Missing Crab Alert: everyone panic

So today sucks. 

I can't find my pet, my hermit crab, currently the most important thing in my life.

I don't know what happened. He molted (I think) this week, so yesterday morning was the first day that I've seen him in almost a week. So I played with him and then I have a distinct memory of putting him back in his tank. He quickly crawled back under his tree to hide.  I doubt I would have taken him back out after he was hiding - I like to give him his space - and I don't think I'm recalling a different memory of putting him back, since it's been so long since he's been out. 

And yet twice last night I sifted through the coconut substrate in his tank and didn't find him. I didn't see him in his tree and he didn't change into one is the other shells. The little guy is reeeeeeeaaaallly good at climbing and hiding so, yes, there's a possibility that he's still in the tank but also - yes - there's also a possibility that he climbed out and escaped. 

I've though about everything.  That maybe I did forget to put him back, that he opened his tank lid and closed it behind him....even crab-nappers. I swear I looked around for a random note.

And I looked all around the apartment but my joints have been killing me lately and eventually it hurt too much to keep searching.  (And of course that makes me feel guilty, too.)

I've read somewhere to leave a damp towel out for him to gravitate too, but in case that doesn't do the trick I bought smelly fish hopefully to lure him out of hiding. I'm also going to lay down strips of tinfoil so I can hear him before I see him. 

I don't think there are holes in my walls but then again none of this makes sense. None of it. Ugh this has been such a hard year and having my little crab kept me feeling connected to who I was and the life that I want for myself. 

Without him.... I just feel alone and stuck in the wrong timeline. Like all of a suffer this chapter of my life is being written in a different book. Spencer was like my time hopper, allowing me to be in the right place and happy where I am. I don't know who I am without him.  I hope he turns up.