E-mail to Corp. Office:

PETsMART : 5700 Johnston Street, Suite 100
Lafayette, LA 70503
Hello,
My name is Jessica Pullum. I visited the PETsMART in Lafayette today (July 21, 2005 @ 1:00-2:00) I went in specifically to look at the hermit crab tank and to check the price on the Natural Balance: Lamb & Rice – Dog food.

There are/were crab parts EVERYWHERE in the tank with a dead crab right in the front…the sad part…the crab(s) had been dead long enough that there was no long a smell. Meaning they have just LEFT them there!

My #1 concern is that there is NO LID on the tank to hold humidity in. The hermit crabs HAVE to have 76-80% humidity to BREATH (in another word SURVIVE). The temperature in the tank needs to be 75-80 degrees as well. The cold air in the store (with not having a lid) does not help their survival rate either. They do not have water in the tank. The simply have wet sponges; which is NOT enough for them to bathe themselves in. Not having water in the tank also DOES NOT keep the humidity high enough for them to SURVIVE. They need BOTH fresh water AND salt water. If not it (on your part) decreases sales because they DIE.

I DID talk to the “specialties manager” named Chris, I believe. He told me (when I commented about the lid for humidity) that they do not have a lid with holes in it to keep the Cal. Sand they use from stinking within a couple of days. He is right, I have heard MANY people say that the Cal. Sand (with humidity) stinks without ventilation. So the SIMPLE solution…use something else! He also said “We also have Repti Bark we switch them into (a different tank all together) every few weeks, so it does not look the same all the time.” Well, #1 they are COMPLETELY stressing the hermits out by moving them around like that. #2 the tank with the Repti. Bark is MUCH more appealing than the Cal. Sand. Plus, they can use play sand, (used in sand boxes) for example and put crushed oysters or sand dollars in the sand or plain calcium bits (probably found on their own selves) instead to prevent the smell. AND NO MATTER what type of bedding is used there needs to be at 3-4 inches if not more of it for the crabs to be able to burry themselves for molting and/or distressing. Also Chris was VERY nice and perspective to anything I said and said that he will put a lid on the crabitat and crack it open some. I told him that is fine-(it just needs to be open a little bit for air flow) that is what I and EVERYONE I know does. Besides a lid with holes in it would do NO GOOD to keep humidity in. Come to think of it I even bought the glass lids for my crabitats from PETsMART.

As far as being able to stabilize the humidity and temperature they do not have gauges in the tank. Chris said they have gauges. BUT I did not see any of the sort in the tank ANYWHERE.

One of the workers told me that the reason there are crab parts everywhere is due to fighting. It could be true, for two reasons. #1 Shell Fights (due to the lack of shells avilable to them).. #2 they have instincts of cannibalism if not fed the proper amounts of vegetation and other things needed in the diet. They do not have anything but (looks like) hermit crab cakes in for them- which need to be crushed up some ESPEICALLY for the size crabs that I so often see in pet stores. And they need more than that BY FAR. Here a list: http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/caresheets/cs_food.html .

They DO have a few pieces of what look to be fake coral. What I can not understand is how blank and just BLAH the hermit crab tank as well as ALL of the tanks I have ever seen in ANY of the PETsMARTs. That is not very appealing to the eye AT ALL. Plus the hermit crabs LOVE to climb anything and everything they can. And anyone who has ever owned a fish KNOWS they like to hide. What is wrong with giving ALL of these animals what they need as much as possible (like in nature). The lil’ guys deserve to be taking care of just as ALL the other animals in the store are.

They use to have a very nice set up in a round tank before-set up seperated from all the fish…What happened?!

I am requesting that the store calls me with updates on what they plan to do to improve conditions. I will be checking on the store every so often.

Sincerely,
Jessica Pullum
Information:
http://www.crabstreetjournal.org/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/epicurean_hermit/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hermies/
http://www.hermit-crabs.com/


PETsMART Response:

Mrs. Jessica,
We have addressed a few of your concerns about our Hermit Crabs. We have
remover the Hermit Crabs from the Calci-sand and have replaced this with
Aquarium Gravel. We have also placed a humidity and temperature guages in
the Habitat that we placed a cover on. We will keep the humidity above 50%.
Now we have a full dish of water and a sponge. Logs for climbing and an
assortment of shells have been placed in the habitat also.

Thank you for your concern. If you have any questions please give me a call.
I will be happy to assist you in any way.

Kory B. Aube
Store 0638- Lafayette

337-984-5319

My Response:

Hello Kory,
Sorry it has been so long before my response. I just got back from Florida. Thank you for responding and making changes. It was not until I got home that I relieazed just how much I had forgotten the mention while at the store. So I wrote the e-mail. Just so you personally know, I was not meaning to get anyone in trouble...just trying to be informative and do my best to ensure the correct care (as much as possible) for the little guys I have grown to care so much about.

