Can Hermit Crabs Eat Oranges? 62 Most Correct Answers

Since Hermit Crabs like to try everything, be careful what you do in Sheldon’s Crab. Though pretty, painted shells can be dangerous to crabs; Eventually the paint will peel off and he can pick up the flakes. You may want to have some commercial hermit crab food on hand to ensure he gets the nutrition he needs. Some crabs store food inside their crab, mimicking the behavior of hermit crabs in the wild. Keep one eye – and one nose – open to make sure it doesn’t stay in the cage too long and start to rot.

It’s easy to spot a hermit crab on the beach going about its business – the shell on its back. Here’s one thing most people don’t know: hermit crabs aren’t actually crabs!

Another thing people are unsure about is what hermit crabs eat. Curious? Let’s kill the cat and find out.

Hermit Crab Habits and Biology

Did you know that there are over 800 species of hermit crabs? In general, they can be divided into two main groups, namely terrestrial and marine hermit crabs.

These creatures are social and can live in large colonies of more than a hundred crabs. They will forage, eat, and sleep together.

Hermit crab species that are terrestrial live mainly on land. They live near the coast where they have easily accessible water. These crabs reproduce and spend most of their early lives in the water.

Sea hermit crabs live exclusively in the water. They feed, mate and reproduce in sea water. Only one species of sea crab is known to live in freshwater. It is called Clibanarius fonticola.

Sea hermit crabs rarely leave the water. They breathe briefly through the gills if they are wet.

Most of them have fragile exoskeletons and therefore occupy the shells of other animals such as whelks. The shells help protect them from predators. Hermit crabs’ tails are curved and hooked at the end so that they can fit into shells.

As hermit crabs grow, they are skinned. In doing so, they shed their original exoskeleton and develop a new one. As they grow in size, they also need to find larger shells to inhabit.

During this time, both the marine and terrestrial hermits were observed in large numbers, queuing in a straight line to exchange shells. When an individual finds a new shell, it will give up its previous shell.

The mating behavior of hermit crabs varies from species to species. For example, the Caribbean hermit crab migrates to shores in large numbers during mating season.

Once the males and females have found each other, they partially come out of their shells, allowing the male crab to transfer sperm to the female and eventually fertilize the female’s eggs.

What do hermit crabs eat in the wild?

Hermit crabs are omnivores, eating both plants and animals. In general, these animals are not fussy and will feed on almost anything they can find.

Hermit crabs in the wild find food using scent receptors located in their antennae. Another way to find food is to watch them and feed on the same things their fellow hermits eat.

Hermit crabs are mainly nocturnal and regularly search for food under cover of night. They also rarely eat the same food twice in the same day or night.

Wild hermit crabs feed on a wide variety of foods, some of which include:

Nuts – The high protein and fat content in nuts is beneficial for hermit crabs that are about to molt.

– The high protein and fat content in nuts is beneficial for hermit crabs that are about to molt. Fruits and Vegetables – Mangoes, carrots, bananas, and sweetcorn provide important nutrients and vitamins, especially for growing crabs.

–Mangoes, carrots, bananas, and sweetcorn provide important nutrients and vitamins, especially for growing crabs. Garbage – can be ripped open by the Hermit Crabs looking for food to satiate their appetite.

– can be torn open by the hermit crabs looking for food to satisfy their appetite. Rotting Wood – is an acceptable food source for the hermits. They like to nibble on wood, and rotting wood is soft and easy to chew and swallow.

– is an acceptable food source for the hermits. They like to nibble on wood, and rotting wood is soft and easy to chew and swallow. Dead animals (carrion) – serve as a ready meal for hermit crabs and are a good source of nutrients. Hermits feed mainly on shrimp and fish carcasses.

– serve as a ready meal for hermit crabs and are a good source of nutrients. Hermits feed mainly on shrimp and fish carcasses. Algae – Algae not only produces oxygen for aquatic animals, but also serves as a healthy food source for hermit crabs.

– Algae not only produce oxygen for aquatic animals, but also serve as a healthy food source for hermit crabs. Food left on the beach by humans – Hermit crabs will eat almost any food left on the beach by humans.

– Hermit crabs will eat almost any food that humans have left on the beach. Meat – Hermit crabs enjoy eating meat as it is a good source of proteins that support their growth and development. They feed on poultry, fish and even beef.

– Hermit crabs like to eat meat as it is a good source of proteins that support their growth and development. They feed on poultry, fish and even beef. Poop – yes! Hermit crabs feed their feces to avoid wasting nutrients.

-Yes indeed! Hermit crabs feed their feces to avoid wasting nutrients. Tiny Shells – Hermit crabs eat shells and then use their shells as homes.

– Hermit crabs eat shells and then use their shells as homes. clams

When there is a lack of food in their environment, hermit crabs compete aggressively for food. The most dominant and aggressive crab usually gets a larger share of the “pie”!

What Do Hermit Crabs Eat as Pets?

Compared to their counterparts in the wild, hermit crabs eat more or less the same types of food in captivity. However, to stay healthy and live longer, it is imperative to provide them with a consistent healthy diet.

Meat and fish – are high in protein, which aids in the growth and development of the crab.

– are rich in proteins that support the growth and development of the crab. Cuttlebone (squid bone) – usually ground into a powder and added to other foods as a supplement. It is rich in calcium, which helps in the formation of the exoskeleton.

–is usually ground into a powder and added to other foods as a supplement. It is rich in calcium, which helps in the formation of the exoskeleton. Pet Food – serves as a treat for hermits as they find it very tasty. It is also high in fats, so it should not be given on a regular basis.

– serves as a treat for hermits, as they find it very tasty. It is also high in fats, so it should not be given on a regular basis. Leafy greens like kale and spinach are healthy for crabs as they are high in calcium.

– like kale and spinach, are healthy for crabs as they are high in calcium. Peanut Butter and Jelly – serve as treats for hermit crabs. You should hand-feed them to prevent them from getting into their gills, which causes choking.

– serve as a treat for hermit crabs. You should hand-feed them to prevent them from getting into their gills, which causes choking. Oatmeal – has high nutritional value and is highly recommended for pet hermits. However, due to their high fat content, it should not be given to them on a regular basis.

– have high nutritional value and are highly recommended for pet hermits. However, due to their high fat content, it should not be given to them on a regular basis. Seeds, nuts and grains – help in their growth and development. Be sure to shred them down to edible sizes.

–Help in their growth and development. Be sure to shred them down to edible sizes. Crushed Egg Shells – serve as an excellent source of calcium.

– serve as an excellent source of calcium. Fish Flakes – Hermit crabs kept with fish can occasionally indulge in Fish Flakes along with their tankmates.

– Hermit crabs kept with fish can occasionally indulge in Fish Flakes along with their aquarium mates. Seaweed – is a form of algae that you can find in the sea.

Just as it’s important to be aware of what to feed your hermit crab, it’s also important to know what to avoid. Below are foods you should not feed:

Avocado Leaves – The skin and leaves of the plant are toxic to hermit crabs and other crustaceans. However, the fruit is edible.

–The skin and leaves of the plant are poisonous to hermit crabs and other crustaceans. However, the fruit is edible. Citrus fruits – The rind, leaves, and peel contain natural insecticides that are harmful to hermit crabs if ingested.

– Bark, leaves and shells contain natural insecticides that are harmful to hermit crabs if ingested. Table salt – contains large amounts of iodine, which is toxic in large amounts. In small amounts, it helps the crabs to shed their skin.

