“It’s Trolling Me” — Man Gets Trapped in House by Rare Crab Stuck in His Gate

A man documented his standoff with a "rare crab" that kept him inside of his home. He posted his quandary on Reddit and while fielding suggestions from other users on the application, learned just how unique the crab was.

The Redditor shared a photograph detailing their conundrum. Due to the creature's decision to position itself in the locking mechanism of the gate, they could not risk opening it as it might harm or kill the animal. Their original post also included a tongue-in-cheek remark suggesting that they're (temporarily) a prisoner in their own home as a result.

"This is my front gate. The creature blocking my exit is the only known terrestrial hermit crab in Western Africa. It is pretty rare. It is the only way to get out of my house."

Due to the Redditor's circumstances, they made an impassioned plea to other users on the application. "Please send coffee."

A follow-up post uploaded to the site's r/BestofRedditorUpdates sub provided further context on the user's unique situation. OP wrote that they initially tried to get the crab to move by pouring water on it, thinking that it would cause the creature to scurry away.

However, it didn't take long for them to realize that this would ultimately be an ineffective solution, mainly due to the fact that this is a crab we're talking about — if anything, the presence of water coming to it would only probably train the animal to want to stay in this area even more.

One person suggested that they "try some bait to get it to move," but OP said that they had already attempted to do this and it proved to be a fruitless endeavor.

"Thought about that, but they are mostly nocturnal. In my caffeine-deprived, hangover-induced haze, I poured water over it, hoping it would budge — then it hit me: iI’s a crab. Water isn’t going to do anything."

They added that these creatures become a seasonal nuisance. "These little terrors roam the streets with evil intent, hell-bent on ruining the start of a new year before scuttling back to the sea to do whatever unholy crab business they do."

As the online dialogue continued, commenters soon learned about OP's living situation. One user on the app joked that the crab better get a move on before the postman arrives, to which OP replied that it's going to be a little while before that happens because where they live, they don't have an address.

This prompted intrigue from others. One asked: "Where do you live and what is your government or lack of like? It sounds interesting. Not even a drink and drive law? No post? Is it a small island? Are there even police? Is it just locally claimed? I have so many questions."

And OP obliged them. "The island is called Sao Tome and Principe, it's right on the equator in the Gulf of Guinea. It is the most beautiful place I've ever visited in my life. It's about 1000 km2. It's an independent country and the second smallest in Africa."

Soon, the conversation snowballed into other Redditors looking into the species of hermit crabs particular to the region and as it turns out the word "rare" wasn't an understatement — there are only 35 of them marked in his area. And the Redditor believed that they found another picture of the same exact crab that took up residence in OP's gate.

They also urged OP to contribute their photo to the online crab marking database as well. "In Googling your crab, I found an international site, GBIF, that has a map with geo-referenced sightings of it. There are only 35 marked! They'd probably love to record your sighting. Looks like you can do it online. There is also a photo of one in the exact same shell as yours!"

While all of this information was a fascinating learning experience, it didn't solve OP's issue of extricating the crab from their gate. They attempted to bait the crab out with a piece of fish, but the creature wasn't interested.

What OP did learn, however, was that the crab was sensitive to light and vibration, causing it to retract its claws inside of its shell.

So, they attached a "redlight filter" to their headlamp and waited for the crab to let its claws out of its shell. They then gently grabbed onto their pincers and removed them from the gate. It was a massive test of patience that took up an entire day of the Redditor's time.

"The legendary standoff lasted a grueling 14 hours — a true test of wills between man and crustacean. As for Gandalf, he’s now enjoying a peaceful retirement in the garden, complete with a piece of coconut by his side in case he’s hungry after the battle. I’ve also sealed off his regular haunt with paper, ensuring he doesn’t re-enact The Two Towers by staging a comeback."