Purple coconut hut causing purple poop**

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:58 pm

I bought a coconut hut at a pet store...a really good store. The huts have strips of painted bamboo on it. My hermies have been eating the bamboo.
The manager at the pet store said the hermies will shredd it up. They have fun with it. I didn't realize they would eat it.

Will the paint on the bamboo hurt the crabs?? Their poop is purple also.

Christine

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 11:03 pm

It's hard to say really, initial impulse would say that they should not be eating paint or dye - but if they're fine and pooping it out then it seems okay. But I think I would take it out of the tank just to be safe.

Good luck!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 11:08 pm

eating paint is one of the reasons people dont want painted shells so i think you should take it out.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 11:15 pm

Why would the store sell it? This is a very good pet store. They house their hermies in a wonderful tank with every necessary item needed. In fact I got some good idea for my crabitat.

why would they sell it. Why paint the shells if bad for them?

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:47 am

Because the pet industry will do anything to make money. Think about it - many pet food are actually bad for the animals (e.g. sugar in cat food and almost all treats for any animal out there). Many toys can hurt them (e.g. plastic toys for hamsters/mice/gerbils). Pet food and toys as colourful because WE like it and WE think it looks like it's tasty/fun. Those things are mainly designed to suit our taste, not that of our pets. It's sad, but it's a fact.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 2:59 am

I'll get rid of it BUT they sure love it. They climb all over it and exercise their claws by shredding the bamboo to "shreds".

I took it out once for a week, and they looked depressed during that time. I put it back in last night and they are happy and active again.

I don't want them sick and I don't want them depressed. Sigh..... [smilie=dunno.gif]

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 6:17 am

Get them some normal bamboo

You can dye wood with beetroot juice, that's safe (not sure if it works with bamboo). Of course the colours won't be that bright, but I don't think the crabs will mind

NaRnAR · Post by **NaRnAR** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:31 pm

You can also make them a new hidey! If you have two coconuts of different sizes you can hot glue the smaller one on top the bigger one to make a double-decker cocohut!! Mine love theirs, plus it gives them something new to investigate.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:07 pm

narnar, i like that! that's a fantastic idea!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 2:15 pm

i love the double-decker cocohut idea!

if you don't want to get rid of the old one- is there anyway you can scrape most of the paint off, or take the bamboo stuff off of it? maybe just the painted parts?