– contains large amounts of iodine, which is toxic in large quantities. In small amounts, it helps the crabs to shed their skin. Tap or chlorinated water – contains chemicals and metals that are toxic to crabs, and they can develop health complications.

Other foods to avoid when feeding your pet crabs include catnip, moldy and rotten foods, chocolate, cocoa, among others.

Feeding your pets a nutritious diet every day will ensure they grow and develop into adult crabs.

Hermit crab feeding tips

The best way to keep your pet hermit crab happy and healthy is to feed them. The good news is that feeding these animals is an easy task as they are not picky eaters. However, it is important to provide them with a balanced diet.

If you are new to owning a pet hermit crab or planning to get one, the following steps may be helpful:

Choose high-quality commercial crab food.

Various high-quality commercial foods are available at pet stores. To give your crab a balanced diet, you can alternate between the different products. These commercial feeds are available in powder, pellet, and gel forms.

Avoid buying commercial feeds that contain copper sulfate and ethoxyquin.

Feed your crabs a variety of fruits and vegetables.

You can switch the menu between fruits and vegetables from time to time so your hermit crab doesn’t get bored with the same food.

Fruits and vegetables provide your pet crab with much-needed vitamins and minerals in their diet.

You should wash the vegetables thoroughly before serving your shrimp. This practice helps eliminate pesticides or herbicides.

Provide your crab with some wood.

Hermit crabs like to play and feed on wood. Luckily, it’s readily available and lasts a long time. Some types of wood that hermit crabs prefer are ash, oak, and birch.

Replace the wood with another when it gets old and seems unappetizing.

Feed your pet crab food that is high in protein.

Proteins help maintain hermit crabs’ exoskeletons. It also helps in the processing of carbohydrates.

You can feed them a wide range of protein-rich foods such as beef, poultry, and seafood. They also eat maggots such as earthworms and mosquito larvae.

You should give them a new protein source every day. They can be served raw or cooked without sauces or butter.

Occasionally supplement your hermit crab’s diet with calcium.

You can add crushed cuttlefish, egg shells, or oyster shells. These foods help maintain the exoskeleton as they are rich in calcium.

A lack of calcium could result in an unhealthy crab.

Feed your hermit crab other treats in addition to fruits and vegetables.

Feed your pet crab peanut butter. They love it! However, be sure to pay attention to the ingredients to avoid substances that could be toxic to your crab.

Other treats you can feed your crabs include popcorn, washed weed, and honey.

Place the crab food in shallow bowls.

Shallow bowls allow your hermit crabs easy access to their food.

Use plastic or ceramic dishes as hermit crabs are sensitive to metal objects.

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There you have it! Everything You Need to Know About What Do Hermit Crabs Eat? Consider the steps above when purchasing your first pet hermit crab.

Hermit crabs are fun creatures for pets. They are very easy to care for and feed. Not to mention that they are playful and can eat almost anything.

There is much debate about how long hermit crabs live and whether they survive long in the wild or in captivity.

Hermit crabs need a lot of care and attention in captivity, but can survive better in their natural saltwater habitat. Different people have different experiences with their pet hermit crabs.

Land Hermit Crabs can live more than 30 years when left alone in their natural habitat! Captive hermit crabs live slightly less than wild hermit crabs because pet owners cannot meet the animal’s habitat requirements, meaning this species has a difficult time living very long.

There are several species of hermit crabs in the world. some are marine and some survive on land. These crustaceans have long lifespans, but when kept in captivity, most of them live less than a year due to the possibility of being kept in an inappropriate environment.

Land hermit crabs need moisture, adequate hiding places and molting, and when these pets are deprived of these, they suffer from stress and can even die.

After reading all about these sea creatures, check out how many legs does a crab have and what they eat?

Can Hermit Crabs Die From Loneliness?

Hermit crabs are marine animals belonging to the crustacean group. Crustaceans are a group of aquatic animals that primarily includes animals with hard shells made of calcium, known as exoskeletons, which they use to protect themselves from predators.

Hermit crabs are very friendly animals and tend to grow in groups. Loneliness is not one of the factors that hermit crabs could die from, but it should be considered so that these pets can thrive better with a friend.

Hermit crabs are friendly pets and could easily get along with you; This can be beneficial for you and the animal to overcome loneliness. These pets need a lot of space, so consider buying a large tank with optimal temperature and humidity for these crustaceans to breathe well. Avoid keeping them in a wire cage as the pet needs adequate moisture and without them they could die in a short time. Fill the tank with some suitable soil material like soil for them to burrow into while molting, things like rocks and sponges for them to climb on, and some seashells to use when they get theirs discard current.

Hermit crabs prefer to live in large groups as these pets are social animals and grow better in company. If you provide them with the right facilities, feed them good food, and give them the optimal environment to grow up in, these pets won’t die of loneliness, but they might get lonely after a while. Try to add more pet crabs to the tank and take care of them carefully whether they like the company or not as some crabs may not be compatible with each other.

Life expectancy of the wild hermit crab

Wild hermit crabs live longer than captive pet crabs because they can find suitable environmental conditions for them, unlike captive pet crabs that rely on owners for survival.

Wild hermit crabs can live for more than a decade on average. Most wild hermit crabs can survive up to 30 years, while the oldest recorded hermit crab had a lifespan of 40 years.

Wild hermit crabs can live a long healthy life of 30 years on their own. Let’s understand the life cycle of a hermit crab. It starts with mating or breeding. Pet store owners can breed them in captivity, but they get stressed in captivity and don’t want to breed. they lay eggs; Baby hermit crabs hatch from the eggs and live as larvae in the sea until they become adults. In the larval stage, they are threatened by predators as fish and other aquatic animals might feed on them. Hermit crabs that survive to the adult stage live more than a decade.

There are two general risks to living in the wild: predators and environmental factors.

These animals can be prey for many predators such as fish, adult crabs and other aquatic life, and on land birds can eat them, so they burrow into the ground to protect themselves.

Due to environmental factors such as flood and rain, they have to hide, which can lead to suffocation. Due to water pollution, they can eat or get stuck on plastic, resulting in death.

How long can a hermit crab live without water?

The life of a hermit crab is affected by so many things like environment, humidity, temperature, food and so on. They can be easily affected by a stressful environment, lack of moisture, low temperature, improper diet, chemical fumes, or toxic water.

Hermit crabs can rarely survive more than two weeks without water and food. It may seem that crabs don’t drink water, but they need both fresh and salt water to survive and can only go without water for a maximum of two weeks.

As a crustacean, hermit crabs require both fresh and marine water to live. You must provide them with both types of water. They can last no more than two weeks without water. Hermit crabs have a tendency to submerge themselves in order to drink water and moisten their gills and shell. They need moisture to survive, so living without water for too long can lead to death.

While a pet crab is submerged in water, look for them as they may not be able to breathe and could drown in it. Crabs also store water in their shell for future use. Do not give your pet tap water as it contains chlorine which is toxic to crabs; Always give them filtered water, and for seawater, buy sea salt from the pet store so it’s authentic and chemical-free.

Similarly, hermit crabs can go two weeks without food, but eating regularly shows the pet is happy, as stress may cause them to stop eating. Give them fresh food like cuttlebone for calcium needs, coconut, fruits, nuts, seeds and pellets. Some hermits like pellets while others might refuse to eat them.

So they can go without water and food for some time, but you should feed them regularly.

Why do hermit crabs live shorter lives in captivity?

Hermit crabs live shorter lives in captivity because people treat them as one-time pets and don’t bother to tend to their needs. In unsuitable conditions, the animal dies within a week, and people consider this the maximum lifespan of hermit crabs.

