HCA: Hermit Crab Association

When I thought hermit crab supplies couldn't get any more ridiculous I found this at Petco... Hermit Crab Bling Kits. It comes with two shells that you decorate with accessories which include little jewels, glitter, mirror pieces and glue. Petco also has shell paintings kits. Why don't they just dose the crabs in toxic fumes and plaster a toxic sign on its shell? Its just my personal preference but I love the beauty of a natural shell. I'm more impressed by nature's art work then some kid's hermit crab with tacky jewelry glued on its shell. What really funny was their is a Michael's store across the parking lot from that Petco that sells that stuff in bags only 1/4 of the price for the whole kit. It just seems to me crabs are just more of a novelty then a pet to some stores (though the people who work in that particular store are nice and knowledgable and actual tell the customers to avoid those products).Sorry but I needed to vent. I just can't believe what they are selling for hermit crabs.

Here is a pic of the Bling Kit: http://www.ectotherm.com/blingkit.htmIt seems the company is also making shell painting kits for the crabs as well (check out their website Here.) For those hermit crab "enthusiasts" who would rather decorate the shells than care for the pets, apparently.What's going to happen to a crab that won't take a shell "lovingly" hand-decorated by a child? Do they try and force him in? Or maybe they can just wait until he switches and then decorate and paint away while he's in the shell. Man, I wish companies would look at something other than the bottom line. What useless junk!

For those marketing these items, its not about pet care... its about $$$. Simple as that.

I've seen these at every pet store, and its just disgusting. They put them in the displays like there are the thing you just have to have, and the x-mas push is so bad people are buying pets they know nothing about (makes me sick) but the good thing is that real caring sales people will tell you that those are bad .One girl I talked too at petco said those thing are just not at all good for the crabs when she seen me looking (in horror)at them.

Yes tis the season *sigh* I really don't think its worth the extra money. Like I said, I can buy a basket full of sea shells, non-toxic glue, pom poms, mosiac pieces all for the same price as the kit. However I would never tarnish my crabs' pretty natural shells. Besides my opinion on glue and paint is that their is always a chance it might be harmful to the crab in some way. Besides I've seen crab food with some poisons in it, so it wouldn't be surprising if the decorating glue is harmful.

Yah, the leash has been around for a while. I really can't stand how some of the companies out there think. Honestly, who comes up with this garbage?!

Hermit Crab Leash

I read that entire leash site and I am absolutely disgusted. They GLUE a METAL RING on to the shells and attach a leash on it??? OMG im so angry now. That is disgusting. And they actually recommend that you leave the leash attached all the time incase you lose them in your house?!? What kind of irrsponsible pet owner would let their pet roam their house and FORGET ABOUT THEM???? I am shocked and disgusted by this. I can't believe it. The poor little things...

Two crabs I saved from a Earthbound store (I swore I never would buy any crabs from there but I fell in love with two PPs at first sight) had insense surrounding the tank and also ceder and pine scents too and the tank was NOT covered. They were selling crab supplies that were harmful and ridiculous. They were all bright neon colors, from the sand to the food dishes, and even the cocohuts were decorated with what I think was that paint you use to decorate t-shirts with. They do sell nice shells (over priced though) but the majority of the good shells (unchipped or no holes) were all painted. I found one shell the perfect size for my crab but painted to look like sponge bob Some of the shells were just painted with craft paint. At least one of the crabs I bought in a lime green painted shell has switched to a natural shell. Both crabs are doing fine I think (they disappeared in my main tank, buried I think) both are no bigger then a nickel.