Monday, January 9, 2012

Painted Hermit Crab shell or Natural hermit crab shells?

I bought two hermit crabs. One consisted of a painted shell, the other a natural shell. The one with a painted shell died 1 month later, the other lived a good 1 year and a half. Are the painted shells safe for a hermit crab? Does the paint affect them in any way? I am planning to buy a new hermit crab, and I think I will get a natural shell. Also, can anyone tell me how to find out if they are a guy or girl?

Painted Hermit Crab shell or Natural hermit crab shells?
hi i would stick with the natural shells they are a lot cheaper and the hermit crabs like them a whole lot better i have had my two hermies for 3 years and not one of them has ever decided to make the painted shell as their home they are freightened by the colours you also have to watch out for cheap pet shops that use toxic paint and dont care about the outcome, check this link it will show you how to tell the difference between male and female hermies. Good luck
Reply:Your Hermit Crab needs a new shell when he is as far in his shell as he can go and he still can't go all the way flush with the opening of the shell.



did you have extra shells for them to use when they outgrew the shells they came in?



Did they have the proper diet and substrate?



Did they get fresh water daily?



The painted shell shouldn't have made a difference that quick. The paint can chip off, but it usually takes a while and I haven't seen it kill a Crab. I bought mine 2 years ago and he's still gone, from painted shell to painted shell.



you could have also gotten an unhealthy little guy.



as for sexing



http://www.hermit-crabs.com/sexing.html
Reply:First, You can only find out if they're a guy or a girl by them being out of the shell, it has something to do with the tiny legs, i found it in a book at Petco. All my hermit crabs, as far as I remember have had painted shells, my first one lived a little over a year (I called it a she, and she only died because I put her in a temporary tank while the other one was getting cleaned and it dryed out because I had forgotten to put another shell in there and I didn't know it was ready to change shells) The reason for your crabs dying could have been the treatment of the pet store or wherever you got them from. I bought one from Petco not too long ago and one was already dead when I brought it home and it had a horrible smell, which I thought it only needed a bath, all my hermit crabs that I've gotten from Petco or Petsmart have either barely come out of their shell or didnt like being held. I'm guessing they dont handle them at the stores like that. My first one would walk all over me and never pinched anyone once, I bought her from a stand at the mall, my brother also bought one from the same place and that one never pinched either. I think they may treat them better at those places. I suggest getting one from there, that is where I have had hte best results with hermit crabs. Hope I helped!
Reply:A lot of the "cheap, turn 'em out so we make a buck and the life of the animal doesn't matter" places don't care what sort of paint they use, and don't care if it's toxic to the crabs.



Always, always, ALWAYS go with natural shells, and get a variety so the crabs can decide which one(s) they want.
Reply:The painted shells are more for the WOW factor when deciding to buy a hermit crab. When I had bought 3 hermit crabs all in painted shells, they changed shells that night in to the natural shells immediatley. I really don;t think that the painted shells are good. If you choose to buy a painted shell hermit, make sure you have a few natural shells for him to choose from so he can make the decision of which shell to change to. You should alwasy have a selection of shells for your hermit. They know which one is best.

When they change shells they will look for a shell that is bigger than the one they are in by atleast a quater to a half of the the opening or bigger.


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