The crustacean needs certain conditions for survival, like good substrate material like sandy soil, clean and big space, healthy meals and so on, and if it neglects its needs, it may die before its lifespan.

There are several reasons why hermit crabs die in captivity.

Hermit crabs are easily stressed when they are being relocated or feel threatened; They try to burrow into the ground and could die of suffocation.

They tend to submerge themselves in water to drink and may be unable to breathe and drown in it. They can also become infected from toxins or chemicals in their food, water, or living space, which can also lead to death.

Hermit crabs can survive captivity if you provide them with good living conditions. Feed them a good, high-protein, high-fat diet, as they store the food in their bodies as fat while they molt.

Clean their place and keep both fresh and sea water in it with a good amount of salt for them to bathe in; Also keep a sea sponge as it will help increase the humidity in the air.

People often treat them carelessly and could injure them. You should always hold a hermit crab on a soft surface so that it does not injure itself.

How do I keep my hermit crab healthy?

Hermit crabs require a lot of care, so be patient and gather a lot of knowledge before owning one because carelessness could make it difficult for them to survive. They are both ocean and land dwellers and can survive given the right attention and facilities. There are many ways you can keep your hermit crab healthy.

Provide your pet with a large tank area to live in with a good amount of dirt, a sea sponge and some rocks to climb on. Hermits like a fairly hot temperature and humidity to survive, so keep that in mind.

Provide your pet with fresh vegetables and fruits. Cuttlebone (for calcium), coconut, pellets, nuts, and grains help them stay healthy.

Keep a sufficient supply of fresh and sea water in clean bowls for them to drink and bathe in, and also to wet their carapace and gills.

Avoid disturbing them while they molt as this could stress them out, which can affect their health.

Make sure they don’t feel lonely; Either play with them or introduce more crabs for a company.

Make sure you take them to routine check-ups to make sure they are healthy.

How to make your hermit crab live a long time

People buy hermit crabs from beach shops as disposable pets, often thinking they can only live about 1-2 weeks, but there are pet owners whose crabs live longer than 30 years.

If you give your pet proper care and attention, it can lead a healthy life for a long time.

Provide him with enough food and water, a warm and clean place, and adequate care; Your pet will live long.

You’ll need to keep your pet crab in a glass tank in a stress-free environment to maintain humidity and keep all essentials like sand substrate for molting, sea sponge for moisture, rocks (if they climb on them), and extra shells in case you want to conserve the old shell and clean the tank from time to time.

Carefully hold your pet and place it on a soft surface, lift it carefully and don’t let it fall on a hard surface as its shell may break and injure it.

You shouldn’t interrupt them during moulting, as it can take a few weeks to months for them to shed their exoskeleton. Leave them as is and let them feed on it as it is a good source of calcium.

Give them fresh vegetables, fruit, bread, cereal, also have a bowl of fresh water and sea water ready.

Clean their habitat to protect them from mite or mold infestations and also change the substrate, rocks, sponge and water bowls to avoid pest infestation.

Use sanitizer before and after touching your pet as it could infect you or it could infect you. Take precautions.

Here at Kidadl we have carefully compiled lots of fun family friendly facts for everyone! If you liked our suggestions for How Long Do Hermit Crabs Live? Then take a look at “Types of Crabs” or “Facts About Hermit Crabs”.

Two pools of water keep pet hermit crabs hydrated and happy. One pool should be fresh water and the other salt water. Although your crab usually drinks fresh water, don’t worry if it takes a sip or two of salt water; he won’t overdose on the salty stuff. Use shallow plastic trays that the crab can easily climb into without tipping over. Place gravel, small river rocks, or pieces of natural sponge at the bottom of the bowls to help the crabs move around and to give them a variety of depths to choose from.

They are scavengers in the wild, but pet hermit crabs thrive on a balanced diet. Credit: Chameleonseye/iStock/GettyImages

Hermit crabs are scavengers by nature, so when feeding them almost any healthy food is worth trying. Like most living creatures, they enjoy eating different foods at every meal. It’s best to avoid commercially prepared hermit crab food — which can contain pesticides, chemicals, and other non-nutritive and even harmful ingredients — and prepare your own food.

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meat and protein

Hermit crabs are natural scavengers, which means they will eat almost anything. but when you plan their diet, give them foods that are nutritious. Hermit crabs need protein-rich food on a daily basis. Most of their daily protein should come from meat or fish — you can feed them lean beef, chicken or turkey, salmon, tuna, shrimp, and eggs.

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Eggs can be hard boiled or scrambled. Fish can be fresh or freeze-dried; Think krill and plankton. Also include plant-based proteins like broccoli, corn, kale, spinach, snow peas, lentils, millet, soybeans, rice, alfalfa hay and wheat germ.

vegetables and fruits

Feed hermit crabs small amounts of vegetables and fruits almost daily. Organic products are best because they lack chemicals that can harm them. Give them small pieces of your varied diet.

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They may include cucumbers, zucchini, cauliflower, carrots and carrot tops, cilantro, chard, dark green lettuce, peppers, apples, berries, melons, pears, and citrus. Add sea vegetables, too — seaweed, kelp, seaweed, and spirulina, says Petco.

flowers, leaves and grasses

Plants such as flowers, leaves, and grasses are nutritious additions to a hermit crab’s diet. Consider wheatgrass; the leaves of broccoli, cauliflower, blackberries and strawberries; and flowers such as marigold, hibiscus, dandelion, carnation, jasmine, nasturtium, and pansy. Other options include Irish moss, sea fans, seaweed, rose petals and rose hips, alfalfa and spearmint – excluding peppermint.

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Grains, seeds and oils

Grains such as amaranth, barley, cornmeal, brown rice, and seven grain cereals provide carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to meet the nutritional needs of hermit crabs. Seeds are a nutritious source of healthy fats. Try giving pumpkin, sunflower, and flax seeds every other day. Occasionally, small amounts of oils can be given instead—such as olive, canola, coconut, sunflower, and palm oils.

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treats and other foods

A treat can be anything that the hermit crab doesn’t regularly get. That means treats can still be healthy. Popcorn is a whole food that some hermit crabs enjoy. The crunch of shredded squid or oyster shells adds variety, says Fishkeeping World.

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Not only that, How Stuff Works says it also offers the benefit of calcium, of which they need plenty of because their exoskeleton is made of calcium just like human bones. Fish flakes offer a quick way to deliver lots of vitamins and minerals in a food with a texture that’s unlike the fresh foods the hermit crab typically eats.

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Think fresh water

Caring for hermit crabs also includes having a bowl of fresh water available at all times, preferably a size they can crawl in and out of. Change the water daily and clean the bowl weekly.

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Also, have a bowl of salt water ready about once a week; The hermit crab will get used to its occasional appearance. Purchase commercial sea salt and follow the directions to make your own water.

How and when to feed

Hermit crabs are nocturnal creatures that are most active at night. That includes food. Don’t be surprised to see that a hermit crab hasn’t touched its food all day but makes up for it by snacking at night. Give very small amounts of different foods to see what he prefers and increase the amount of each as needed.

Some hermit crabs will go without food for several days—or a month if they molt—but make sure you offer food every day anyway. Dispose of perishable food within two hours; change other foods daily. Several hermit crabs need more than one dish to ensure they all get enough food.

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Written by Julia Crab 2005

Coconuts: A really tough nut to crack

Yes, these types are difficult to open. But the fresh meat and milk in it is crab ambrosia. The best way to open them is to employ a grown man.