I am glad to hear the gauges have been put into the crabitat and the lid on it as well.. The humidity needs to stay in the range of 75% -80% as much as possible for them to breath and any higher than 80% is TOO Much. The temperature needs to be 75-80 that is what they are use to in the wild.

Have you seen if the hermit crabs have been able to dig under the gravel...they need to be able to dig. They usually have a harder time walking on gravel. Any type of subtrane used needs to be at least 3-4inches deep.

Good to hear they have standing water AND sponges but my concern is that all spieces of land hermit crabs (that I have encountered) need SALT water along with fresh. There are products such as Instant Ocean to create the salt nesscary for their survival.

As long as the humidity is up the hermit crabs should greatly enjoy the logs and may even change into more comfortable shells.

What are they being fed? They need a variety of food. http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/caresheets/cs_food.html or http://epicureanhermit.com/mambo/index.php

For pictures of edible flowers and plants:

http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/photos/entrants/index.php?cat=20

Borage blossoms (Borago officinalis)
Calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis)-Also known as "pot marigolds"
Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Clover (flowers, leaves)
Daisies (Bellis perennis)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) (flowers, leaves, roots) Day lilies (Hemerocallis) Elderberry flowers (Sambucus canadensis) Gladiolus (Gladiolus spp.) Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) Honeysuckle flowers (Japanese Lonicera japonica) Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana) Jasmine (Jasmine officinale) Johnny-Jump-Up flowers--(Viola tricolor) Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) Pansy (Viola X Wittrockiana) (flowers and leaves) Passionflowers (Passifloraceae - passion flower family) Rose (Rosa spp) Sage (Salvia officinalis) Sunflower (Helianthus) (flowers, leaves, seeds) Tulips (Tulipa spp.) Violet (Viola odorata)

Other herb flowers-The tiny flowering blooms of the following spices are edible: anise, basil, bee balm, chives, coriander (cilantro), dill, fennel, garlic, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.

Edible Flowers For Parrots
A Bloom A Day Keeps The Gloom Away
by Carolyn Swicegood

My List also:

Food Items Good for Hermit Crabs

The Items in Green must but organic ( no pesticides ect. while being grown) IODILZED SALT is a big NO, NO!

(items may repeat)
1) Red raspberry leaf
2) Alfalfa leaf
3) Calendula power
4) Nettle leaf (maybe)
5) Coconut
6) Coconut milk
7) dried egg shells
8) cooked noodles in virgin olive oil
9) unsalted popcorn in olive oil
10) corn kernels
11) corn on the cob in distilled water
12) Vienna sausages (rarely given)
13) Food high in Beta Carotene (for good color)
14) Cantaloupe
15) crawfish
16) fresh shrimp
17) crab meat
18) rotten bananas
19) cat food (you can, but I won’t)
20) corn cob
21) Irish Moss power
22) Rose hips
23) Flax seed and seed meal
24) sea kelp power
25) chamomile
26) mangrove root (balls)
27) Rosy's 100% Organic Kitty Grass
28) mangrove root powder
29) Elderberries
30) Nutrafin Spirulina Algae Flake and Algae Tablets
31) frozen silversides (fish)
32) sand dollars (whole or crushed)
33) Bird seed – seeds of all sorts
34) Fish flakes
35) Jasmine tea leaf
36) Crab Island food
37) Papaya
38) Mango
39) Rose Petals (dried)
40) Egg yolk
41) Flott tuna
42) brown rice
43) tomatos
44) red bell pepper slices
45) mushroom slices
46) blueberries
47) hempseed
5 types of Kaytee:
48) hearty nut
49)papaya bits
50)mango and pineapple chunks
51)raspberry and coconut
52)Carrots and greens
53)Premium Blend Salad Topper For Herps
54) Dandelions (flowers, leaves, roots)
55)Carnation
56) Clover (flowers, leaves)
57)Hibiscus
58)Jasmine
59)Marigold
60)Nasturtium
61)Pansy (flowers and leaves)
6)Sunflower (flowers, leaves, seeds)
64)Violets (flowers)
65) Rock Cod Rice Pudding
66) apples
67) grits (ant killer as well)
68) peaches
69) Julian Sprungs Sea Veggies
70) ZooMed Leapard Gecko Food
71) Hikari BIO-PURE
72) Fluker's Mealworms
73) Hikari Tubifex Worms
74) Seaweed Select Green Marine
75) Hikari Cichlid Gold
76) Jarrow Formula's Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
77) Hikari Sinking Wafers
78) Zoo Med Anole Food
79) ZooMed Turtle Treat
80) Original EdenSoy Organic Soy Milk
81) Kaytee Healthy Toppings Rose Hips
82) Kaytee Healthy Toppings: Pumpkin Seeds & Almonds
83) Kaytee Healthy Toppings Coconut & Raspberries
84) krill
85)oats
86) Sardines (unsalted of course)
87) white rice (cooked)
88) strawberries (not the hermit crab species)
89) salmon
90)soy milk
91) kiwis
92) tangerines
93) blood oranges
94) pears
95) squash
96) mussels
98) top sirloin free-range beef steaks
99) broccoli
100) zucchini
101) Zoo-Med Anoles
102)sesame oil (in moderation)
103)sesame seeds
104)celery leaves
105)mangrove powder
106)dried unsweetened organic coconut shreds
107) roasted peanuts (unsalted)
108) Groat
109) Hikari Tubifex Worms
110)Aquasonic Brine Shrimp Flakes
111) H.B.H. Crab Bites
112)Crushed Oyster Shell
113)Hermit the Crab Deluxe HC Treat
114)Hikari BIO-PURE® FD Daphnia
115)Hikari Cichlid Gold
116)Hikari Crab Cuisine
117)Hikari Sinking Wafers
118)Kaytee Healthy Toppings Apple Bits
119)Kaytee Healthy Toppings: Carrot and Swt. Potato
120)Kaytee Healthy Toppings: Mixed Nuts
121)Nutiva Shelled Hemp Seed
122)Nutrafin BloodWorms
123)Nutrafin White Shrimp
124)RepCal or Reti- Cricket Food
125)RepCal Calcium with Vitamins
126)RepCal Herptivite
127)SAM Coconut Treats
128)SAM Fruit Chews Coconut
129)Seaweed Select Green Marine Algae
130)Tetra Baby Shrimp
131)T-Rex Fruit Naturals
132)Wardley Dried Shrimp Hermit Crab Food
133)starfriut
134) shrimp heads
135) Cornflakes

