nightfall i presume.

It just breaks my heart to know how much time i've spent holding her and getting to know her to have to let her go like this. It's been awfully sad for me and i was good holding back the tears until i had to call my mom and tell her what happened. Then i let it all out...i feel a little more to terms with whats going on.

We've lost two baby crabs in the last month or so due to post purchase stress. Elizabeth obviously didn't have this as we've had her for a while, whatever she had took her rather quickly compared to the other 2.

We burry them in a special place in the backyard with their shell still on.

Sorry to be so depressive on you but i'm really really sad over losing someone that has made my life so much more fullfilling. I hate to have to tell my daughter when she gets up. She will have to make another tombstone.

-Mlle Rouge
 

Attachments

Last edited by a moderator:

tripod

Legendary Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2006
Posts
6,665
Media
14
Likes
1,831
Points
333
Location
USA
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Male
Poor little crabs... that sucks BIG TIME!!! Reminds me of my stint with box turtles several years back, they brought joy but soon brought death and grief as well. Those little crabs were awesome for you... watching them would relieve your stress and relax you at night... and your daughter loved them too. I am really sorry for the ill health and subsequent death of your crabs Mademoiselle Rouge. At the very least, your daughter is learning valuable lessons on attachment and loss, albeit the hard way.
 

Flashy

Sexy Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Posts
7,901
Media
0
Likes
27
Points
183
Location
at home
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Male
sorry to hear this red. :frown1:



i used to collect hermit crabs when my family went to mexico when i was young over the holidays...

they are rather interesting...not many creatures are resourceful enough to carry their house with them everywhere they go :smile:
 

Mem

Sexy Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2006
Posts
7,912
Media
0
Likes
54
Points
183
Location
FL
Sexuality
99% Gay, 1% Straight
Gender
Male
Sorry to hear about this. What a sad way to lose a pet.

I was surprised with the pic link that you showed, they are much bigger than I expected. I guess I was thinking of a hermit crab, or whatever the tiny ones that are smaller than their shells are called. You should get an Anteater, they are precious. http://www.lpsg.org/90438-a-new-dimension-of-cute.html
 
Last edited:

TwasBrillig

1st Like
Joined
Jun 2, 2008
Posts
159
Media
0
Likes
1
Points
103
Location
USA
Sexuality
Unsure
Gender
Male
For what's worth, I'm sorry for your loss. I, too, have small living things here and they do have a place in this world.
 

unabear09

Expert Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2007
Posts
6,764
Media
14
Likes
230
Points
283
Sexuality
90% Straight, 10% Gay
Gender
Male
Oh Sweetheart! I am so sorry for you. If there's anything we can do to give you some comfort and peace of mind let us know love ya sweety
 

B_becominghorse

Sexy Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Posts
1,111
Media
0
Likes
31
Points
183
Location
new york city
Sexuality
50% Straight, 50% Gay
Gender
Male
Hugs for you RED.
You poor tender hearted thing.

I agree, dragonfly. Mlle. Rouge is one of the true sweethearts on the site. Pet deaths are always horrible, I suffered through losses of cats several times. But I also got upset as a child from goldfish dying, and also once I had a pet catfish after I caught him in a pond. As well as Easter biddies that grew into a rooster--and my grandfather ate it!
 

jmn5

Cherished Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Posts
194
Media
11
Likes
257
Points
318
Location
San Francisco (California, United States)
Verification
View
Sexuality
69% Straight, 31% Gay
Gender
Male
I'm sorry for your loss. The death of emotional attachment is a very difficult thing to cope with. It hurts the heart, and especially those of a heart with a deep capacity for love. I hope you and your family will find comfort in each other's arms.

Hugs
 

Tattooed Goddess

Worshipped Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Posts
14,088
Media
70
Likes
20,563
Points
668
Location
United States
Verification
View
Sexuality
60% Straight, 40% Gay
Gender
Female
I'm so bummed out. It was so hard to take her out of her shell and wrap her up with her broken legs. Right now i'm loving on my other animals and crabs and just looking them over good to make sure i dont miss any signs of illness with them.