Note the three indentations on one end of the coconut blocking access to one of them. Those are the eyes of the coconut. An ice pick, chisel, or strong flathead screwdriver placed firmly in the center of one of the eyes and struck firmly and repeatedly with a hammer will eventually reward those with perseverance. A drill or jigsaw can also be used by those who prefer not to mess their hands with needlework or break a nail.

Once the eye is broken, pour out the milk unless you enjoy cleaning up spills on the surrounding counter, floor, and walls. You can put this in a small bowl for the crabs to drink, or use it in a fruit and flower salad, or moisten some puffed rice or crispbread. Believe it or not, you can even drink it yourself instead of the pina colada concoction. Keep hitting and wiggling the sharp tool a little and the coconut will split.

From there, it’s a simple matter of scooping out the flesh (with a butter knife or strong spoon). On the back of each cut of meat is a skin of brown coconut husk. leave it on! This shell is highly nutritious for the crabs and will not be immune to the Ultimate Chopper’s munching power. Break the coconut flesh into about 1 inch pieces, place in a freezer bag and freeze! You can leave some scraps of meat in one half of the shell (or whatever fraction you end up with) and add them to the tank for the equivalent of a crab cabaret – food and entertainment in one package. Remove within 48 hours before the meat spoils.

Algae: Or get your crabs to eat their sea vegetables

It’s true. I said seaweed is a staple of the Coenobita diet. Then why aren’t your crabs eating their sea vegetables?

don’t feel bad Neither does mine, not without a great deal of culinary flair.

Imagine the mainstay of your diet: meat and potatoes and its evil twin, McDonald’s? curry and rice? Mongolian barbecue? Now imagine what it would taste like if it had been dried in the sun on a rock until hard and brittle, and then dumped into a trough to eat each night. Sounds delicious right? no

I think it’s the same with crabs. The taste buds of the seaweed we can offer them and the fresh stuff just washed up off shore must be light years apart. Even the best dried organic seaweed and seaweed powder is like a freeze-dried C-ration version of a meal from a four-star Parisian restaurant. I’ve heard a few people say their crabs would eat dry roasted nori, and to be fair some of it occasionally disappears from my crab’s dry food bowl, but there are other ways to convince your crabs to eat seaweed.

Seaweed is an algae. The various large algae are macroalgae. Spirulina and blue-green algae are microalgae. Despite the difference in size and appearance, these are all related plants and are all at the bottom of the food chain, making them the healthiest, purest sources of vitamins and minerals that any or every creature can eat.

First of all, unless you live near a completely private, unpolluted beach, going to the ocean and getting seaweed for your crabs isn’t the best idea. Our recreational beaches these days are too polluted to be a safe place to harvest seaweed.

Health food stores and Asian grocery stores are the best sources of seaweed. A great online resource is the Maine Seaweed Company:

http://www.alcasoft.com/seaweed/

You can get by with just one type of seaweed, but I think it’s best to have several that you can rotate through your crab’s diet. The most important algae of all is Spirulina. It has the highest beta-carotene content and is also high in protein. A pound of it should sell for about $20. Many health food stores sell such items in bulk, so you can buy as much or as little as you need.

You have your spirulina. And blue-green seaweed and seaweed powder and Irish moss powder. They added some dried dulse, nori, bladderwrack, and sea palm. Your crabs are still sitting by the food bowl, eating sand. What now?

This is where the magic comes in.

While cute, crabs aren’t very bright. Like young children just learning to eat solid foods, they can be easily tricked into eating things that are good for them.

I have four main methods of offering seaweed.

1) Dry: Always add some dried, shredded seaweed and/or some seaweed powder(s) to the dry food bowl. Dried seaweed, both the rubbery and crunchy types, shred easily and readily with good knife technique. That’s a job the Ultimate Chopper really isn’t good for.

2) Powder: I make a mixture of equal parts spirulina, Klamath blue-green algae, seaweed powder, and Irish moss powder. I sprinkle it on top of seafood, occasionally mix it into omelettes, and sometimes lightly dust a honey and fruit dish with it. It is very versatile and nutritious for sick or pre-molting crabs. It’s also important for crabs to have access to something like this after molting to preserve or darken the coloration. When budget is tight and only one is available, Spirulina is the clear winner. I think it’s the most important alga in your crab pantry.

Each powder can also be used individually, because each has its own “special power”, so to speak. Irish moss, in particular, is said to have antiviral and antibacterial properties, as well as stress-relieving properties. It is an excellent choice for offering crabs suffering from post-purchase stress. Mixing Irish moss in honey and feeding it a slice of banana or apple is the best way to get some food into a frightened and damaged rescue crab.

3) Kibble: Add some shredded dry seaweed with seafood and grain croquettes. Rice, tuna, dried red dulse, and chanterelles are a quick example of how to use dried seaweed in a larger dish.

4) Reconstituted: This method comes closest to the real seaweed fresh off the beach for my crabs.

Heat some seawater in the microwave until it’s steaming hot. Add dried seaweed, broken into pieces that fit in the water. Soak until soft – this doesn’t take very long, and soaking the seaweed in hot water for too long will leach out the nutrients, so do it quickly.

After the seaweed is soft, turn out onto the cutting board and finely chop. I hold my breath because I can’t stand the smell. It has now become a habit: chop seaweed – hold your breath. Even when I have a cold and can’t smell anything, I still hold my breath out of habit.

From there, the seaweed can be served in combination with other foods, as a base for another food, or sprinkled with a little sea salt and calcium powder as a standalone dish.

Crabs need cholesterol: One egg a week

Hermits, like any other living thing, need some cholesterol in their diet to be healthy. I offer my crab egg once a week to ten days. The best part about preparing crab eggs is that you actually want to leave bits of shell in the food so you don’t have to work as hard to prepare it.

Factory chicken eggs are very bad for your crabs. These chickens are sickly, malnourished, force-fed antibiotics and hormones. The eggs from these hens are inferior and spoiled, down to the calcium in the shell itself. Forget the crabs, they’re bad for you! And they don’t really taste that good once you’ve tried the alternative.

Organic free range eggs are the best way to go if you can’t grow your own. They taste better and are better for you and your crab.

However, there are several methods of offering eggs to your crabs. In an ideal world, they should be raw. I don’t recommend that. A crab’s moist, warm environment is perfect for harboring bacteria such as salmonella and e.g. coli, which don’t necessarily need a living host to thrive. While eggs and raw meat are closer to what the crabs would eat in the wild, they must be handled with care and cleaned immediately afterwards.

A good way to simulate a raw egg is to boil an egg in distilled water until soft. Then crack it open and tear into sections for the crabs in the main tank and all in ISO. Be sure to save the still runny yolks in the egg sections in the food bowl. I often put seaweed salad or something else in the yolk for them to enjoy.

Scrambled eggs can also be prepared with the addition of spirulina powder or other seaweed, seafood, grated vegetables, cod liver oil or flaxseed oil, grains or seed flours, or other foods. Pulverize some of the eggshell and be sure to add it.

Egg can also be hard-boiled and served with a little sea salt, or sliced ​​into other foods.

The goodness of the grain

Grains are good for crabs as they are high in calcium and other nutrients. Natural whole grains are preferable to processed refined grains. For example brown rice instead of white. Crabs can eat dry grain, but I’ve found mine to eat better after soaking it in steaming hot salt water for a short time, just enough to soften the grain’s outer layer. If you then pass larger grains through the Ultimate Chopper along with other foods, they will become smaller and more attractive to eat.

In the wild, crabs eat a variety of grass seeds or grains. C. compressus is even considered an agricultural pest on rice crops.

