It can be picked up in any Woolworths (an upmarket distant cousin of the defunct UK chain), but your best bet is to get it fresh and moist from a neighbourhood butcher, in varieties from chilli to ostrich.
"It's usually moist when I get it," Jon tells me.
"She's bringing it to a boil, then turning it off and steaming it, then rinsing it, then draining it, then putting it back and adding more olive oil to 'get it moist' for some reason," he said.
If you're using a container with a cover, monitor the terrarium for a month or two to make sure it does not get too moist (condensation will form on the glass, and mold and fungus might appear on the plants and in the soil).
If using the toilet paper roll for a tube, just be aware that it might get moist and the crab might want to eat it, so watch closely.
Using one hand, press and toss ingredients together until well mixed and coated (it will get a little moist, but not gooey).
A small amount of this water, which has become starchy from the pasta, adds just enough moisture and body to the vegetable mix so that when you toss it with the pasta you'll get a moist, inviting combination that can be finished with cheese or not.
