Florida Marine Research

[Fiery Vyxen]

So I was going through my bag of supplies while changing the water and food for my crabs, when I stumbled across a leaflet that came with the original hermit crab I bought at the shore a year ago. On it was a website that I just visited, and looked over some of the supplies they were offering.

After a scientific research place, I was a bit shocked to see the selling wire cages like the crappy ones you get at the beach. They're so small and have no chance of holding in humidity or even more than one crab. They also sell primarily painted shells, which I loathe with a passion.

As I continued to look on, I noticed a few good things as well about proper care of hermit crabs. Are they just misguided, or trying to make a profit to better their research? I have no idea, so I ask the HCA what they think of FMR.

http://www.fmrpets.com/

Have a look and share you opinion if you can spare the time

[tnt4eva]

As far as I know they are not a research or scientific outfit at all and that part of their name is just tacked on to make them sound better.

It's disgusting that a business which tries to make itself sound knowledgeable puts out horrible care info and promotes so many products that are at best unsuitable and at worst, dangerous.

I think one or two of their food items are safe and sold by more reputable hermit crab product suppliers, but I kind of wish those suppliers did not sell FMR products as they don't deserve the business.

[Fiery Vyxen]

They have one product, fresh fruit, that my hermit crabs absolutely ADORE! I've been buying it since the days when I had no idea what I was doing. If they didn't love it so much, no way I would feed it to them.

I really have to agree with you there. It's really depressing.

[JediMasterThrash]

They used to be well respected. In fact, members of the HCA and LHC used to recommend that you call FMR directly with questions about crab care.

I even actually did this once in the fall of 2003. However, the "help" I received was not very, so I ended up joining LHC instead to find some better help.

[wodesorel]

Many other companies use important sounding names since it makes the consumer feel like they can immediately trust the brand, because if it's from a scientific research facility then the products they sell must be ideal for pets. ZooMed Laboratory comes to mind, as does Science Diet. Marketing is an evil thing, and all you can hope is that people actually read a label and make a choice, rather than blindly choosing because it sounds good.

[Fiery Vyxen]

I find that really depressing... on so many different levels.

[Lyn Penn]

Years ago when I first found my first Hermie, Hymes he started about 6 months later loosing his legs. Knowing not very much about crab ownership, FMR sounded impressive to me. Well they told me to feed them some kind of fish food to help him! Needless to say my poor baby died, probably from too much time in the hot sun. Remember, I didn't know much about owning Hermies, and when I joined HCA all you kind and giving people taught me a lot since then and especially about how poor FMR actually is. The only thing I buy at pet stores for my babies is their Fruit and Flower dry food for when I'm traveling with them back and forth between Florida and Ohio. They like it and it's dry. They really are a poor company to turn to. I know so well. Maybe Hymes would be alive if now for their "advice".