What Is Safe For Hermit Crabs To Eat?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,
  • High-quality commercial hermit crab food.
  • Recommend vegetables (spinach, carrots and romaine lettuce) and noncitrus fruits (mangoes, coconut and papaya) as treats.
  • Nuts, seaweed, brine shrimp and fish flakes can also be offered as treats.
  • Provide carotene and calcium supplements (such as cuttlebone).

What fruit and veg can hermit crabs eat?

Hermit Crab Feeding

Fresh fruits and vegetables such as

apple, carrot, kale and banana

should be offered 2-3 times per week. Hermit will also readily accept dead insects such as dried mealworms, and crickets which can be coated with a calcium and vitamin supplement.

What should you not feed hermit crabs?

In general,

avoid onion, garlic and citrus

. When picking any kind of dried meat it is critical to look at the ingredient list for a pesticide called Ethoxyquin. It is a common preservative in many commercial hermit crab and fish foods and is poisonous to your crabs.

Can hermit crabs eat junk food?

also will eat junk food like

pretzels, corn chips, and sweetened cereals

. They may like these foods but they're definitely not good for them. … Some are: escargot, frozen fruit, iguana food (plant based), seaweed, sun dried shrimp, brine shrimp minus the salt water, plankton, and fish flakes.

Can hermit crabs eat pizza crust?

Hermit crabs like pizza. It should be given in moderation, but the cheese is a source of calcium. Pumpkin bread,

corn bread muffins

, and coconut macaroons are their favorites. Hard dog or cat food in a pinch can also substitute for their usual diet.

Can hermit crabs eat dog food?

In the wild, hermit crabs are foragers, so they also need a good source of animal protein. … You can also feed them a few pieces of a

high-quality, high-protein dog kibble

. Protein additions include: Dried Insects: Crickets, mealworms, river shrimp, blood worms, dried shrimp, brine shrimp.

Can hermit crabs have babies?

Hermit crab

babies hatch from eggs

. Mama Crab carries them around until they change color from a rusty brown to light blue, at which point they've finished developing. Many animals have more than one offspring at a time, but hermit crabs, have many in one effort. …

Can hermit crabs eat banana?

Foods to Feed

The Hermit Crab Patch notes that baby food is popular, particularly fruit flavors such as fruit medley, apples and

bananas

, mango fruit, guava fruit, sweet corn casserole, sweet potatoes and apples and applesauce.

Do hermit crabs eat everyday?

Your crab is a little creature, so

there is no need to feed them multiple times a day

. Feed your crab once daily in order to keep the fruits and veggies fresh.

Can hermit crabs eat cheese?


It's safe for hermit crabs to eat cheese

, but it is an unnatural food, so many people don't find it appealing to give them.

How do hermit crabs poop?

Hermit crabs produce

black or brown poop inside their shells

. They then use their rearmost legs to flick this solid, long, and thin waste onto the substrate. Urine is expelled from behind the antenna. Their poop and pee have no discernable odor.

Can hermit crabs get fat?

The short answer is

no they don't get fat

and any extra calories are stored and then used up during their molts/growth cycle. However, in captivity we do feed them oils and other high calorie foods that they don't normally eat in the wild.

Can hermit crabs pinch you?

A hermit crab pinching you is rarely a form of aggressive behavior. Most hermit crabs are docile and

only pinch when feeling afraid or acting in self-defense

. Hermit crabs also pinch if they fear losing their footing. … Hermit crabs use their claws to eat, so you may be pinched while hand-feeding.

Can hermit crabs eat scrambled eggs?

Egg every 7 to 10 days is actually very helpful to crabs, as they can use nutrients in the egg to manufacture their own molting hormones.

Soft boiled yolk is great

for crabs, as are scrambled with various things thrown in such as tuna or spirulina.

Do hermit crabs like peanut butter?

Some other foods your crab should enjoy are: … Nuts, applesauce, raisins, trail mix,

peanut

butter, honey, cooked egg, cereal, crackers, washed grass, and popcorn are some of the miscellaneous favorites people have reported their crabs enjoying.

Can hermit crabs eat oranges?


Hermit crabs can eat pretty much any kind of fruit

! … THE CITRUS MYTH: It's “common knowledge” among many crab owners that citrus fruits such as oranges are fatal to hermit crabs. This is false! These fruits are 100% okay for your crabs- they just may not eat them!

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.