Don't be fooled by some pet shops

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Wai
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Re: Don't be fooled by some pet shops

Post by Wai »

Non-toxic paint is harmless to human touch, although I wonder if it is toxic if ingested? Those people don't even make hermit crab food that is safe for consumption - how likely are they to test that the paint doesn't cause long term harm to hermit crabs?
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unprejudice
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Re: Don't be fooled by some pet shops

Post by unprejudice »

I see that even over the years, the conditions have not gotten much better for our hermits in pet stores all over. As I said on another post yesterday, The petsmart close to my house in High Point, NC, the conditions where not good, less then a 1/4 inch of sand on the bottom, no food in the tank, and a mostly dry water bowl. Nothing for them to climb on or play with inside the tank. Pet stores are only in it to make a buck. This is quite sad if you ask me. As I looked around they take great care of the other pets but why treat the hermit crabs so bad? I feel so bad for hermies all over.
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emmac350
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Re: Don't be fooled by some pet shops

Post by emmac350 »

I think the worst one I've seen had about an inch and a half of wood shavings and nothing else in the tank. Seriously? Do you think they eat and drink air?
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ladybug15057
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Re: Don't be fooled by some pet shops

Post by ladybug15057 »

To a degree the pet stores cannot have deep substrate. If they do they will need to dig every time one wants to buy a hermie. Food/water this is uncalled for not to provide for any living creature. And when we do get them home please remember to try to help the hermie adjust by only offering very little substrate so they cannot burrow. (per the PPS article)
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Re: Don't be fooled by some pet shops

Post by CrabbyMamma »

Uh. I have read the PPS article a few times, but it was when I had only just got my crabs and was trying to take so much in. Just reading what you said about not offering too deep a substrate at first Marie, and I think I should go back and read it again...... wondering if this might shed some light on why 4 out of 5 of our crabs have all burrowed under never to be seen again (so far) since we got them :S

I know there are links to it everywhere, but right now I can't find it, can someone please post the link to the article here (again)?
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Re: Don't be fooled by some pet shops

Post by CrabbyMamma »

Ok, I just found the article and re-read it, and I can't see anything about a more shallow substrate, any help would be appreciated :)
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ladybug15057
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Re: Don't be fooled by some pet shops

Post by ladybug15057 »

There are 2 articles, but due to the second being a remake of the original with more explicit details so not to be confusing to readers the first always needs to stay in place for credit. It is impossible to observe them, or help them re-acclimatise if they burrow.
First article where it is not 'specifically' stated, but assumed understood:
http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modu ... storyid=22

This is the same article, but rewritten specifically stating to have shallow substrate:
http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modu ... toryid=165

Second paragraph, 7th sentence.

Edited to add:
And there is a wealth of info, and VERY understandable how new crabbers can become over whelmed with everything there is to learn. Usually better to start with the PPS article, then the criteria needed, then as the tank is set properly begin to read the massive information.
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Re: Don't be fooled by some pet shops

Post by lolomo12 »

Wai wrote:Non-toxic paint is harmless to human touch, although I wonder if it is toxic if ingested? Those people don't even make hermit crab food that is safe for consumption - how likely are they to test that the paint doesn't cause long term harm to hermit crabs?
They tested the non toxic paint theres no side effect is it still ok??
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Wai
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Re: Don't be fooled by some pet shops

Post by Wai »

No side effects in humans or hermit crabs? How was the test performed?
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Re: Don't be fooled by some pet shops

Post by ladybug15057 »

I would be interested in reading the documentation on this too. Even with many paints and colorings used here in the U.S. if eaten there is also a poison control number usually listed. If not harmful why take the precaution of listing the number for poison control? :S
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