Omaha lady’s ‘love story’ with a hat-wearing crab named Howie attracts tens of millions on social media

OMAHA — Howie the rainbow crab is aware of signal language, stroll on a leash and provides an incredible excessive 5.

She shows her “pleased mouth” when given a favourite deal with.

It’s when Howie gazes longingly at her from her aquarium, although, that actually will get to Omaha proprietor Laura Porter. And, apparently, to the tens of millions of viewers that observe her each transfer on social media.

“I feel folks simply love the best way I really like her,” Porter mentioned.

The primary submit that Porter did a number of years in the past of her cleansing Howie’s shell with a toothbrush garnered 5 million views. Contemplating she had solely 4 associates on TikTok on the time, Porter was astonished.

The stay-at-home mother now has 600,000 followers between Instagram and TikTok. Lots of her posts, the modifying of which is sort of a full-time job, get one million views or extra.

Hundreds of thousands of viewers agonize when Howie molts. Ninety p.c of rainbow crabs don’t survive the painful shedding of their shells, which happens each eight months at Howie’s age.

They fret when she appears to get too many treats. Howie relishes meatloaf, cheese and junk meals.

They adore — and fear — when she rolls round the home in a hamster ball.

“There may be some controversy about hamster balls that they aren’t wholesome for hamsters though they nonetheless promote them,” Porter mentioned. “After they noticed I put a crab in a hamster ball, the world went nuts.”

And, for goodness sake, how will you resist a Cardisoma Armatum like Howie in a cowboy hat? Howie has all types of hats, many made by Porter, who likes to knit.

Howie joined the Porters eight years in the past, when their daughter was devastated by the loss of life of her beta fish. She’s named after a personality within the tv present, “Bobby’s World.” Porter didn’t notice till a number of years later that Howie was a lady, and, by then, the identify had caught.

Porter began by posting clips of her caring for Howie, who wants brushing to maintain her shell away from micro organism. Then, simply as she did when her daughter was a child, she taught Howie signal language and posted these movies, too.

Howie faucets her mouth as soon as for meals. They’re engaged on the phrase extra.

“She has meals preferences,” Porter mentioned. “She celebrates when she finds a meals she actually loves or she does a ‘pleased mouth.’”

She tolerates the hats, which Porter thought humanized Howie, as a result of lots of people had been fearful of her and thought she appeared like an enormous spider.

As if!

Howie the crab — Howie has a number of hats, lots of them made by proprietor Laura Porter, who likes to knit.

LAURA PORTER

Rainbow crabs aren’t a simple pet. They need to be fastidiously fed in order that they get simply the correct amount of protein. They’ll get lethal shell rot. Some stay three to 5 years in captivity, however for a lot of, it’s simply round three months, Porter mentioned.

Porter has discovered how Howie likes the setup in her 55-gallon aquarium — half water and half locations to bask — however she nonetheless will get bored. Therefore the walks. She’ll even sit on the sofa with Porter to look at TV.

Like several pet, she needs to be along with her proprietor. She’ll run to her when scared.

“I can decide her up and snuggle her. I can put her on my head. She doesn’t belief anybody else,” Porter mentioned.

Porter spends numerous time answering questions on Howie’s care and offers recommendation to those that personal a crab of their very own. The entire endeavor is not a money-maker, Porter mentioned. It is a love story.

“She actually is cherished by folks,” Porter mentioned. “I feel they like that she is sort of like a cat. She has boundaries. Proper earlier than she molts, she will get actually crabby.”

When the geriatric crab will get crabby, she will get a bit of additional TLC. In any case, at greater than 8 years previous, she’s already beating the percentages.

“I’m simply doing the most effective for her to make her as pleased and wholesome as potential,” Porter mentioned. “It is the correct factor to do.”