HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I'm currently using a modified version of the Emergency Questionnaire for my adoption application*. I run an adoption agency out of Arizona, and currently 100% of the people I've sent this to responded with something along the lines of "never mind found one somewhere else".
RANT WARNING:
If you can't be arsed to fill out a simple form and take a picture or two, in order to get two/three crabs for free, then you probably shouldn't own a pet. :/

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*Form I send is as follows:

When you have time, please fill this form out and send me a picture of your enclosure and we'll go from there.
Thanks!

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what and where?

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?

7. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?

8. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?

9. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?

10. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?

11. How often do you clean the tank and how?

12. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?

13. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?

14. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?

Thanks for your interest in being a Hermit Crab parent! I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
--Seth

Quickest way for us to not find an adopter for an official HCA adoption - ask for a photo of the adopter's enclosure. It never happens. Either people are lying about their conditions, or they honestly really can't be bothered. I do realize that we're talking about a $5 animal that can be bought absolutely anywhere no questions asked, so I don't exactly expect people to want to jump through hoops just to adopt, especially if there's an adoption fee on top of wanting a questionnaire filled out. But if an owner or rescue is asking for a little proof that their pet is going to a good home - especially for free - I personally don't see the problem!

There's nothing wrong with being responsible and wanting to make sure they go to a good home. If somebody cant be bothered to take a few minutes to fill out a questionnaire to adopt an animal, what does that say about their commitment to the animal?

I love you guys.
It makes me so sad that there aren't more people who think along these lines! I don't care what kind of animal -- it's still another life in YOUR care. If you can't respect the severity of that statement, you probably shouldn't adopt. I get the need for a rehoming fee and honestly? I'd rather someone put me through the ringer with a questionnaire and all that.
It tells me how much someone cares they're properly rehomed and if I'm the best candidate that's a huge compliment to my care for my own crabs!

It also offers a wealth of knowledge for both parties regarding the care and time on either side. If they're putting me through all that, I know I'm getting a well-cared for/loved crab. With my adoption I found myself asking more questions than the guy giving them away and that pretty much said it all. they did come from better conditions than I expected though! so it's not always all for not!

Merry Crabmas!

The owner of the two little PPs I adopted from craiglist in late November only posted that she wanted the crabs to go to someone who knew how to care for them -- she admitted that she had had no idea what she she was getting into when she bought them a few months prior. When I emailed her, I told her how long I'd been crabbing, how many/what species I had, tank size, etc. My current tat is not a crabbie Taj Mahal but provides all they need plus some fun stuff. She was delighted as I appeared to have a clue about crab care and, when she and her boyfriend brought the crabs over and saw my serviceable but pleasant 10g, she was ecstatic at "the amazing life" her little guys would have from now on.

Hermit-Yote, you are being 100% reasonable and properly cautious to ask potential adopters to answer a few questions and upload a crabitat photo. What would it take? 15 minutes, tops, and most crabbers have tons of pics of their crabs and tats so no difficulty there. Bottom line: if you're too lazy or indifferent to show that you're already a responsible crab owner, then you're not a responsible crab owner and should not be entrusted with more!

I think since they already were "thrown away" that asking about type of home is fine. All other adoptions of animals have specific requirements for adopters (ie own house and a yard for a dog). The form is a little daunting. Is there a way to combine questions or ask another question that covers several topics. Like tell me about your crab's home.


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I have this up on Craigslist. https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/wan/4760937199.html

Wonderful thread. But don't worry, you're definitely doing the right thing in asking. I believe a lot of the people getting the questionnaire probably didn't understand half of what it was asking, which just goes to show they probably don't know what they're doing. Finding others to adopt near you can be frustratingly difficult. Keep doing what you're doing

You are being extremely reasonable! iIf anything, the people who wouldn't fill out the form and found their crabs "somewhere else" are the unreasonable ones! Best policy ever, imagine how many crab lives would be saved if chain pet stores made people fill this form out for evaluation before letting them adopt crabs ️! You definitely should check in some way, shape, or form how the crabs are going to be spending their lives, for all you know they could be keeping the crabs in a cereal box with a damp paper towel and dog food! People can be so inconsiderate of other species, but just keep up with trying to find unwanted crabs great homes!