[Hildegarde]

alli'smommy is correct. But I am one of those who likes handling them and my husband will play with them sometimes for hours. You sound like you're doing the right thing, taking it slowly, a little bit at a time.

Of course, this is very funny because usually the posts are about a crab not wanting to come out of his shell, not its owner being leery of touching him. As for having them crawl on me, I love it when they go across my back near my neck. It's a nice, tickling feeling. Recently one was doing this and then I didn't feel him on me anymore. I looked for her on the back of my t-shirt, the chair, the floor. I finally found him resting in my hair!