On our trip to the Dry Tortugas, I looked for birds, of course — and did see some, but at quite a distance — so these little fellows had to take up the slack. They were a tad shy, scuttling along until I bent over to get a closer shot, and then drawing back into their shells.
Fascinating pictures, Isabel.
Tom
Tom – Thanks. It was a bit disconcerting, the fist time I saw a shell scuttling along the path in front of me!
I have a sense of empathy with hermit crabs. But to back up a little, at various times I have been part of groups where we were asked to imagine, “If you were an animal, what animal would you be?” The answer varies, of course. At times I have said I would probably be a chameleon, changing my colours to match the company I found myself in. Or perhaps a donkey, taking on whatever jobs got dumped onto my back, whether I liked it or not. I look at these crabs, and see myself again. Not that I have a hard shell, or someone else’s shell, but that when I feel I’m being attacked or threatened, I shrink back into my shell and hope it will have gone away by the time I poke my head out again.
Jim T
Jim T – That’s interesting – being able to see yourself not just in another person but in another species.
You did very well to get those shots Isabel. I suspect there was a fair bit of patience there.
Jim R – Oddly, not as much as it might appear. The island/key is small and always inhabited by a few people, so maybe they get used to us. Some of the hiding behaviour seemed a bit pro forma.
I love the third. Saying “what the hell is happening here”
Barry – LOL. Yes, his eyes do seem to be a bit “bugged out.”