You have missed a fantastic friendship adventure if you don’t know who Howie the Crab is. Laura Porter was Howie the Crab’s Mom, and she is heartbroken. She posted a memorial page on TikTok with a picture of Howie and the dates “6/24/2015 – 2/18/2025.” Howie has been in Laura’s care since she was one year old.
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Howie the Crab was a Cardisoma Armatum. These are more commonly known as Rainbow, Patriot, or Soapdish crabs. When first introduced to Howie, she could fit in the palm of Laura’s hand. It is difficult to determine the gender of crabs, so Howie was named long before anyone figured out that he was a she.
Howie’s origin story is cute. Laura’s daughter selected Howie from an aquatic pet store as a replacement pet for a beta fish. It was not a glamorous beginning, but Howie and Laura made up for it by making Howie the “Belle of the Internet.” Howie the Crab has a combined social media following of over 2 million. Howie’s first viral video was the little crab gingerly eating caviar, but her extensive hat collection is what she is most well-known for.
Howie made friends everywhere. On Howie’s social media, you may also meet squirrels, opossums, raccoons, bunnies, birds, and other animals. Howie’s “family” included cats, Siren and Atlantis, Hazel the Hedgehog, and other animals Laura couldn’t resist adopting. Howie willingly shared her spotlight.
Remembering Howie The Crab
Laura started putting tiny hats on Howie to make her seem less “crabby.” People tend to fear crabs because they look pinchy and scary. She explains in a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) on Howie’s website: “Giving any animal a hat makes it 1000% cuter…it’s science lol.”
The internet has reinforced that belief about hats and cuteness numerous times. Chris Newsome proved it with Mr. Toad. Hisao Mitani showed us with his giant tortoise, Bon-chan. Don’t forget the sneaky snakes in hats that we all love on social media. Scientific fact. Proven beyond any doubt.
For Howie the Crab, having so many cute hats might have added years to her life. The average lifespan for her species is two to three years in the wild. That increases to three to five years in captivity. The longest a Rainbow crab had lived was eight years until Howie. Laura admits that Howie lived long past her life expectancy, and she cherished every extra minute.
When Howie the Crab passed, it was in a dignified, comfortable, and peaceful transition. The love of her family surrounded her. She will be missed most by Laura, but also by her fans. Howie taught us that crabs are sentient. She learned sign language to tell Laura when she was hungry. The little crab allowed us to love a different type of pet.
Laura says she will keep Howie’s social media open and available for now. You can follow on TikTok, Instagram, BlueSky, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook. Howie the Crab merchandise is available on her website. Proceeds from sales go to support the animals that Laura cares for.
Share if you fondly remember Howie the Crab.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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