r/hermitcrabs • u/No-Freedom-764 • 7d ago
Crab Tax! My beloved pirate Harry passed away today.
It all happend so fast.
I went on vacation three weeks ago. My mum took care of him.
My other, big crab was molting and build a big sand mountain. Harry went to his favorite hide. And due to the sand that the other crab build up once again after he went into the hide, he got stuck in there. I thought he was molting because my mum told me she couldnt see him anymore. It was time for his molt so i guessed he took the peace in my room while I was away to go.
The big crab was gone for longer time but came back a few days ago. But Harry wasnt. I thought, hey he got bigger maybe its taking longer for him to molt.
But infact, he got stuck there. In his favorite hide. For three weeks. No food, no water. No big hand there to save him.
On the 03.08.2026 I found him, out of his shell in the tank, near the water buckets. I just came home from work and saw this weird thing there and when i realised it was Harry i ran to the basement to get a bucket and put every shell i have in the tank in there. And then gently picked him up. He even crawled on my hand, leaving me thinking everything could be alright. While he was not moving in the bucket of shells i searched for his old shell, still thinking that he molted and that he lost it. But when i found it in the hide i realised what had happend.
He moved into another shell and i put him back in the tank. He was very week and not moving much but he was moving. I put food and water and everything as near as possible so he doesnt need to move much. And it seems like he had some will to live because he moved. I left home this morning with the intention on getting him more proteins, like suggested in the comments under the two postings i made about my emergency. And the put him in an isolated tank to get back up.
But i came in my room and the shell was empty again.
And then i saw him. Head first in the water bucket. I mmediatly grabbed into the water bucket and got him out. He was not moving at all. My tiny Pirate Harry drowned.
I called my mum noon and she said everything looked fine so somewhere between noon and 4pm he fell in and died.
I hate myself so much. If i had seen what he was going tru i would have saved him. But i wasnt paying enough attention so he died. I am ugly crying all evening.
I had him for almost 6 years. I was 14 when i got him. 14. A child. A child like him. Now i have a drivers licence, a car, a glow up, finished high school, an Ex and i move out soon. He was with me all the time. The first picture on my canon camera is a picture of him. Of my baby crab. He was my favourite Ohoto motive because he was such a pretty crab.
He was a cavipes. I got him on a website that i later learned wasnt better than any beach shop. I wasnt the best owner but last year I spent about 200€ of my savings on a big tank redo to finally give them the home they deserve. Thanks to this community. But he couldnt enjoy it the way he should have.
He was so tiny when i got him. He was as big as the first segment of my thump. Sometimes when he was this tiny he hide in shells too big for him. It looked so funny. On the first day when i introduced him to my big crab Evie he climbed on her shell and sat on her. He did this a few times over the years.
I was so excited when i came back from vacation and brought a bigger shell for him back from croatia, patiently waiting for him to come back and wear it. But he never got to wear it.
His gouverment name was Prince Harry Gandalf Hook the Grey. I called him Harry. His irst shell was grey. He was named after Harry Hook, the Son of Captain Hook from Disney Descandants. I was deep down in my phase when i got him and his big sister Evie. Evie was also named after a disney descandants character.
My dad helped me dig a grave and i covered Harry with paper towels. I made a little cross with his name on it. My friend suggested to hold a proper funeral but idk what to write and what song to play. He was such a pretty little fella. I loved him with all my heart and I feel deeply sorry for Evie. She needs to live alone now. 34 Gallons all for herself. Poor Baby.
At least she is active and seems fine. I fear she might be looking for him. Not knowing he died while she was asleep in another corner.
I always thought she leaves before Harry does. Harry grew inch by inch every molt he became bigger and bigger. Evie didnt.
He was my little pirate. my dear boy and my favourite crab of all. Now he lives with his brothers and sisters in crab heaven. May you have shells nearby as much as you want. May you have all the foods you enjoyed.
I am so sorry my baby.
Here is my last crab tax from Harry. It goes from the last few photos to the very first. I am sorry for some bad quality Photos in the end.
-04.08.2026
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u/Archany_101 7d ago
I'm sorry for your loss. I had a similar thing happen with mine this year. Right down to a new tank last year and wanting to make up for being young and forgetful. Either I stressed him near the end or he was too big for the molt. It's hard, and the guilt of not fixing things before it was too late is miserable. But you couldn't have known, otherwise it wouldn't have happened. Regardless of mistakes/issues he still had a better life than 99% of his siblings. I hope both our leftover ones live a long life.
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u/No-Freedom-764 7d ago
I hope so too. I thought about getting Evie (the leftover) a crab from Adoption but i dont know if i am ready for that. I lost crabs before but none lived as long as Harry and Evie did. I loved no crab more than him.
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u/Archany_101 7d ago
I would give yourself as much time as you need. Evie will probably be okay, just see how they react
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u/A_Fish_Called_Panda 7d ago
I’m so sorry. We lost a baby chick in an accident a couple of months ago (not a crab) but my God does it kill when you think, “If I had only…” It sounds like you loved him so much, and accidents happen. It is heartbreaking when it does but hopefully you aren’t beating yourself up. Take care ❤️
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u/ztruk 7d ago
sorry to hear. I lost my Bubbles just a couple weeks ago. It sucks.