Salt: Bring it on

Salt is required by crabs to maintain proper osmotic levels in their shell water and to successfully molt. There is absolutely no problem sprinkling a tiny amount of sea salt on just about anything you want your crab to eat. The salt makes many foods more attractive to them. Keep in mind that most of what they find in the wild is dead or rotten on the beach and probably covered in salt.

As with anything, when buying sea salt, be sure to check the label for any hints of additives or baking improvers. It must be pure sea salt.

Citrus: The truth is sweet

Somehow, somewhere, someone heard that citrus peels contain volatile oils that act as insect repellents and insecticides, put two and two together and came up with seven; namely that crabs, which are arthropods (and are related to insects), are intolerant of citrus fruits in their diet.

Pooh.

Citrus fruits are tropical and subtropical. Coenobita happen to be tropical and subtropical. Hermit crabs are constantly exposed to citrus fruits in their natural environment. You can and will eat citrus.

It’s not bad for her. On the contrary, adding citrus fruits to your crab’s diet can be extremely beneficial. The trick is knowing what type of citrus and how to offer it.

Crabs prefer sweet citrus fruits over sour ones; Tangerines over grapefruit. They peck at the flesh, but prefer to eat the flesh and the membranes between the fruit sections and the fruit and skin. This substance is collectively known as hesperidin and is packed with dozens of phytonutrients. These phytonutrients are compounds like beta-carotene that have nutritional value, but it’s uncertain how much. You haven’t learned much. Some are said to be good for arterial disease, others for other things. I am currently doing research on hesperidin. I will write an article about its value in the future.

Due to the carnivorous nature of crabs, it’s entirely possible that these phytonutrients are very important to their health in ways we can’t even imagine. So adding citrus to a crab’s diet is to its benefit.

The best method I’ve found for preparing citrus fruits is as follows:

Place the fruit on the counter and let it sit until it begins to curl a little and the skin separates from the flesh. The limonene and other potentially irritating compounds in the skin have started to break down by this point and are no longer a problem (if they ever were). When it’s just getting to the point where you wouldn’t eat it anymore, cut off a piece skin and all and put it in the feeding dish. Pull up a corner of the fruit to give the crabs access to the pulp in the shell. To be on the safe side, pull out any fibers from the center section and add them to the bowl as well.

I’ve found that my crabs eat the hesperidin and pick at the fruit. They completely ignore the shell.

Finally

Once you master these basic techniques, you can create a varied and extensive menu for your crab. They may not be able to tell you in so many words, but the increase in molting frequency and darkening of their color will say it all.

Enjoy your meal!

Tool

Now that you’ve decided to feed your hermits a gourmet diet, you’ll need to know how to manage different foods to make them appealing to your crabs. In this issue of Epicurean Hermit, I will address various techniques for preparing gourmet hermit food and the tools you might want to add to your kitchen to help you with the preparation.

The tools I’m going to cover here are the ones I use myself in my own kitchen. However, these are not the only tools that can be used. You can make all of the crab dishes I mention in this and future episodes with just a good sharp knife and a cutting board. However, these tools make preparation easier and faster. Where possible substitutions are known to me, I will also mention them.

Ultimate chopper

I bought an Ultimate Chopper after seeing one on TV to use to make baby food. Of course you never got used to that because it was easier to buy jars of organic baby food and now my daughter is too old to eat puree. I’ve tried this product at our regular meals but it tends to reduce whatever is put into it to powder or mush. That doesn’t make it attractive as an adult human food processor, but it does make wonderful crab food. Unlike a regular food processor, it only processes small amounts of food at a time and is easy to clean and assemble. I was told that this item can also be found at Wal-Mart.

The Ultimate Chopper will chop anything from micro to jumbo into tiny pieces that are the perfect size for crab maxillipeds. Your little crabs will be grateful for the help, and the larger ones won’t complain about how easy it is to eat food prepared this way.

If you don’t have an Ultimate Chopper available, it can be replaced with a regular food processor. Or lots of fine chopping and blending with your trusty sharp knife.

mortar and pestle

When grinding calcium sources, pulverizing nuts and seeds, or crushing dried seaweed or flowers, a mortar and pestle is invaluable. Marble or smooth granite are the best options. You should find one that is smooth and non-porous. Porous ones are harder to clean and harder to use. I bought mine online from Temple of Thai. I’ve been told these can be found in places like “Big Lots!” for a lot less.

If you don’t want to invest in a mortar and pestle, place the items you want to grind in a heavy-duty freezer bag, wrap them in a dishcloth, and pound them with a rolling pin, meat mallet, or mallet, and the resulting powder will do the trick, though may not be as finely ground and you don’t have the fine control over the end result that you will have with the mortar and pestle. But as long as your smaller crabs can eat the end result of your smashing, making it consistent isn’t important.

vegetable grater

A regular-sized kitchen grater has holes that, for the most part, are slightly too big to use for crab food. I happened to find a two and a half inch scaled down version of this kitchen stand-by at Cost Plus World Market. It has the same surfaces as the normal kitchen grater, but is much smaller, allowing for finer grating. This item is optional if you have an Ultimate Chopper or Food Processor, but I really like mine.

cookware

As I mentioned in the introduction, the only safe options for cooking crab food are stainless steel or glass/ceramic/pyrex. Most crab food doesn’t need to be cooked; It’s just fun to experiment every now and then with culinary masterpieces that the crabs might like.

Also for cooking sponges, shells and mussels you should avoid all other types of cookware.

Enjoy your meal!

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Hermit crabs are fascinating creatures for a number of reasons, one of which is how they defecate. Given that hermit crabs have an almost all-encompassing shell, it can be difficult to see exactly how they manage to go to the bathroom!

Hermit crabs do indeed poop, and once you have them in your tank it’s your duty to clean them up when needed. Although you may not always see it, your food has to go somewhere – in which case it pays to be vigilant. First time hermit crab owners may not even notice that their pets are pooping. This can be worrying, but it’s simply a matter of paying attention to certain behaviors!

In this article, we’ll further discuss how hermit crabs defecate, where they defecate, and other important things to know if you have them in your tank!

How do hermit crabs poop?

Given the position and shape of a hermit crab’s shell, it can be difficult to understand how they defecate. Do they have to take off their armor every time they need to poop, like people with pants? no Hermit crabs have their own way of dealing with their own droppings. Just like us, hermit crabs have an anus at the base of their body from which their feces come out.

Your anus is called the telson. Hermit crabs usually poop in their shells. When finished, they use their hind legs to remove droppings from their shell. On the other hand, her pee comes behind her antenna, so no cleaning up there!

Because their poop is long and thin, it can be difficult to see with the naked eye, but hermit crabs poop—and they have to! If they get constipated, then there is a serious problem. They usually remove feces from their shells about every two days. After the feces are removed, the hermit crab bathes in the salt water, cleaning the shell and itself.

Where do hermit crabs poop?

They tend to poop in their shells. Hermit crabs don’t remove their shells for one important reason. In fact, all crabs generally prefer to don their shells for exactly the same reason—predators. A crab’s carapace is their primary defense mechanism, and without it they are vulnerable. Strange as it may seem, hermit crabs don’t remove their shells to defecate.

Therefore, they do not have to go anywhere, especially for a bowel movement! It’s almost as if they carry their own bathroom around with them. They’ll poop when and where they need to, without necessarily having to hide. In fact, they drain so efficiently you probably don’t even notice, even in a tank. In fact, they’re much more likely to clear their shells of poop since they have to move around in their shells to clear the shell’s feces.

