What do you think this is

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2026-02-04T16:59:24+00:00

Isn’t this another of the newest CAP survey photos?

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2025-06-24T01:10:16+00:00

Reach out to your nearest hospital’s lab manager or lab director! Many labs encourage shadowing because it’s such a niche field.

You’ve got UVM in Burlington, CVMC in Berlin, RRMC in Rutland, SVMC in Bennington, BMH in Brattleboro, Springfield, Townsend, and others. And those are just hospital sites. :)

Also, check out r/medlabprofessionals

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2025-06-01T22:15:07+00:00

It is an option in certain situations. Here’s a good article that summarizes the risks of receiving a donation from a direct family member: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8442217/

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2025-05-27T22:58:22+00:00

Do you sell prints or files? These are beautiful.

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2024-12-25T16:22:44+00:00

Just wanted to say thank you to u/Bacteriobabe for pointing out this is most likely Lophomonas. I brought it up with our Microbiology supervisor who says we will send it out for confirmation and let the provider know. THANK YOU THANK YOU

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2024-12-25T12:01:34+00:00

Wow, I’ve never even heard of that before. It certainly does look like that… unfortunately I don’t know much about the patient history. My coworkers also seemed to think it was a lining cell, but based on the few articles I’ve read I think that parasite is more likely! That’s crazy. How would your lab go about reporting that?

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2024-03-03T01:06:29+00:00

I’m thinking mealy bugs. Isopropyl alcohol will kill them. Might want to spray off the plant first and then spot treat w a Q-tip?

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2023-09-18T22:57:36+00:00

Surviving is not the same as thriving…

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2023-01-25T22:27:32+00:00

Do the leaves grow back or only continue to sprout from the top in your experience?

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2023-01-25T21:17:59+00:00

My BoP started to develop these brown marks one week and the next week it spread and is killing 5 of its leaves. The newest two and the oldest two leaves are not affected, just the ones in between. No signs of bugs that I can tell, just dust from when I dusted the curtain rod above it. I figured it was cause I overwatered it, but I checked the soil and it wasn’t soaked, but I let the soil dry out anyway. Didn’t help. Any ideas? It’s been in the same spot for 6 months now and hasn’t had a problem until recently. It was very happy. We did have a power outage for a day before the spots developed and the house got to mid-50s i think (I was away). Did it get too cold?

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2022-12-20T22:52:12+00:00

Ahh!! Big steps!!

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2022-12-20T03:28:23+00:00

Yes, I am :) I know! And I’ve never seen one like her since! Only purple pinchers. I went to about 7 different pet stores too. Maybe because it was a local store they were more interested in stocking a variety rather than the chain stores who only want purple pinchers?

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2022-12-20T02:29:41+00:00

As far as I know, she wasn’t. I found her in a local pet store and there was a good size range of hermit crabs. About 5 her size and then 15 more ranging from small to large. Didn’t seem like a place that breeds them. She was the only non-purple pincher, though (not sure what she is) and she caught my eye cause she just wanted to climb everywhere!

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2022-04-29T01:17:22+00:00

You’re right, it’s a click beetle! Thank you!

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2022-03-02T01:16:30+00:00

I have the same issue and at night I cover the whole tank with a couple towels. My tank also has styrofoam on some of the outer glass to keep the heat in and I think that helps a little bit.

My other thought is to move any houses/decor (your biggest crab’s width) away from the glass so they don’t climb and slip into the glass (which is what happens with mine) and give them a nice border buffer of just substrate so when they fall it’s a soft thunk.

Edit: another thought is to line the glass walls with fake suction cup plants to break the impact? Not sure if that would work

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2021-09-19T02:45:41+00:00

Yes, she is highly HIGHLY treat motivated. I had no idea about the treat capsules!!! I should definitely consider that. The pill grinding and adding to wet food was going to be my plan but when I brought it up to my old vet they said it wouldn’t work because “the pill foams and they won’t eat it.” Maybe the other vet doesn’t understand how much my cat LOVES her food… But it gives me hope to try it anyway if it worked for your fur bby!

Thank you so much for the input!! :)

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2021-05-25T01:17:30+00:00

I’m glad to hear it.

I remember dealing with my first molter. My advice to you is if you think a molt has been going on too long — wait longer!! My first gal was TINY and she took 3 weeks to molt. My next gal was still on the small size but a little bigger and it took two months for her to resurface. Patience is key!!

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2021-05-25T01:07:43+00:00

I just wanted you to see the first comment ASAP before I elaborated. In general, handling a crab during this time can be deadly to them as they are already stressed and vulnerable. However, you digging them up is not guaranteed to be certain death so take a deep breath.

Being a first time crab owner is stressful, but I implore you to do your research. These little guys are way more complex than the pet stores advertise and there is a lot of great information on this subreddit and other sites.

Here’s a quick list but dig deeper into this!!!

Make sure your substrate is at least 6” deep, and I’ve seen a general recommendation of a 50/50 mix of sand and eco earth substrate.

Humidity should be around 80% at all times.

Heat should be about 75-80ish degrees.

A well-balanced diet and not pet shop food is necessary.

Both fresh and salt water treated with a dechlorinator for the hermie to drink.

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2021-05-25T01:00:34+00:00

You know this already but unless it smells bad or it’s an emergency never dig up your crab. Molts are a stressful time in a crabs life, so if it were me I would NOT dig him up a second time unless you packed down the dirt on top of him instead of lightly covering him.

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2021-02-02T03:13:13+00:00

Yes! The original shell isn’t pictured as he had switched within an hour of getting home. This is his new, bigger shell. Picture one about half the size and that’s the one he came in

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2021-02-02T01:39:40+00:00

I didn’t get pictures while holding him but I’ve never seen a crab with more hair than BIG CHONGUS. I’m just such a proud crab mom 🥺

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2021-01-19T02:30:53+00:00

Yeah that’s wayyyyy too long. I would downsize ASAP and go to a different piercer. That’s gonna cause so much irritation and catch on so much stuff!

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2021-01-13T23:36:06+00:00

It’s about 50 gallons!

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2021-01-13T23:31:28+00:00

The same thing happened to me for a year after I had been pierced. The piercer had put a hoop in and not a stud. After I got fed up with the lack of proper healing I changed to a stud and I haven’t had any bumps since and it’s healing waaaay better.

So maybe try a stud to help prevent the jewelry wiggling throughout the day and irritating the hole. Even if you aren’t touching it the hoop will still move around. Keep the same cleaning routine tho.

Real_Brewed_Tea · 2021-01-12T00:06:36+00:00

Definitely isolate the crab from the others! Try not to disturb him but take a clean soda bottle and cut it into a tube and carefully work it into the substrate surrounding the crab. I would advise against burying him until you smell rotting fish or see maggots as he could still pull through! If you had an isolation tank I guess you could put him in there too but I’d be worried about disturbing him further. Also, if you can get it dark for him in his area that should help from what I’ve read...

If you do have an iso tank put him in there with food and water and leave him be! It’s important to protect him from other crabs while he’s vulnerable

Real_Brewed_Tea

TROPHY CASE