Re-Educate Before Rescue

I understand that it is difficult to ignore hermit crabs in bad conditions. By buying them from pet stores, you are are saving some from the bad conditions; however, unless they stop selling hermit crabs altogether, it is feeding the cycle.

• Store adds new crabs to the tank

• Crabber takes pity on crabs and buys them to save or rescue them

• Store orders new crabs

      (Repeat)

If you rescue hermit crabs from a pet store with bad conditions, then you are supporting a pet store that is doing the wrong thing, and only encouraging them to buy more hermit crabs, since there are no negatives about the way they care for their hermit crabs. The end result is that they are not motivated to change their practices. Even if you could afford to rescue all the hermit crabs in the pet stores, the sad reality is that many crabs that are kept in poor conditions do not fully recover, even when kept in optimal conditions. Some damage can not be undone.

If after many attempts to calmly and courteously reach the employees and/or management of a store and it is clear that they are not interested in the welfare of the hermit crabs then I would rather boycott a store – make it clear that you (and your crabbing friends) will not buy products or animals from them until their needs have been met. Tell them that you are going to do a Google and Facebook review on them and will be back in a week/month to see if they have made the necessary changes.

I understand that for some, they only have the one store, and they need access to products, but if you can switch stores to one that meets the care requirements, then please do. Perhaps you could select products that you would have bought from them and put them on the counter, and say, “This is the sale you just missed out on because you are unwilling to respond to feedback from what was a loyal customer”, and then walk out. That has worked for me in the past. They have called me back and were willing to make changes.

If possible, fill out a Pet Store Report which lists the conditions you found in the store, what products are available for sale and how friendly, helpful and knowledgeable the staff are. Print it out. Write a letter addressing what changes need to be made and why they are considered to be stressful and detrimental to their health in the long term.

It may help to include the essentials and checklists recommended for land hermit crabs and circle the total amount of the products, showing how much money they stand to make if they set out their tank as outlined. Not only will it be a display of products available for sale, but it will also entice people to buy more hermit crabs if they are happy and active.

I have used these strategies when visiting pet stores with less than adequate crabitats and care methods, and the results have been remarkable. Once they see that they will make more money and attract more customers with a little work and maintenance on their part, you may see a difference in the way they view hermit crabs and the welfare of land hermit crabs in their care. Once the manager is alerted to the problem, things are more likely to change. Print out the Pet Store Report, the Yelp Review and hand it to them. If possible, also email it to the headquarters if you can find one.

As someone who has had many hermit crabs in her care due to the rescue mentality,I realised that it is far better to educate rather than rescue. If you can’t educate, then it may be time to alert the authorities (Animal Control, PIJAC, PIAA, RSPCA, SPCA, etc) that deal with animal neglect or abuse in your area.

 

What to Avoid in Pet Stores

 

KRITTER KEEPERS

The vented lid of a plastic tank may be suitable in areas with high levels of humidity, but for most homes where the humidity level is below 70% they can cause inactivity, breathing problems and other complications. Many people buy these tanks because they seem cheap, but when you compare their cost to a 10 Gallon glass tank with lid which can often be found in the US at $10 they really are not worth the money. Some hermit crab owners are able to keep the humidity contained within a plastic tank by covering the vented lid with saran (cling) wrap or other method.

 

2. WIRE CAGES

Unsuitable wire cage set up sold by pet stores for hermit crabs

Even less suitable than a plastic tank with a vented lid is the wire cage. Not only is there no way for the humidity to be retained in the tank with the crabs, the metal of the wire cage can cause problems with crabs climbing and breaking off leg tips, or causing injuries with claws and other body parts. In many stores throughout America land hermit crabs are displayed in wire cages because it gives the impression that the crabs are more active if they are up climbing and visible to the customer.

Hermit Crabs love to climb, but a wire cage is not a suitable crabitat for long term care except in tropical areas with very high levels of humidity similar to that hermit crabs are found in the wild. Even in these areas, there are times during the year when the temperature level and humidity drops below optimal levels and a heating source is needed. I do not recommend adding an under tank heater to a wire cage, nor using lights which may dry out the crabs without the needed humidity that would be found in a glass tank with lid, under tank heater and a water source.

3. KRABOOZ CRIBZ

In many cases the pet store employees are not aware of what the end result of their misinformation may be, however there are many that do know what is needed and feel threatened that if people were informed of the products and expenses involved in keeping land hermit crabs happy and healthy they would be turned away from hermit crabs as cheap and disposable pet options. Needs such as a warm and humid environment, a balanced and varied diet, providing areas for them to de-stress, and other essentials such as temperature and humidity gauges would potentially see their ‘throw away pet’ sales would plummet. It is far easier to sell a $30 kit with a hermit crab in a plastic tank with some cheap substrate and food and water dishes – and rake in the money handed over by unsuspecting new crab owners. What is worse is when they continue to sell hermit crabs as tank mates die a slow death, become inactive in lower temperatures or leave their shells and shrivel up, in the low humidity environment.

Unfortunately every pet store I contacted told me the same thing. That is what they were told by their supplier, and that is what they believe to be true. After all, as one store said, their hermit crabs didn’t die, so therefore what they were taught must be correct. Unfortunately they failed to realise that the hermit crabs they had in their store’s crabitat were quickly bought up by eager hermit crab owners and new hermit crabs ordered. Even in the worst of conditions hermit crabs can live for up to eighteen months, dying usually when they attempt to moult in conditions which are not suitable.

In America, the situation is similar, although the brands and products may change depending on what is cheap locally. Cheap substrates sold for reptiles, such as gravel, corn cob bedding, newspaper, walnut shells and wood chips, are used in many pet stores simply because it is cheap and available, even though they are difficult to keep the correct temperature and humidity with this substrate, let alone its suitability as a burrowing medium. Calcium Sand is often used and sold, which, when damp, can cement a hermit crab inside its shell. It was developed for reptiles and clumps when wet. Forget Calcium Sand and use clean, washed high quality play sand that you can get in bulk from hardware stores such as Bunnings in Australia and Home Depot in the US.

Crabitats that meet the needs of land hermit crabs include adequate heating with the use of a heat mat or heat cord attached to the back wall of the crabitat. The substrate is one that hermit crabs can easily burrow in – a mix of good-quality play sand and coconut fibre. There are areas within the tank for the crabs to hide out and de-stress. There are items within the crabitat for them to climb on and get exercise so that they get an appetite. A balanced diet is offered to meet their calcium, protein, fibre, lipid and carbohydrate needs.