harold wolfinger: harold’s blog

Herbie the Hermit Crab, a fiercely independent hermit crab, died outside his shell Tuesday, December 1, 2009 in Washington, DC. Both his age and cause of death are unknown.

Herbie garnered a legendary amount of respect due to his impressive escape attempts and other exploits. Once, confined during the day to a kitchen sink, and using a drawstring that had inadvertently been left in it, he escaped from it and crawled to the top of the blinds, hiding for almost three days until he was finally noticed. Another time he played dead for two days but was found when a strange rustling was heard coming from the trash. He attempted many a ruse and frequently hid out for days at a time.

Herbert Malcolm Methuselah, originally from Virginia Beach, came to Washington after being brought back after a visit by Cydni Johnson in October 2008. He lived in Northwest with Harold Wolfinger at that time with Alex and Taylor, and was later joined by Cookie and then Erin.

Herbie was an adventurer: he would try almost anything. In addition to his regular diet he enjoyed cheerios, a family favorite. Sometimes he would scamper around in the shower, enjoying the warm water and cascading runoff on the bottom of the tub. Herbie haltingly approached relationships, often retreating to his shell and later inquisitively observing others. His eyesight was excellent. In a family clamoring for attention, Herbie never sought anything. Sometimes he would burrow into the dirt and stay there, sometimes he stayed above ground just watching. Herbie wanted freedom, and to its end allowed himself no indulgence.

It is unknown whether Herbie is survived by any family, but he is fondly remembered by many admirers and acquaintances.