136)Almonds, crushed
137)Amaranth (Ancient grain)
138)Anchovy oil
139)unsweetened apple sauce
140)Avocado
141)Barley
142)Bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green or purple)
143)Bee pollen
144)Bilberries/Huckleberries
145)Blackberry leaves
146)Blackberry
147)Blueberries
148)Borage blossoms (Borago officinalis)
149)Broccoli and leaves
150)Soy
151)Calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis)-Also known as "pot marigolds"
152)Carnation flowers (Dianthus caryophyllus)
153)Cauliflower and leaves
154)Celery leaves
155)Chard
156)Cherimoya
157)Cherry
158)Chicken bones
159)Chicken, cooked and unseasoned (smash the bone for marrow access)
160)Choya wood
161)Cilantro
162)Clams
163)Cod liver oil
164)Collards
165)Cork bark
166)Cornmeal
167)Cranberries (dehydrated)
168)Crickets
Cucumber
Currants
Cuttlefish bone, powdered
Daisies (Bellis perennis)
Day lilies (Hemerocallis)
Fish Oil
Flax seed oil (small amounts infrequently)
Garbanzos
Gladiolus (Gladiolus spp.)
Grape Leaf
Grapes
Grapevine (vines and root)
Green and red leaf lettuce (not iceburg; dark green)
Green Beans
Honeysuckle flowers (Japanese Lonicera japonica)
Honeydew Melon
Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana)
Johnny-Jump-Up flowers--(Viola tricolor)
Mangrove (small live trees can be obtained on eBay, use in water basin)
Marion Berries
Milk thistle flowers (Silybum marianum)
Mint (but not peppermint!)
Most organic baby foods
Nasturtium flowers (Tropaeolum majus)
Nettle (wilted)
Oak Leaves and bark
Oranges
Pansy flowers and leaves (Viola X Wittrockiana)

Parsley
Passion flowers (Passifloraceae - passion flower family)
Passionfruit
Peaches
Peanut butter (avoid sugar, corn syrup and hydrogenated oils)
Pears
Pecans
Pecan bark
Persimmon
Pineapple
Plain calcium carbonate powder
Plum
Popcorn (unseasoned, unflavored, unbuttered)
Potato (no green parts, including eyes)
Quinoa (New World grain)
Raisins (no sulphur dioxide)
Raspberry
Rolled Oats
Rooibus
Royal Jelly
Sage blossoms (Salvia officinalis)
Salmon
Sardines
Scallops
Sea biscuits
Sea fan (red or black)
Sea grasses
Sea salt
Sea Sponges
Sesame seeds (crushed)
Sesame oil (in tiny amounts as appetite stimulant)
Shrimp and exoskeletons
Spinach
Sprouts (flax, wheat, bean, alfalfa, etc.)
Squash (and squash blossom)
Strawberry and tops
Sunflower Seeds (crushed), flowers and leaves (Helianthus)
Swamp cypress wood (false cypress, taxodium sp.)
Sweet potato
Sycamore leaf
Tangerine
Tomato
Tulip flowers (Tulipa spp.)
Tuna
Turnip greens
Viola flowers
Violet flowers (Viola odorata)
Walnuts
Wasa All-Natural Crispbread (Oat flavor)
Watercress
Watermelon
Wheat grass
Wheat
Wheat germ
Whitefish
Whole Wheat Couscous
Zucchini (and zucchini flowers)*

(I also sent an attachment of CrabStreet Caresheets)

Any questions or concerns please e-mail me at starlady_85@bellsouth.net or call ***-***-****

Jessica