“It hurts my heart to see any pet tossed away (no matter how big or small).”
Ariel Poirier was browsing Facebook when she came across a post that broke her heart. Someone in her neighborhood had spotted an abandoned enclosure while walking their dog. Poirier immediately recognized the type of enclosure and knew who was inside.
“I went right away to see if anyone had picked them up yet,” Poirier said. “I love animals and our natural environment—it hurts my heart to see any pet discarded, no matter how big or small.”
After a storm the night before, Poirier found the enclosure completely flooded. A note on the front read: “Free to a good home. 4 hermit crabs.”
Without hesitation, Poirier loaded the enclosure into her car. It was moldy in places, and the hermit crabs were covered in gnats. Their shells were too small and painted, which is toxic to them. Even without the storm, the enclosure was inadequate for the hermit crabs’ needs.
As fate would have it, Poirier had been researching hermit crabs for the past month in preparation for potentially rescuing some. She had been learning how to build the perfect crabitat and understanding their needs—but she hadn’t expected to put that knowledge into practice so soon.
Feeling stressed but determined, Poirier decided to seek help rather than giving up.
“I posted in the Land Hermit Crab Owners Society (LHCOS) Facebook group asking for recommendations,” Poirier said. “A local rescuer and fosterer for hermit crabs reached out and has been providing wonderful guidance and recommendations. I also received some food and supplies from them, along with a care package from someone in the neighborhood Facebook group who recently lost their own hermit crab.”
Poirier set up a temporary enclosure, following the guidelines and advice from her new community, and the hermit crabs showed their gratitude right away.
“They immediately started to explore and had a little pool party,” Poirier said.
Poirier hadn’t anticipated becoming a hermit crab mom so soon, but fate had other plans. Now, her new pets—Peach, Krebs, Pierre, and Juniper—are thriving.
Despite their rough start, these hermit crabs are now living in style.