Fimo! clay stuff

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:42 pm

I think that's what it's called. You can mold it and it hardens. I was wondering if it would be safe and okay to use in the crabitat? I'm trying to do a theme kinda thing but would like to make my own ornaments. Thanks in advance.

Ryanstein · Post by **Ryanstein** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 11:04 pm

Fimo clay is based on PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which by itself is a common plastic. From wikipedia, it appears the company used to add phthalates (which can be somewhat toxic) to soften the clay until 2006. So if your Fimo was made after 2006... then it might be okay. Apparently it's "non-toxic", but as we all know non-toxic for humans can still be toxic to crabs.

Another modeling clay that's very similar is Sculpey.

I don't think it's ever been tried before with hermit crabs, so I would wait for a few other opinions before adding any to your crabitat just to be safe.

Ryan

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:53 pm

Oh.
Thanks for the info. I was just going to order some Nightmare Before Christmas figurines to put into the tank. I have a theme going. And actually, I think they're made with that PVC stuff that you mentioned. So I guess I won't be ordering now. lol

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:55 pm

Is there any kind of stuff you can work with to create your own deco?

Does anyone have themes for their tank?

And lastly, would fired clay (kilned) be okay to put in the tank?

Ryanstein · Post by **Ryanstein** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 8:04 pm

Usually people just buy plastic plants and vines, going for the "natural" look... creating clay figurines isn't usually done, so aside from Fimo or Sculpey, I don't know of anything else you could use. When fired, though, I would think most pottery (both clay and ceramic) would be fine. The glaze they add gets fired on at hundreds of degrees so I wouldn't think that's a problem.

Ryan

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 8:08 pm

I know I'm bumping a thread here, but...

I make jewelry for fun and I've mucked around with polymer clay (like Fimo) a lot making beads. It's just PVC plastic, like the water pipes in most houses, but the real problem is that it's just too soft and porous, even when properly baked, to be properly sterilized. That's why it's advised that it not be used for anything like dishes or bowls or cups. Also, it's soft enough that the crabs might be able to pick anything you make with it apart. Although I have a friend whose dog ate an entire block of Sculpey III without ill effects (Not surprising if you know her dog; he'll eat anything, including her daughter's homework. And no, he wasn't fed it, either!) I don't know if it would harm a crab.

Although I'll bet you could make some really cute hermit crab jewelry out of it, though. The Primo and Kato brands have some great pearlescent and metallic clays for shells. (I'm talking jewelry for people to wear, although I wouldn't put it past a couple of mine to turn up all blinged out...)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 8:23 pm

Starfish wrote:(Not surprising if you know her dog; he'll eat anything, including her daughter's homework. And no, he wasn't fed it, either!) I don't know if it would harm a crab.

Well, I don't know if eating homework would harm a crab, but I got pretty curious so I tried it... I have been attempting to test this but so far Snips and Patrick are absolutely refusing to eat the homework. I have learned that Snips will gladly tear little chunks off of it but otherwise she is totally uninterested in eating it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 7:35 pm

LOL! Yeah, the homework trick works better with a chocolate lab than a hermit crab. Although a goldfish might also work. The one I had lived by the theory of "you can food anything if you just eat it!"

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:40 pm