However, you may notice certain behaviors that could be associated with an animal’s bowel movements, such as: B. the burial of the hermit crab. However, hermit crabs don’t need to burrow to poop.

Why do hermit crabs burrow?

Hermit crabs bury themselves when hunting or just before molting. If you notice your hermit crab burrowing in, don’t worry. It’s perfectly natural for hermit crabs to bury themselves, and they do so for a number of reasons!

First, hermit crabs often bury themselves when it’s time to molt. The molting process makes them very vulnerable as they have to be without their shells. So they bury themselves and remain as still as possible until their new exoskeleton grows. Once done, it emerges from the sand and returns to its normal daily routine.

Another reason for them to bury themselves is that they are looking for food. Instead of burying themselves, they actually dig. If you notice that they do this frequently, even after they’ve been fed, you may need to look at the environment in the tank to make sure it’s perfect for the crab. They also burrow when stressed, which can be a direct result of their environment.

However, if you’re worried because they only stay buried during the day, then don’t worry. Hermit crabs are nocturnal animals, which means they usually come out at night. They will burrow during the day to hide from the light and rest!

Should Hermit Crabs Be Alone?

As independent as hermit crabs may seem, they need company. They usually live in large groups and do not do well on their own. Being alone in an aquarium can cause them a lot of stress, which can lead to illness or worse.

However, it would be normal for you to worry about bringing other creatures with you as hermit crabs can also be quite territorial. One way to avoid too many problems is to house several hermit crabs. However, as with other creatures in your tank, you must watch out for violent behavior.

When the crabs start fighting, you need to make sure their environment is adapted to a group of them. That means you need to provide enough food, water, and plenty of space for them. Some hermit crabs will also try to steal each other’s shells, so try to keep some extra shells in the tank to prevent fights from breaking out over this.

However, as long as they have the right amount of food, water, space, and a few extra shells, a few hermit crabs is a great way to ensure these friendly creatures have everything they need, including company!

Not only are hermit crabs the most popular pet in history, they’re also one of the easiest to care for. For those who have never seen a hermit crab, you may be wondering whether or not you can eat them.

While there’s no definitive answer as to whether or not it’s possible to eat a hermit crab, we have some opinions on the subject and what you should know if you’re considering these fascinating creatures as pets!

In this article, we’ll go over everything there is to know about hermit crabs and if you can eat them.

What is a hermit crab?

Hermit crabs (e.g. Paguroidea) are invertebrates that normally live in their carapace. They use these as a home to protect them as they molt and grow while also using the shell to protect them from predators such as birds or other animals!

There are over 800 different species of hermit crabs. They are omnivores, feeding on everything from algae and clams to clams and even fruit.

The hermit crab differs from a normal crab in that it only has an exoskeleton on the front of its body, while the back is bare (unless covered by a found shell). This differs from crabs, which form a shell over most of their bodies.

While typically bought as pets for children, hermit crabs are more accustomed to living in group environments with other hermit crabs.

What shells do hermit crabs live in?

Each type of hermit crab has a different preference for what type of tank they want to live in. Some larger species may even have two sets: a soft set they wear indoors during moulting, and another hard set outside on land during dry periods.

Types of hermit crabs

Some of the most common species found today include coconut crabs, porcelain crabs, slipper crabs and the humble common hermit crab.

Can you eat a hermit crab?

Hermit crabs are edible but not recommended as a first choice food. They are not typically used in recipes or available in restaurants. This is due to the quality and quantity of meat these crabs typically produce.

The hermit crab is a scavenger and will eat from a variety of food sources that can often be poisonous to a human.

That being said, if you want to eat one, either out of curiosity or for survival, and it’s not regulated in your state or country, the process isn’t particularly difficult.

Unlike a regular crab, you should start cooking the hermit crab. Hermit crabs are not edible without being cooked.

How to cook a hermit crab?

You should cook a hermit crab the same way you would a regular crab. You should wash the creature thoroughly to ensure that no dirt or other materials are left on its body.

Once it’s cleaned, you’ll want to prepare a pot of boiling water and season to taste. After the cooking reaches a simmer, add the hermit crabs and wait about 4-6 minutes.

The hermit crab can be eaten in a manner similar to a traditional crab, by cracking the shell to reveal its flesh.

One thing to note is that you should never eat raw hermit crab or a dead hermit crab.

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What kind of hermit crab is best to eat?

Coconut crab, a species of hermit crab, is eaten regularly in some regions. This hermit crab diet consists mostly of fruits, nuts and coconuts, which they get straight from the tree.

This species of hermit crab is considerably larger than the common hermit crab you commonly picture, weighing around 8 to 9 pounds as a fully grown adult.

Their flesh is described as sweet and tastes more like a lobster than a traditional crab.

Why aren’t hermit crabs popular?

Hermit crabs are not popular for a number of reasons, including their size, diet, and pet status in some areas.

Most hermit crabs are no larger than 4 to 5 inches, which means they produce very little meat, and the quality of the meat they typically produce is below average.

This is largely the result of their diet, which consists of a range of dead things picked up from land and sea, including dead shellfish, algae, plants and fruits.

Why Are Hermit Crabs Bad Pets?

Hermit crabs were never intended to be domesticated, and as a result, the majority of hermit crabs sold in stores under the ‘pet’ label were caught in the wild and transported for sale.

Because of this upbringing and their lack of history as devoted pets, their lifespans in captivity are often drastically shorter than in the wild.

Hermit crabs’ lifespans in the wild can often reach up to 30 years, this is in stark contrast to their reported lifespans in captivity, which is often not much more than a year.

In addition to their shortened lifespan, the hermit crab also faces a litany of other problems, including an inability to reproduce in captivity, a poor environment that often lacks the right levels of humidity, and a lack of companionship, which greatly affects the population Creature with community nature affects.

Hermit crabs also often face the problem of being painted with toxic paints by pet dealers and suppliers who believe this makes the creature more attractive to buyers.

How do hermit crabs differ from other crabs?

Hermit crabs are not the same as traditional crabs. They only have an exoskeleton on the front half of their body and rely on sourcing a shell to cover the back half, which consists of a muscular, tail-like body.

In addition to this unique aspect, hermit crabs also tend to be considerably smaller than regular crabs. They bear more resemblance to lobster than to most crab species.

references

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermit_crab

If you get new pet hermit crabs or you already have hermit crabs in your home, you need to feed them regularly. You may be thinking, “What do hermit crabs eat, what should they be fed, what foods can they eat and which foods should they not eat?” and more. In this post, you will learn all about the hermit crab diet, what to feed them, feeding schedules, how often hermit crabs need to eat, what foods they can eat, how long they can go without food, if you need to use supplements, and much more.

Hermit crabs are omnivores + scavengers by nature, meaning they consume both living organisms and vegetables/vegetables/fruits. While hermit crabs are easy to feed, there are a few important feeding rules to remember. Depending on what you feed your hermit crabs, they can be healthy or they can get sick pretty quickly.

What to feed hermit crabs? feeding schedule

While hermit crabs are omnivores, you must feed them healthy foods and avoid junk or sugary foods. Also, hermit crabs need some protein with each meal (7 days a week). The protein source should be primarily from animal sources, with some vegetable protein. Other important food sources for hermit crabs are vegetables and greens, including sea vegetables, so feed different types of these 6-7 days a week.

So follow this schedule when feeding hermit crabs:

Proteins – mostly animal (and some vegetable), 7 days a week.

– mainly animal (and some vegetable), 7 days a week. Vegetables and leafy greens, 40-50% of which should be sea vegetables, 6-7 days a week.

