HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Are painted shells bad for crabs? I prefer natural shells and all of the shells in my tank are natural but I was curious. I'm planning on buying some more crabs soon so I wanted to ask.

Many crabs come in painted shells, and it is believed that they were forced into those shells using inhumane methods. I would have to look up that topic though. I don't want to quote anything wrong.
Also, the paint can chip off and by eaten, causing sickness and/or death to the crabs.
So, if you buy a crab with a painted shell, give it a few natural shells to choose from and see how fast it can change. I had one change shells within 10 minutes of me bringing him home.

I prefer natural shells too but I two of my crabs came in painted shells. I managed to remove one of the painted shells after someone abandoned it. Now, nearly everyone on the forums will be dead set against painted shells, because they are rumored to be forced into them by abusive methods, but I have trouble believing that because mine always choose a painted shell if they have the choice. I have to admit that a painted pearl turbo is the favorite shell in my tank. I have not been able to remove it because the second someone abandons it, someone else snags it for their own. They love it! They have plenty of natural choices, but they love the painted ugly shell best. Personally, I would never buy another crab in a painted shell because mine never give them up and they are an eyesoar in my crabitat. I like to buy the crabs w/ the plainest, ugliest natural shells because I imagine that I am the only shopper that will take a second look at them.

People SAY their forced, but it seems to me, any method of removing a hermit crab would end in death for the crab... atleast from stress....

I think they prolly offer nothing BUT painteds, and when they change, they sell them to the petshops.

I couldn't possibly care any less if the crab comes in a painted shell or not. I only get the healthiest crabs at the petstore, without avoiding the ones in painted shells.

Well, I have read things two places about this. 1 - I have heard of people breaking or cracking the crabs natural shell so it has to switch, and only supplying it with painted shells. 2 - I have read of shells on crabs actually being painted, which has caused a problem of paint getting in the shell, and then crabs getting stuck in their shells.

Painted shells are just completely horrible! I bought my Ecurdorian Donut in November, and I originally was not going to choose him in favor of a crab in a natural shell, but the glaze they used on his tacky shell dried so that jagged pieces of glaze poked his eyes, he couldnt come out of the shell all the way without scraping his eyes! I bought him, scraped the glaze off with a clean fingernail, and offered many boiled shells for him, however he is still in the original painted shell (it fits him very well). Either way, painted shells are just plain awful, I was sickened to hear that the shell was glazed with him in it...

I've read that sometimes they get the crabs out of their natural shells by making them too hot or too cold, so they fall out, then put them in a tank with only painted shells to choose from. I've also read that they put them in a divided tank on one side with bars that they can squeeze through, but not their shells. On the other side is their only food and water, and if they don't want to starve or dehydrate, they have to pass through the bars without their shells. Then the natural shells are removed and only painted shells are offered. I don't know how true both of those stories are, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and I won't buy any crabs in painted shells. I did try rescuing a few at first, but none of the crabs I've bought in painted shells have survived PPS.

Yeah, PPS is a huge Issue with my painted shells crabs, Cinammon and Cupcakes (RIP) both had painted shells, and only survived for a week or so post purchase, my other one Donut, I think he likes his stupid painted shell.

Painted shells can get a hermit crab stuck ionthe shell or the oaint could chip off.

I'm not sure where i read it but they say that the crabs also eat shell chips for calcium? too if need be and obviously that would be lacking in a painted shell. They're not pretty, they're not cute, they're not needed or a necessity. Overpriced poison.

What's PPS??? and how do painted shells affect crabs in PPS???

PPS is "post-purchase syndrome". It's just a name for the stress that recently purchased hermies suffer from, after being taken from the beach, forced (?) into a painted shell, shipped halfway around the world, then sent to a warehouse, then the pet store (which may or may not have decent conditions), etc. And it just seems that hermies in painted shells suffer more from PPS, maybe from the stress of being forced into a painted shell.
As for the stories of how the crabs are convinced to take the painted shells, I don't know. As far as I do know, none of these things have been confirmed by someone who actually knows for sure. I don't believe the "cage with narrow bars" story; all the hermies I've had would rather starve than come out of their shells. I don't think their survival-oriented hermie brains would allow them to leave their shells for food or water.
It's possible that they are chilled until they fall out of their shells; there's even one hermie-care (HA!) book that recommends this practice, so it's not out of the realm of possibility.
As for cracking the shells, I'm not sure how they'd do that without killing the hermies. I know quite a few will die in the collection process, but I don't think any would survive that.
There are quite a few places in the wild that have serious shell shortages, and the wild hermies live in things like jars or bean pods. Maybe they're willing to get into any shell, even if it's painted.
Anyway, I don't like painted shells, they always chip and peel and are a serious eyesore in my tank. I will buy hermies in painted shells, if they're a species I want or a special color, although it bugs me to pay a dollar extra for such a nasty shell. They always change quickly, though. The only colored shells they've stayed in for any amount of time aren't painted, but dyed. Still ugly, but not as toxic.

my dad bought me my 1st two hermit crabs i owe all my THANKS to him for my addiction to the hermit crabs i have.but i didnt have any shells for my micro so he died like 2 days after i had him but my other one stayed alive long enough to get him shells and a real good crabitat but i guess the painted shell he had on made him get stuck on the shell he had so he got stuck & i thought he was aliveso i tried to get him out but i had to face the truth he had passed away. [smilie=crybaby.gif] [smilie=crybaby.gif] [smilie=crybaby.gif] [smilie=crybaby.gif] but thatwhy i hate painted shells as far i know i dont know how they get the crabs into the painted shells. but i buy hermit crabs in painted shells just to save them from stupid painted shells & give them natural shells but one day i was at the pet store and i had no money but i seen a crab in a shell that was like 99% to small for him & to make it even worse it was painted so my dad bought it and still hasnt switched out of it yet.but it is horrible SORRY FOR ALL MY STUFF I WROTE BUT I TAKE ALL THESE STUPID PAINTED SHELL STUFF SERIOUSLY but any way i really hate painted shells

[quote="teddy"]my dad bought me my 1st two hermit crabs i owe all my THANKS to him for my addiction to the hermit crabs i have.but i didnt have any shells for my micro so he died like 2 days after i had him but my other one stayed alive long enough to get him shells and a real good crabitat but i guess the painted shell he had on made him get stuck on the shell he had so he got stuck & i thought he was aliveso i tried to get him out but i had to face the truth he had passed away. [smilie=crybaby.gif] [smilie=crybaby.gif] [smilie=crybaby.gif] [smilie=crybaby.gif] but thatwhy i hate painted shells as far i know i dont know how they get the crabs into the painted shells. but i buy hermit crabs in painted shells just to save them from stupid painted shells & give them natural shells but one day i was at the pet store and i had no money but i seen a crab in a shell that was like 99% to small for him & to make it even worse it was painted so my dad bought it and still hasnt switched out of it yet.but it is horrible SORRY FOR ALL MY STUFF I WROTE BUT I TAKE ALL THESE STUPID PAINTED SHELL STUFF SERIOUSLY but any way i really hate painted shells[/quote]


Yea I hate painted shells to every time I go to the petstore to buy hermit crab I make sure to avoid the ones in the painted shells. Simply because they are in painted shells also because they cost more than a crab in a normal nonpainted shell so im glad the pet store makes the crabs in painted shells cost more I would rather have a crab in a natural shell than in a painted one. and besides the painted ones are only meant to attract little kids to get their parents to buy them that specific crab over a natural one. If I ever did buy a crab in a painted shell, the moment it switched out of that shell I would take that painted shell out of my crabitat.