Educating pet stores...

[Social hermit]

When I started keeping hermit crabs a few years ago, I didn't know about the molting thing. But you would think that the pet stores would know about it! When I went in to get a couple of new hermits, I noticed that the soil was only about 1/2 inch deep. And the worker didn't know about molting, but when I explained it, it made sense to her because of a few experiences she had. She seemed grateful for the information, and I trust she will relay it to the other workers...

But sheesh, how many other pet stores out there are killing crabs because they don't know about it, either?

[curlysister]

Pet stores purposefully don't have deep substrate, because then the workers would have to dig up crabs that could be molting.

[crabocado]

Pet stores purposefully don't have deep substrate, because then the workers would have to dig up crabs that could be molting.

But why would they dig up molting crabs? Crabs don't disappear forever down there, they will come up when they are "ready" to be purchased. Surely it's a win-win because a larger percent of their stock would survive, if they provided a few inches of adequate substrate. Maybe the resistance (if there is any, beyond simple ignorance) comes from the fact that they would need a higher tank for the deeper substrate.

[Jlmills525]

They want to be able to sell them at the drop of a pin... don't want to risk waiting for molters to come up

[curlysister]

They want to be able to sell them at the drop of a pin... don't want to risk waiting for molters to come up

Exactly this. The more they sell, the more money they make. And really, it's 'better' (as in less risk for the crabs) to have shallow sub than to be dug up (temporarily).

[wodesorel]

Yeah. You do NOT want crabs to molt in a store setting. Too many frantic new crabs coming through, not enough space for dozens to bury and molt for months at a time. It's a giant avoidable danger that most wouldn't survive. It is much better for them to get into a home setting where there is almost no risk of getting accidentally disturbed by other crabs or during tank cleanings, etc.

Now, my local mom and pop store does allow their crabs to molt, but they sell a couple per week and they generally talk more people out of crabs than into them. They also have a handful of employees who have been there for years and they take care of a lot of less common reptiles so are used to specialty care. This is not even close to what a chain store will have - dozens of sales, new employees cycling through, corporate responsibilities they have to follow, etc.