Name: Grab-Crabs (Common), Uloi (Thaniik) Description: The Uloi/Grab Crab is a common pet among Remnants due to their highly interactive and social nature. These organisms resemble large arthropods of which they get their common name. They are squat and wide animals, with two main large body segments forming the top of their shell, with the rest of their segments curled beneath them. They have eight limbs, the first pair being a set of pedipalps that pinch and manipulate items by their face. Their second and third set of limbs are used for walking, climbing, and manipulating, featuring two thumbs and three fingers on each. These limbs can curl up under their bodies as well, their armored forearms protecting them from below when picked up. Their fourth pair of limbs are paddle like gonapods that have bright colorful patterns and eyespots on them for attracting mates, but also used in swimming. Grab Crabs have three eyes, two of which on either side for a broad horizontal field of view, and a third eye on top of their heads for watching the sky for predators. Each eye is made up of many tiny lenses, with a true pupil and iris inside to limit light intake. Grab Crabs to come in warm browns, reds, yellows, and whites with large spots running down both sides of their shells. They come in more purer colors with more distinct patterns thanks to breeding programs, but such morphs tend to be expensive. Behavior: Grab Crabs are highly social, communicating verbally through hums, wheezes, and clicking. They live in large family groups known as pods made of of relatives and friends up to twenty strong. In the wild, pods jovially climb about the rocky seacliffs and coastlines in search of shellfish and carrion during low tide, and during high tide they enjoy swimming about in the water. Despite their reliance on the coastline, they are air breathers, and can only hold their breath for about five minutes at a time. Pods will make large dens out of rocky escarpments that they use driftwood, mud, and other resources to reinforce, conceal and protect from aerial predators, of which they are most at risk. Grab Crabs are fairly intelligent, akin to dogs on earth, and are capable of using tools such as sticks and rocks to break shells or manipulate the environment in search of food. Their name derives from this ability, and also their tendency to grab and carry objects they like around with them in one of their hands, such as pieces of shell, lost jewelry, et cetera. As a household pet, Grab Crabs enjoy socializing and playing with their owners, and will often collect various objects of interest and toys, stashing them wherever they like to sleep. They will hum tunes along with their owners, and can learn the meanings of some words. Grab Crabs don't train well, often having minds of their own. Thus, they are more like very entheusiastic crustacean cats in this regard. Grab Crabs enjoy getting their shells brushed, and will hold onto their owner when content or nervous. Tamability: Grab Crabs are fully domesticated and have difficulty surviving when feral, especially on their own. Wild Grab Crabs rely on their pod to survive. Where is it found?: Native to Undas'Hiith's northern coastline, however they are almost always present in Thaniik settlements, which often have Grab Crab breeders who raise and sell Grab Crabs on the exotic pet market. When feral, they tend to congregate on cold rocky coasts where they can find shellfish to eat. They are invasive on some worlds where there may be no natural predators above them. Rarity: Very common. Diet/Method of gaining nutrients and energy: Grab Crabs eat anything they can fit in their mandibles, but usually prefer shellfish. They use their pincers to chew and bring food into the mouth while their hands pry open shells or use rocks to bash them open. Products?: Grab Crabs aren't typically eaten, but can be. Their body cavity is full of sigma bladders that make up various muscles and organs. When boiled this liquid congeals into a very savory but very stinky blood-pudding like substance rich in fiber. Their empty shells can be preserved and made into decorative art and jewelry. Reproduction: Mates are determined by dancing and waving their brightly colored gonapods around in moves akin to peacock spiders. Grab Crabs who have the best moves mate with each other, but who gives and who receives is determined by a brief joust. The Giver locks gonapods with the Receiver, injecting gametes. Once fertilized, the receiver will glue six to twelve eggs to their underside with mucus and fiercely protect the eggs for two months until they hatch. The offspring are then taken care of by both their parents and the rest of their podmates. Size: Newborns are only a couple centimeters wide. The largest adults get to about a meter wide, though most stay around 0.6 meters. Weight: Adult GrabCrabs weight 10-16 pounds (3.3-7.3 kg) Lifespan: Grab Crabs can live around 20-30 years. Abilities: Can manipulate small objects with their palps and limbs. Good climbers. Highly social. Capable of empathy. Flaws: Molt regularly 3 times a year, and are very vulnerable and unable to walk for the following two or so days when their exoskeletons are still soft. Easily susceptible to heat stroke. Require social interaction for good mental health. Easily stress out when left alone for long periods of time. Other: Grab Crabs tend to be very excitable and playful when around podmates. They are such good pets because of their inclination to be social, and will view their owners and other pets as podmates.
