Hermit Crab Articles

This video shows the treatment that hermit crabs go through to be sold in stores in colorful painted shells. Hopefully this video will make people think twice about purchasing painted shells for their hermit crabs.

Not only do they suffer cruelty as evidenced in this video, the painted shells are very dangerous to their health. They can be killed by eating paint that has chipped off the shells or the paint can permeate through the shell wall and permanently "glue" the crab to the inside of the shell. The crab will die because it cannot leave the shell to molt.

I know it can be tempting to "rescue" a hermit crab from a painted shell by buying them at the store. In reality, the only thing you are accomplishing is creating more incentive for people to continue this practice to make money. Only buy hermit crabs in natural shells!