Other forums and resistance to new info

[emmac350]

Okay, so this isn't so much a rant about this forum as we are pretty good about taking in new info, but others aren't. I'm on a forum on which almost every active member raves about their playsand and how great it is and how well it works. I've posted the info about playsand (the rough grains, the unidentified black stuff in the photomicrograph that is thought to be tar, how it can be toxic to humans, let alone the poor crabs who have to live in it...and honestly, I don't think anyone read any of it. They all say "I've been using it for a year with no problem and have had successful molts in it" implying that nothing bad will ever happen. Additionally, I had someone say that they just microwave it and don't rinse before using! And they didn't see any reason to change. Grr.

How can we change the attitude about what's safe for our crabs? I know quite a few of us are on multiple forums, so have you seen anything like this? (By the way, I'm NOT comfortable saying what forum this is on so please don't try to start guessing which one it is. I won't tell. I've been trying to change its culture to a more scientific one for when people have crab issues, i.e. problem-->solution in a logical manner...issue by issue with their setup, etc. I am still the only one trying to act and think that way, though. Sometimes it seems the forum is more of a hangout place for people who happen to have crabs than a place to discuss crab matters and think through why things happen the way they do.)

[Wai]

You could argue that the play sand can cause long term harm to the hermit crabs and give examples of it.

I guess here, we're quick to shoot down anyone who doesn't take on our advice lol.

[ladybug15057]

Emma, the best we can do is pass along the information that we have learned and KNOW. I will say you are on an uphill battle when it comes to play sand. I researched it for a couple weeks, contacted the owner of a site and goodness when I got the ok to post what I had discovered by researching. It opened a can of worms that stirred the pot over its boiling point.
I first posted the hazards of using it back in June 2002. Crabbers began to have major complications with their hermies, but yet their tank conditions were within order. Unexplained deaths, deformities, stuck exo's, etc. I began to search calsi sand as well as play sand. (play sand just began to get the ok for use by some in the tanks for expense reasons the end of summer of 2001) The nightmares of both began to come out, but more so on play sand at the time. The a couple years went by and another crabber came along and claimed it was perfectly fine to use. Yep... use the Quickrete play sand it is of higher quality it is 95% silica!! Grrr... off a searching heavily I went again and did find the "High quality Quickrete play sand Pictures" with the black what appears to be tar. (and got permission to use the Photomicrograph pictures too...and gave credit) Well... that crabber ended up buying the Aragonite sand too!!
What kills me, (without mentioning names either) is that there is a crabber who claims to have been crabbing for about 35 years (but took 28 Years to have their first successful molt!!) and states play sand is fine to use. BUT since I posted about the play sand in 2002... she began to but CaribSea herself to use!!!
Best we can do is share, and refer to links for reading and let people make up their own minds what is best. If and when they have complications they will look back and realize what it very well could/can be.

[CrabbyJo]

I think Marie is right, Emma. Post your info, post the knowledge, the links, the stories, then let them have at it. Some will begin to have doubts, especially after they have deaths, and will begin to see the light over time. Some may even change their sand and not really say much to avoid being lambasted by the forum community.

Either way, we plant the seed, and wait for it to take root.