HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I went to Petco to buy my hermies a few cuttlebones. Well, I looked at the tank (a 20 gal.) and there were about 25 of them crammed in there! There was a dead one. Well, I wasn't happy, but I didn't do much about it.
So, while I was over there, a guy comes, and gets this large crab with an employee. She asked if she could get me anything, I said there was a dead crab in the tank. OK. She takes the crab, SHAKES it around to see if it was alive, and says "Okay." And carries it off while it is hanging from the shell about to fall out. I had enough, then. The sopping wet substrate that reeked of mold, the empty water dishes, the lethargic, crowded crabs. I just started crying.. I bought the cuttlebone and left.
I am not happy with Petco or its workers. I'm really disappointed at how people do not respect these animals.

I'm disappointed too!! I went to see the hermit crabs there once and half of them had painted shells and half didn't?? Why would you put those poor crabs in painted shells I want to cry every time I pass them

I know!! I have even seen crickets crawling around in the tank!! I have never gotten a crab there, mostly because of the painted shells.

I go to petsmart (not much better), because my mom wont let me adopt

Same

It is really sad that they do that. If it were in the wild, the crabs would be preyed on because of their shell, and if I was a crab, it would be embarrassing to me. These hermit crabs die because of our opinions on "what color" they should have for a shell and it costs them their lives! They are considered a throwaway pet and they are not a throwaway pet what soever!
The conditions they put these animals in are horrible! The swampy mess they sink into when walking, the dry water bowls, NO FOOD. They don't care about the safekeeping of the crab, they care about money.

Sad, you could always file a complaint to corporate offices, though I doubt it'd do much. I've seen petcos go either way with there care some stores are great and others not so much. It's not only the crabs that have bad condtions, but a lot of the other animals aren't getting good enough care as they should.
luckily, the most of the petcos in my area have great condtions, one place even had all natrual shells and vegatables for the crabs to eat.

Wish I had conditions like yours... I will write them a letter. Thanks

MarleyandHerman wrote:I bought the cuttlebone and left.

Frankly, I wouldn't have bought a thing from them, and I'd tell them why. Then again I'm a loud NYer. :b
I try to shop local pet stores instead. The owners usually where they actually about their animals.

Petco is notorious with bad hermit care.

I've never actually been to a Petco, especially because of the crabby conditions there...
Many don't like Petsmart either, but I filed a long letter to them, and the manager promised to improve conditions and they did! I am so proud of my outsmart tbh... 1 letter can change worlds.

It's worth saying something! They could surprise you and completely change the conditions. It's the best we can do as owners. Otherwise, they're just going to keep doing the same thing they always have!

I have called the corporate offices of Petco and Petsmart to files complains about specific stores treating their crabs poorly. One store straightened their act right up, it was the Petsmart one, and the other I made 3 complaints about before anything was done. I highly suggest calling and then returning to the store to see if anything is done. If not, keep calling.

Do you know if a person buys a hermit crab from them and for whatever reason they return it, they can't resell them and chances are they end up in the dumpster. My heart breaks thinking about this. If I could stay there to scoop them up and protect them I would. I couldn't work there I would be fired within an hour. It's horrible. We should unite.


New mom to 2 PP's- Paul (1 molt) & Juan (1 molt) and 3E's- Harry, Sarge(currently molting) and Gary Also 1 Yorkie-Joey and 1 cat-Milo and 2 teenage daughters.

Whoa, where did you hear the no resell petco policy? That's new to me.

LOL @ that myth. That's def not corporate pet store policy. PetSmarts cant take back animals after 14 days but will refuse to take them. PetCo is actually able to take in most animals then turn them around for a profit since they have a wider variety of SKU's and hand order their srock

I work at petsmart. We take in adoptions but don't sell them. They go to new homes for free.