Painted shells

SstWnh13 · Post by **SstWnh13** » Fri Sep 13, 2013 9:48 am

I painted my crabs new shell with nail polish and sealed with a big spray can of clear sealent. He is not in it yet just painted it and put it in their home. I also painted a smaller one for décor, and my fiancé is painting one with puffy paint. Is it not safe for us to put in there. I get painting it when their in the shell I wouldn't do that.

Geranium · Post by **Geranium** » Fri Sep 13, 2013 12:23 pm

It can chip off and they can eat it and it is not safe for them to eat.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Sat Sep 14, 2013 1:13 pm

Painted shells of any kind are harmful to hermitcrabs as the paints and sealants used are not at all safe for hermitcrabs.Nail poilsh contains ingredients to maintain shelf life that make it seriously toxic to hermitcrabs as well.I would strongly reccomend that the painted shells be removed as soon as possible.We only ever reccomend using natural shells because the painted shells are just so bad for a hermitcrab especially when the paint starts to peel as the hermitcrab will nip at this and eat the flakes which can lead to a toxic build up in the crabs body killing it.

SstWnh13 · Post by **SstWnh13** » Sat Sep 14, 2013 1:39 pm

Ok thank you I took it out. Are the ones in the pet store the same? I would think it would be but probly not. When I got my second one this guy working there was opening their house. I saw a removed big claw just lying in the sand. I took it out and gave it to him and he started gagging. It was stupid how can you take care of them if your that big of a weenie?! Anyway thanks again.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 2:14 am

Yes the painted shells available at the pet store are just as bad and in some cases worse as there are really no regulations on what can and can not be used to paint the shells.

SstWnh13 · Post by **SstWnh13** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 5:37 am

ok Thank you! Ive always wanted hermit crab but im glad I couldn't get one until now. Theres a lot more work than I knew. I want them to have the best life im glad I found this place!

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 12:27 pm

Please don't hesitate to ask us anything if you have any more questions feel free as that is what we are here for. Yeah hermitcrabs are often marketed as cheap and easy pets and are often sold with all inclusive combo kits which are "supposed" to have "everything" you need to keep a hermitcrab happy and healthy but the fact is that most of the places that sell hermitcrabs actually make more money off of the combo kits rather than the crabs themselves so you can often find hermitcrabs for offered for free if you purchase a combo kit or a certain dollar amount of merchandise from the store which sickens me because the poor crabs are used as sales gimmicks one way or the other. Not may people know better than to trust what the store employee/associate tells them about what a hermitcrabs needs are and how to best care for them often ending with the buyer purchasing the most expensive combo kit(all of these kits include a KK or Kritter Keeper that is supposed to be the crabs permanent home)at the advice of the employee.Hermitcrabs are by no means cheap to get them properly housed and kept with the initial set up cost for a proper size tank minimum ten gallons and all of the essentials being no less than sixty dollars plus the cost of the crab itself your looking at close to one hundred dollars to get going.Hermitcrabs have recently been made available at county/town and state fares as game prizes and have been offered in cups at places like Wal-Mart giving the unsuspecting public the wrong impression of how easy it to take care of them touting the small space needs and bare basic care of the crabs which ends up with the thousands of hermitcrabs a year getting sold in horrible kritter killer combo kits or worse to then have to suffer an agonizing death and die six weeks later.I love to rant so the above is not aimed at you and we are glad you found us and as I said early feel free to ask as many questions as you need and happy crabbing.

SstWnh13 · Post by **SstWnh13** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 2:06 pm

Thank you! I always ask if I don't know especially when it comes to animals. I had done a lot of research before getting one. So I knew what I was getting into. The day I went to get my second one I was actually schooling the employee on Molting, fighting, playing, and shell stealing. It was sad when u took out that missing claw. It was like it was just ripped off. It was a full big claw with good color. So I didn't think it was part of a molting session. He gagged and I stood there with my fiancé explaining what I had read. But there was one employee that seemed to have some sense. When I picked one out and left it never moved and was so stiff I couldn't remember if I'd seen it move earlier. I cried cause I thought it was dead. But she took it and got some water on it and he came out. But my first one is very brave and is always out of his shell so I thought one with with similar actions would be better. I have a cave in their house and they get in there and push sand at the door. They love being in there. I've had to reach in blind to get them but neither one has pinched or clicked at me. I'm glad I picked that one. But thank you so much for taking time to answer my questions. I already have a heat pad and ordered a double thermometer and humidity gauge. So I can keep good temp and humidity. Sorry for the short story lol.

Miko · Post by **Miko** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 2:14 pm

hey how offten do u handle your crabs??

SstWnh13 · Post by **SstWnh13** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 2:33 am

Not more than once a day. When I get up ill look and see if their house needs arranged. They make a mess sometimes and bury each other while their in the cave. But I'll get them out I let them roam a little on the bed and hold them for a min. Krabby won't sit still he's all over and Alexander is still a little shy but yesterday he started exploring the bed.

Theodora · Post by **Theodora** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 7:08 am

Same. XD