Shrimp Tails

[erikleeson]

Gilbert loves his shrimp tails. I got some in the freezer and I took a handful out and they thawed for only like 2 minutes, but I placed them in the dish and sure enough Gilbert came out of hiding to eat some shrimp. I placed the shrimps under the heat light. but I can hear Gilbert trying really hard to rip off pieces. I know he can eat it, its 1 AM and I see his pincer go into his mouth parts but like I'm just curious if maybe if we fed them frozen/hard foods more often they could excersise their claws which would be beneficial?

I don't know...

[ladybug15057]

If it was raw shrimp, did you at least steam it first prior to offering? ALL fresh shell fish should be at least steamed first prior to offering due to shell disease!
Harder foods are ok to offer, but I would strongly recommend not frozen.

[erikleeson]

They where cooked a few weeks ago and they are simply the tails we do not eat, I just took them out of the freezer and put them in the dish, they where in their overnight and they are scattered all over the tank, I can thaw them prior to offering I just thought it would be good because they really have to work to get pieces off.

[Chermo]

If it was raw shrimp, did you at least steam it first prior to offering? ALL fresh shell fish should be at least steamed first prior to offering due to shell disease!
Harder foods are ok to offer, but I would strongly recommend not frozen.

I guess my question about uncooked shrimp would be, it is not cooked or steamed in the wild, why would we have to do it for them?

[erikleeson]

If it is uncooked there is a more likely chance of shell rot. But I agree with chermo, I also think hermit crabs are immune to many food related sicknesses.

[ladybug15057]

Catch being this shell disease is spreading in the wild as well. The shell disease was first reported by a crabber in Aus., a couple years ago and there were also a few cases here in the U.S. as well that were diagnosed as shell disease. One needs to remember too that nature has many variables in the wild that regardless of how hard we try we are not going to be able to imitate in our crabitats. Sun is natures natural disinfectant as well as the ocean/sea water for most bacteria and molds.
I have been trying to refrain from posting links within HCP and this info has also been shared with Wai for the crab care section that is due for a major update. There has been a LOT of research involved in this, and it is at the Crab Street Journals Crabby wiki:

http://crabbywiki.com/tiki-index.php?pa ... +threat%3F

Click onto the links within the archived post from CSJ for more detailed reading.
It is up to each individual crabber to do as they feel best and in the best interest of their hermies. But the warnings are there.