Whatever it was, it took her fast. All animals look very different without life behind their eyes. I get very attached to animals because i spend so much time in my house with them. Being the night owl that i am, the nocturnal crabbies keep me a lot of company and i look forward to checking on them like a new infant in a crib.

Honestly, my 6 year old is handling this much better than i am. I've suffered the loss of close relatives and other animals but there is something incredibly different about watching an animal lose all 6 of their large legs (as long as my fingers) before succumbing to death.

I can handle a lot of bizarre and even dark imagery, but for some reason when i invest a lot of hours in holding and stroking a pet and nursing it through the night- it just stings so much more than watching something on TV.

Hell, i stop on the road to move turtles crossing. I have a very tender heart for animals- always have. I think i dont compartmentalize things with the innocent very well.
 

HazelGod

Sexy Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2006
Posts
7,154
Media
1
Likes
30
Points
183
Location
The Other Side of the Pillow
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Male
Hell, i stop on the road to move turtles crossing. I have a very tender heart for animals- always have. I think i dont compartmentalize things with the innocent very well.

You and my wife...peas in a pod, Red. I know you're hurting right now, but don't ever make the mistake of thinking that's a bad quality, dollface.
 

unabear09

Expert Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2007
Posts
6,764
Media
14
Likes
230
Points
283
Sexuality
90% Straight, 10% Gay
Gender
Male
I'm so bummed out. It was so hard to take her out of her shell and wrap her up with her broken legs. Right now i'm loving on my other animals and crabs and just looking them over good to make sure i dont miss any signs of illness with them.

Whatever it was, it took her fast. All animals look very different without life behind their eyes. I get very attached to animals because i spend so much time in my house with them. Being the night owl that i am, the nocturnal crabbies keep me a lot of company and i look forward to checking on them like a new infant in a crib.

Honestly, my 6 year old is handling this much better than i am. I've suffered the loss of close relatives and other animals but there is something incredibly different about watching an animal lose all 6 of their large legs (as long as my fingers) before succumbing to death.

I can handle a lot of bizarre and even dark imagery, but for some reason when i invest a lot of hours in holding and stroking a pet and nursing it through the night- it just stings so much more than watching something on TV.

Hell, i stop on the road to move turtles crossing. I have a very tender heart for animals- always have. I think i dont compartmentalize things with the innocent very well.



aww sweetie....I'm gonna start crying for you.....thankfully it was a quick passing. Also, I'm like you, I have a very tender heart for animals. I've almost killed myself driving trying to avoid hitting frogs and stuff like that. Thank God I've only ever hit one animal before. It didn't kill or injure it, but I was horrified for days about hitting the poor stupid dog (it ran out of the woods doing 90 to nothing and ran right in front of me.....I slammed on my breaks, but I still hit its poor hind legs. It didn't seem to phase the dog, as it just kept running), thinking about it now is making me tear up. Well I pray that your heart mends soon. :hug: :kiss:
 

Pendlum

Cherished Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Feb 24, 2008
Posts
2,138
Media
44
Likes
337
Points
403
Location
Washington, USA
Verification
View
Sexuality
80% Straight, 20% Gay
Gender
Male
I'm sorry Red. :( Dogs are the biggest one for me personally, but I understand that you cared for your crabs. It always makes me sad when pets die in movies, and when people I know lose their pets.
 

Brillig47

Admired Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Posts
1,986
Media
0
Likes
845
Points
333
Sexuality
69% Straight, 31% Gay
Gender
Male
So sad for you, Mmlle R. But esp for your 6-year-old daughter. Maybe kids just live more in the present, and so can take these things better.

Just checked out the photo of the departed crab. That's a big hermit crab. I've only ever seen teeny weeny ones here in European waters.

It's horrible when pets depart. Worse again when oneself is the cause. A rabbit ran under my car yesterday at the end of a long drive home. Nothing I could do. It just shot out from the side of the road at twilight, straight under my wheels.

I felt wretched. Can't forget the crunch.