HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Is there ANY way to safely remove the paint from a painted shell so it can be reused in a safer, more health conscious manner?I would hate to have to throw the shell away when there's such a shortage of wild shells.If anybody can think of a way to do this, I think we'll have a large problem solved.There's one website online I found where they only sell the crabs in painted shells, and while I'm tempted to get a potential pretty for my bedroom shelf, I don't want to intentionally waste the perfectly good shell underneath all that paint.Poor Crabs(just for referance the site is www.thecrabisland.com)

It depends on what type of paint is used.I have two that crabs came in that I can't get that paint off for the life of me!I have a few that were painted with what looked like nail polish, and polish remover did a good job of taking it off- I have boiled them twice since and the smell is gone so I may reintroduce them to the rotation.I have several that I got as assortments that when they got chips, I boiled and the paint bubbled right off. I just peeled about 5 of those about an hour ago- easily removed paint with beautiful shells underneath..