How to Decorate Hermit Crab Shells

When you decorate your hermit crab's shell, you can make it as colorful and vibrant as you like.

Hermit crabs are small sea creatures that periodically exchange their old shells with newer, larger ones. If you own a hermit crab as an exotic pet, it can be exciting to see your crab switching shells. One way to make this experience even more fun is to paint and decorate your hermit crab's new shell in a vibrant way. Once your crab switches shells, it will display your creative work right on its back.

Things You'll Need

• Hermit crab shell
• Bowl
• Water
• Dish soap
• Pipe cleaner
• Paintbrush
• Acrylic paint
• Glitter glue
• Plastic jewels

Instructions

1. Fill a bowl with hot water.

2. Add in three drops of dish soap, and mix well.

3. Submerge an empty hermit crab shell into the soapy water.

4. Use a pipe cleaner to clean the outside and inside of the shell.

5. Rinse the shell well with clean water.

6. Place the shell onto a towel, and allow it to dry completely.

7. Paint the outside of the hermit crab shell using acrylic paint. Do not apply paint on the inside of the shell or along the outside rim.

8. Allow the paint to dry completely.

9. If you prefer, apply glitter glue to the outside of the shell.

10. Press small plastic jewels onto the glitter glue.

11. Allow the glue to dry completely before presenting the shell to your hermit crab.

References

• Family Fun: Painting Shells
• Kinder Art: Seashell Painting