I discovered one of my hermit crabs in the process of choosing a new outfit. I'll let her tell the story.
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| Let me see; this one looks new, and it's my size. It's empty and clean inside. |
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| So I'll try it on. |
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| Yes! It fits perfectly! |
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| Let me check the back, and the pockets. Yes, it's all snug and there are no holes. Good! |
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| The outside feels good, too. I can reach almost to the tip. |
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| But wait. Before I go, let me look at the old one again. It served me well. |
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| And I think, now it comes to it, that it did feel more comfortable. Well broken in, and that little hole at the back made for good ventilation. |
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| I'll try it on again. |
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| Yes. You know, travel-stained and chipped and all, it does feel better. I'll keep it, after all. |
And off she went, leaving the new outfit behind for the next shopper.
The hermit is a hairy hermit,
Pagurus hirsutiusculus, an old-timer in my aquarium. Her shell is just under an inch long. The shells are imports, found in a dollar store, washed and boiled. They seem popular with the hairies, not so much with the grainy-hand hermits, who like big, sturdy shells.
