What do you feed your hermit crabs?

[bobo]

I feed mine flax seed, coconut shavings, wheat bread, bluberries, carrots, bananas, and occasionally egg shell and orange.

[Chermo]

They need more variety than that. I use stuff from the addiction store and stuff I found in the bird food section and even the hamster section that is all natural with no added stuff and even found in the cat treat section of petsmart that they have these treats that are 100% herring steaks. You need a large variety of fruits, veggies, meats, seafoods, calcium, fibers, egg shells and eggs are great too. There is a safe foods list somewhere maybe someone can point you in the right direction for it.

[bobo]

I would love to give them more variety but my parents hate them. Is there anything inexpensive that I can find at the grocery store?

[emmac350]

The safe foods list is at http://www.epicurean-hermit.com/index.php?topic=2.0. Chermo is right - crabs need variety in their diet to help them get all the nutrition that they need. After all, you don't eat the same eight things every day of your life, do you?

Looking at what you've got listed there, your crabs need protein! Otherwise, they very well may end up cannibalizing each other to get it. Ask your mom if she can save you pieces of any meat you eat before she seasons and cooks it. She can help you cook it (most of the time, I just microwave mine) as well, and maybe you can even get cooking lessons. You can also use most of the fruits and veggies in your house, although I would advise against giving them bread. Breads tend to have a lot of preservatives in them that could potentially be toxic to your crabs. So the next time you're having a salad, save a little piece of every crab-safe food in it (lettuce or spinach, cabbage, cucumber, mushrooms, tomato, carrot, onion, pepper) and give it to the crabs. Is your mom making a fruit salad? Take little pieces of everything! Giving your crabs a version of what you eat (like the time we all had fajitas for dinner - even the crabs!) makes it a little more fun, as well as it giving your crabs more of a variety of dinner foods.

Another thing that you need to offer is chitin - this is the primary 'building block' of crabs' exoskeletons. They need it, especially after molting. You can ask your mom to go to the pet store and buy a small jar of freeze dried baby shrimp (as long as its ingredients are only shrimp, no chemicals) in the fish food section or even some bloodworms (again, only ingredient listed is bloodworms and no chemicals) also in the fish food section. Again, try it with krill or even plankton. Your crabs will definitely thank you for it.

Here's a copy of the 'food groups' that I use with my crabs. Most of this stuff is from the addiction store, but you can divide up what you have available into these groups and make sure that they get something out of every group every day.

1. Flowers - these contain coloring compounds to help your crabs maintain their nice exo colors; I use these flowers: calendula, blue violet, blue malva, chamomile, hibiscus, rose, chickweed, cornflowers, honeysuckle, jasmine, rose, and sunflowers.

2. Cellulose - keep in mind that when you give them cellulose that they will also supplement their diets with cellulose in their tank - tearing apart cocohuts, cholla logs, etc.; oak/maple leaves, dandelion root/leaves, raspberry plant leaves, mangrove and red root pieces, etc. I know my crabs have been tearing apart my cholla because I took it out to clean the tank and the base of it was surrounding with crab poo! So they do eat that if offered. I also offer them pieces of sterilized sponge occasionally.

3. Fruits - fresh or dried fruit. Try to stick to organic if you can as it's generally better for them (less risk of getting sick from pesticides). If you offer commercial dried fruit you should ensure that there are no preservatives at all as most of these can be harmful to your crabs. These are important for the vitamins and minerals in them as well as the coloring compounds. I offer coconut (dried), pineapple (dried and pieces of fresh made from the outside pieces with flesh on them; a byproduct of cutting a fresh pineapple), apples (dried and fresh), bananas (I have a mushy brown one in the freezer that I cut pieces off as well as a dried one), cranberries (dried), raisins (no preservatives), grapes (fresh), strawberries (fresh and dried), orange (dried), mango (fresh and dried), etc. This is the easiest food group to give them as they are usually readily available in your house.

4. Seaweed/algae - these provide very important vitamins and minerals for your crab. These are part of their natural diet and thus are important to offer. I offer spirulina powder, algae crisps, sea lettuce, and kelp. I know other people offer actual food grade seaweed as well.

5. "Other nutritional stuff" - this is where I put things that provide some of the trace minerals required by our crabs. Worm castings, salt (ensure it's a safe salt for the crabs; I use the ones on the addiction site), etc.

6. Nuts/grains - these contain important oils and nutrients for crabs. I have walnuts, pumpkin seeds, 9 grain cereal, 7 grain oatmeal, soynuts, flaxseed, psyllium seeds.

7. Veggies - onions, peppers, green beans (unseasoned), squashes, etc.

8. Chitin/calcium-providing protein - these are freeze-dried shrimp, (dried or dead) bloodworms, (dried or dead) mealworms, (dead) crickets, silkworms, etc. Chitin helps them harden exos properly and prepares them for/helps recover from a molt.

9. Other protein - eggs (hard boiled, powdered), dried silversides, sardines (in spring water), preservative free fish flakes (like bonito or dulse flakes), dried octopus or squid (found at the addiction store).

10. Calcium - eggshells, crushed coral, calcisand, etc.

Treats - bee products, peanut butter (organic/natural), organic noodles, cheese.

[bobo]

I will deffinetly try some of those! I made sure that the bread was safe because on the front it says no perservitives. Is uncooked salmon OK? I know that we are having that tomarrow for dinner. Thanks!

[ladybug15057]

Some of these you and your family may already eat, so no added expense:

http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modu ... storyid=44

http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modu ... storyid=25

http://www.hermitcrabcuisine.com/

or what can be found in a pet store... (even a WalMart)
http://crabbywiki.com/tiki-browse_categ ... =off&type=

[emmac350]

I don't know if I'd do uncooked salmon, but taking a piece of the salmon before cooking it and microwaving it for 15 seconds or so (I'm a little shy about using raw meat anywhere) will cook it fully and make it safe for sure.

What sides are you having with the salmon? Chances are that they're crab safe as well (if you take them out before any seasonings or flavorings are added).

[ladybug15057]

I agree with Emma, the only raw fish I even serve is silversides but it is sold specifically at the pet store in the freezer section. Whereas some bacteria they may have will not effect humans we cannot be too sure about our hermies. One thing that is a fact through, all shell fish should be at least steamed prior to serving:

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

[1998mooo]

I just got my hermit crab two days ago and I put him in a fish bowl with sand. I've been giving him bits of strawberry and lettuce, is that enough?

[ladybug15057]

If that is all you have provided your hermie (a fish bowl with sand) he needs ever so much more. Please do read the Crab Care Section about the tank, humidity, thermometer, bedding, diet he needs.