Sorry guys for the long wait. Haha. Here comes Kermit the Hermit...
Kermit Au (16.06.2006)
First name: Kermit
Last name: Au
Nickname: 'Nen nen' (slang which means breasts/milk) Or Nipple (these nicknames are given by my two 'ham-sap' - dirty-minded housemates)
Gender: Male
Size: He is slightly bigger than Hermie, that's why he can easily push Hermie aside or climb on top of Hermie in his attempt to escape from the tank.
Temperament: Aggressive
Kermit is VERY strong and his pinches are Ouch, Ouch and Ouch! That's why I don't like to handle him. Super painful lah.
INFESTED BY WORMS (Mites)
This is how Hermie & Kermit's home looks like. But for now, I can't put the two of them in yet.
Few days ago when I picked up Kermit, I noticed EGGS inside his shell. Both my housemates were super excited when I told them. They thought Kermit is gonna be a 'mom' soon.
I wasn't convinced. First of all, why would Hermie wanna 'hump' Kermit? They barely knew each other (that time, I still donno Kermit's a male). Anyway, I decided to check on the net and I found out that THOSE ARE NOT CRAB EGGS!
Hermit crabs in captivity CANNOT REPRODUCE. (Yup, my two crabs didn't mate, still virgins...)
After browsing through the websites for help, I found out that these eggs on my crab were actually laid by mites! And scary thing is, soon, they will become larvae and then adult mites. Argghh! TOTALLY GROSS. (These eggs is transparent, cream coloured with a tiny black dot in them).
Anyway, since both Hermit and Kermit have eggs on them. I can't put them back into their crabitat. Their crabitat is too moist and too good a place for mites to grow. Both Hermie & Kermit are now in isolation tanks. Sigh... and poor me, I had to STERILISE THEIR HOME! That would mean boiling their extra shells & pebbles and change their diet from fruits to 'dry food' like cuttlebones. Basically, I have to do everything I can do stop the mites from growing in number lah!
I tell you ah, my life for the past few days have been totally gross. The first thing I wake up every morning, I have to check on them and see whether they are still alive or not. Then, I have to clean their tanks & bathe both of them to rid of their worms (Crabs will die of stress if the mites keep laying eggs on them).
Fortunately, today I noticed the worms on them are lesser. THANK GOD! Both of them (plus me) are super stressed already.
I'm totally NOT INTO crawling and wriggly squishy stuff, so can you imagine what I had to put through these few days? Haha... I kept having phobia that these creatures will crawl into my ears, nose, eyes or mouth. ARGGHHH!
Anyway, no choice lah, if I don't take care of them, who will right? =(
Suddenly, I understand motherly love a tweeny tiny bit more. =P
Oh well, when they're healthier, I'll show you more pics lah. Don't wanna freak you out now with pictures of them and their wormies.
2 comments:
i'm not dirtyminded
Anonymous (I know who are you lah),
Ok ok. Not dirty-minded, it's called quirky creativity right? Haha.
Anyway, I've made corrections to my post. Apparently Celeste didn't come up with 'Nen Nen', it's Shin Yi.
Wendy,
Nolah, the mites larvae is super small one. Definitely not caterpillar size. Whoa! If it's caterpillar size with fur and all, I think my crabs can be swallowed whole dy! (Eww...)
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