, , 6-7 days a week. Fruit – 1-3 times per week as a treat or more often in smaller amounts

– 1-3 times per week as a reward, or smaller amounts more often supplement with calcium – 3-4 days per week. Feed calcium-rich foods and offer some cuttlefish or reptile calcium powder

– 3-4 days a week. Feed calcium-rich foods and provide some squid or reptile calcium powder Provide some healthy fats (nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, chestnuts, macadamias, pecans, walnuts, anchovy oil, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil) 2-3 days a week , cod liver oil, etc.). Very small portions as they are fatty.

(Nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, chestnuts, macadamias, pecans, walnuts, anchovy oil, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, cod liver oil, etc.). Very small portions as they are fatty. Treats – some peanut butter on a cracker (no added sugar, hydrogenated oils, or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)), fish flakes, herbs (basil, cilantro/cilantro, rosemary, and more), popcorn (no sugar, butter, or salt), brown rice

– some on a cracker (no added sugar, hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)), (basil, cilantro/cilantro, rosemary and more), (no sugar, butter or salt), brown rice Indian almond flakes so – ideal as shelter, food source

Below is a list of foods for hermit crabs in each category. Variety in your hermit crab’s diet is very important.

Commercial food for hermit crabs

There are many ready-made hermit crab foods that you can get for your hermits. These are sold in pellet, flake, ground powder, and more forms and provide comfort and nutrition for hermit crabs. You will find buffet mixes, fruit mixes, high protein mixes (from animal and some protein sources). Some brands even sell hermit crab cakes like this one.

If you don’t have time to prepare meals for your hermit crabs, you can feed them commercial food, but always supplement with fresh vegetables and protein 3-4 times a week. Always ensure that commercial foods are soaked or sprayed with plenty of water.

Watch out for preservatives like butylated hydroxytoluene, ethoxyquin, copper sulfate, and others as they could potentially have a negative impact on hermit crab health. When choosing, check the label for ingredients.

In addition to buffet mixes, you can also get omnivore buffet mixes, freeze-dried mealworms, freeze-dried or canned bloodworms, snails, grasshoppers, crickets, silkworms, crickets, shrimp, and more.

Top protein sources for hermit crabs

The most important sources of protein for hermit crabs are animal proteins and partially vegetable proteins (about 70–80% animal and 20–30% vegetable protein). Below is a list of the best animal and plant protein sources for hermit crabs.

Top Animal Protein Sources for Hermit Crabs:

Salmon

tuna

shrimp

krill

Sardines (unsalted, in water)

protein

Fish (trout, tuna, whitefish)

octopus

Fish flakes without preservatives (just as a treat)

Sea urchins, gorgonians, sea sponges

grilling

mussels

mealworms

Chicken

Lean pork (small amounts only, no spices, no sausages, ham or bacon)

Lean beef

crustaceans

Lean turkey

worm droppings

bloodworms

waxworms

superworms

grasshoppers

silkworms

grasshoppers

snails

Some insects, like waxworms and superworms, are extremely fatty, so limit them in the hermit crab diet. Meat should also be unseasoned and lean (too much fat, especially saturated fat, can have negative effects).

Top Plant-Based Protein Sources for Hermit Crabs:

wheat germ

Snappeas

buckwheat

alfalfa

lenses

Flaxseed/Flaxseed (nutritious, also provides healthy oil and omega-3 fatty acids)

hemp seeds

millet

Corn

broccoli

Kale

Vegetables and vegetables for hermit crabs

Vegetables and greens are also an important part of the hermit crab diet. These include sea vegetables like seaweed. If you offer vegetables and greens, you need to limit certain types to only 1-2 times/week. These belong to the group of oxalic acid-rich and highly goitrogenic vegetables and greens.

It’s always best to feed organic greens and vegetables because they’re generally cleaner and healthier. You can also sometimes harvest some food, but make sure it hasn’t been sprayed with pesticides/insecticides.

Foods rich in oxalic acid can interfere with the absorption of calcium in the organism and, in large quantities, lead to calcium deficiency. Goitrogenic foods can interfere with iodine absorption. Below is a list of top vegetables and greens and a table of high oxalic acid and goitre-producing foods.

Best Vegetables, Sea Vegetables, Vegetables and Fruits for Hermit Crabs

To squeeze

Algae, seaweed, sand dollars

dandelion leaves

pumpkins

prickly pear

collards

corn, cornmeal

zucchini

Kale (max 3-4 times per week)

potatoes

parsnips

mallow

seaweed

Bell peppers (red bell peppers have the most vitamin C)

escarole

watercress

mustard green

grape leaves

alfalfa

Arugula (Arugula)

Carrots (avoid/limit carrot tops as they are high in oxalates)

Fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, cilantro (cilantro)

Kohlrabi

apples

mangoes

coconut

papaya

persimmon

passion fruit

cranberries

Melon, especially melon

Cholla wood pieces like these – free of pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers

Less commonly vegetables, greens, and fruits (goitrogenic or high-oxalate foods)

Cruciferous vegetables – cabbage, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, bok choy, turnip greens, beets, radishes, Brussels sprouts – high in goiter

Peaches, plums, apricots, pears, figs, grapes, kiwi (oxalic acid)

Watermelon – low in nutrients, high in sugar

Bananas – lots of sugar

Strawberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, raspberries (oxalic acid)

guava

Sweet potatoes (high in oxalates)

asparagus

Rapini (goitrogenic)

Rutabaga (goitrogenic)

celery

okra

pomegranate

parsley (oxalic)

chayote

Chard (oxalic acid)

Lettuce, especially Iceberg (low nutrition, mostly good for water)

radicchio (oxalic acid)

Citrus fruits (pineapple, tangerines, oranges etc.). Avoid lemons

Poor food for hermit crabs – avoid

Dog or cat food – may only offer a few pieces every few months

Avocado and avocado leaves – poisonous

Fatty meats, processed foods, deli meats, sugary cereals and other foods

Lemons

dill

garlic

bay leaves

onions

rosemary

artificial sweeteners

sugar

and many more. If you are unsure if the feed is safe, please check before feeding.

Do you have to feed hermit crabs every day?

Yes, you have to feed hermit crabs every day. Of course, you would have to put food out for them in the morning and remove any leftovers before the next day. Some dry food can be stored for 2 days.

How long can hermit crabs go without food?

While hermit crabs need to eat daily, they can go without food for some time. Hermit crabs can go a few days to 10 days without food, but this is not good for their health.

Can hermit crabs eat dairy (drink milk or eat cheese)?

In general, hermit crabs can consume some dairy products, but very rarely. Dairy products are very unnatural for hermit crabs, so don’t offer them more than once every 2-3 months.

Hermit Crab Diet – Feeding Rules

When shopping and choosing food for your hermit crabs, always try to select the best quality products. Hermit crabs are very sensitive to various pesticides, preservatives, insecticides, fertilizers and some food additives. Try to choose natural, preferably organic, options when you can.

Remove uneaten fresh food from the tank every day and uneaten dry food – every 2 days maximum. If you have more than 4 hermit crabs, place the food in 2 separate bowls for convenient eating.

In addition, you will need 2 water bowls in a hermit crab tank. A water bowl should contain plain water (treat with some water conditioner) for drinking. The second bowl of water needs to have salt water and is for soaking (you can get a salt water solution like this to make it).

Sea sponges are great for hermit crabs to drink from, consume minerals, and safely exit their water dish. However, sea sponges harbor a lot of bacteria and can produce an unpleasant odor if left in a bowl for too long. If you choose to use a sea sponge, make sure you change it every 2-3 days. Otherwise, make sure the drinking bowl is fairly shallow so your hermit crabs can safely get out without drowning.

