My Little Cheerieaux...

[Guest]

When I decided to start raising Ecuadorians for the first time, you were the first one I picked. You had bright brown eyes and a lot of energy. I put you in the tank with your sisters and drove all of you to your new home.I put a couple of Cheerios in the tank for you and your sisters to nibble as a little "Welcome Home" treat. You loved the food so much, defending your treat with life and limb, that I named you for it, adding some Cajun flair to keep with the New Orleans Swing theme you all shared.Almost immediately, I noticed that the hierarchy was establishing itself. You were pushed around, punched, and yelled at. Granted, you had a defender, but I could tell early on that it would not be an easy ride for you.But you persevered; you socialized with the other crabs, and you made friends with your sister Voodoo.One day, however, I noticed your leg was wounded; white tissue was exposed between your tan-brown coloration. I couldn't find out the cause of this injury, and it still puzzles me. You made quick work of your broken leg...and then you flat-out stunned me.One night, I was rambling about the house when I noticed something on the coconut climbing wall of the tank. It was YOU! You, missing leg and all, were the first among anybody in the tank to venture onto the wall. You were pretty high up, too, and you were also quite soundly asleep. You were the apple of my eye from that moment on.You soon got bored of it, though, and decided to bury yourself often, surfacing only to drink and get a bite to eat. You didn't want to socialize, and you didn't want to climb. I thought you wanted to grow and get bigger and better, as well as your leg back. I put you in ISO and let you be.But...that was the last I saw of you. One month after your sister went home, you chose to join her.Thank you for all the happiness and joy you brought to my life, and I'm sorry that I couldn't help you win your fight.