Thank you for reading this hermit crab diet post. For more hermit crab care posts, visit this page.

Shipping Information

Processing times –

All items are dispatched in no more than 1 to 2 weeks unless otherwise stated. (Examples – free shipping on weekends or public holidays from mid-October to December which can take up to 12 business days)

Delivery times –

This depends on your shipping method.

USPS First Class Mail – 5 to 7 business days

USPS Priority Mail – 2 to 3 business days

Shipping Upgrades –

Our default shipping method when shipping items is USPS First Class Mail (no insurance), but we understand that this may not work for everyone. We have various shipping upgrades to meet everyone’s needs.

USPS Priority Mail – Same processing time but 2 to 3 business days Shipping and insurance up to $100 value.

USPS Priority Express – Same processing time but overnight shipping and up to $100 worth of insurance. On Free Shipping weekends, this option is only available via payment.

Rush Shipping – 3 business days processing time with 2 to 3 business days shipping and insurance up to $100 value. On Free Shipping weekends, this option is only available via payment.

Free weekend shipping –

If a code is used on free shipping weekends, your items will be shipped by First Class or Priority Mail, depending on weight. If you checkout with another shipping method, that method (e.g., Priority Shipping or Priority Express) will not ship unless you have paid for it. You can pay for this by invoice or through my “Shipping Upgrades” link.

Shop Policy

Payment –

We accept all major credit cards, PayPal and money orders. Money orders must be made out to Peter Vermeulen.

Shipment –

• Processing Times – All items are dispatched in no more than 1 to 2 weeks unless otherwise stated. (Examples – free shipping on weekends or bank holidays from mid October to December which may take up to 12 business days) Please remember this is a made to order pet food store. All items are made after order to ensure maximum freshness. To find out more please contact All items are dispatched in no more than 1 to 2 weeks unless otherwise stated. (Examples – free shipping on weekends or bank holidays from mid October to December which may take up to 12 business days) Please remember this is a made to order pet food store. All items are made after order to ensure maximum freshness. To find out more, please click here.

• Free Shipping on Weekends or Holidays – Due to high volume of orders, shipping may take up to 12 business days. If you need an item sooner I have priority mail or rush delivery options.

• How We Ship – We ship using USPS First Class Mail (unless you’ve upgraded to Priority Mail). All items sent First Class are mailed in envelopes and packaged per USPS standards. All fragile items (Mason jars, items under the sea, etc.) are packed in bubbles and marked with a fragile sticker. All prints are mailed in a carded envelope with a ‘do not crease’ stamp. First class mail can take up to 7 business days to get to your home. If you need it sooner, please upgrade to Priority Mail or Rush Shipping. If you are ordering prints, fragile items, a gift item, or an order over $10, I recommend upgrading to Priority Mail or Expedited Shipping.

Refunds and Exchanges –

• First Class – 3 day money back guarantee on shipping cost (not package contents) if item arrives broken. Once you send me a picture of the damaged item I will happily refund. Unfortunately, First Class Mail does not offer insurance. If you would like the contents of your package to be insured, please upgrade to Priority Mail.

• Priority Mail – 3-day money-back guarantee on all orders up to $100. I will refund you as soon as I have the picture of the defective item. I would be happy to refund your money. Please understand that I have no control over how poorly a package is handled during shipping.

• Express Delivery – If this option is selected, you will be put at the front of the line! Order will be shipped within 3 business days via Priority Mail. 3 Day Money Back Guarantee on Entire Order up to $100. I will refund you as soon as I have the picture of the defective item. I would be happy to refund your money. Please understand that I have no control over how poorly a package is handled during shipping

• Refunds on Custom Orders – I do not issue refunds on custom orders unless there is an error on my end. I do everything from you before you place your custom order. So please double check the spelling, name, numbers etc before giving me the ok to print/place your order.

• Refunds for Whole Orders – I do not offer refunds for whole orders, except as noted in the Priority Mail and Rush Shipping sections above. There are no refunds for yearly or six-month prepaid subscription packages. (Example: If you paid for a pinch packet or Mason Jar meal for the whole year, I can’t issue a refund, but you’ll still get your entire subscription.)

• Returns – I do not accept returns. If you return your package, your refund will be forfeited.

• Wrong shipping address – I am not responsible for items that are sent to the wrong address. Please verify your address before checking out. Items will not be reshipped unless I receive them back and you pay for a different shipping label.

• Returns – Items will not be re-shipped unless you pay for a different shipping label.

• Tracking – Once the package contains tracking information, it is the customer’s responsibility to track the package. If the package is stuck in a hub for more than 3 days, please feel free to contact me so I can call USPS to open a case and locate the missing package. Tracking can take up to 72 hours to update.

• Stolen or Lost Packages – If a priority mail or express mail package is stolen or lost, please contact me as soon as possible so I can call USPS. Stolen or lost packages are considered stolen or lost if there has been no tracking updates for 15 days or a call from your local post office to let me know the package was indeed dropped where you normally receive packages or mail. A refund of up to $100 will be given after a lost package claim is filed by me (this usually takes less than half an hour).

• Exchange – If you ordered the Priority Mail or Rush Shipping upgrade, I can exchange your damaged items instead of refunding them. Your order will be resent via email within 3 business days. I do not exchange other items for health and safety reasons. Items you do not like will not be exchanged for health and safety reasons.

• Cancellations – As of November 1st, 2018 I will no longer accept cancellations

• International Packages – Any delays or additional charges imposed by your country’s customs office are the responsibility of the buyer. Please call and check with your customs office.

• Anti-Harassment/Bullying Clause – If you are unhappy with an order, don’t be afraid to contact me, but if you do contact me, please be respectful. I will return you the same respect. Please do not bully, harass, threaten, belittle, or use profanity. This will result in the loss of your refund and will put you on my “Do Not Sell To” list.

Additional information –

“Hey man, I’ll make you a deal. A bucket of ping pong balls for $5. Win your little girl a goldfish.”

The selling point varies from one showman to the next, but the idea is the same — strike a smoking deal to win your child a pet neither of you really wanted. Then follows a familiar routine of begging, pleading, and promising to take care of the creature you haven’t won yet.

By the way, my parents never gave in to requests to play games for live prizes, which were usually goldfish. The general rule was if it had to live in a cage or a tank, it didn’t come home. I always thought I was a parent like that too, but a guinea pig and two hermit crabs later, and I’m sure that’s not the case. To be fair, the hermit crabs came home from dad’s house with Vayda after a carnival night. I’m still wondering when did they update the prices?

Goldfish are one thing, but hermit crabs are another level of commitment. Although carnivals, fairs, and souvenir shops near the beach try to pass them off as everyone’s pet, they’re far from it. Oh, and the starter kit that came with your new pet is basically a death trap, perfect for ensuring slow suffocation when their delicate gills dry up.

So how do you take care of your new friends without dooming them to a slow and miserable death? Consider what is available in their natural habitats and ensure they have access to the resources they need to survive.

Housing. As I mentioned above, the clear plastic containers with snap-on, vented tops are not safe homes for hermit crabs. Hermit crabs breathe through modified gills, which means they need moist air to breathe. Hermit crabs cannot breathe air and will drown in water, so the best way to maintain humidity is with an ideal enclosure. This includes aquariums and marine terrariums that are strong enough to hold wet sand, with covers that allow some ventilation, keeping the crabs and moisture in. It can take months for a hermit crab’s gills to dry out to the point of suffocation, but their ability to breathe will deteriorate long before death. water sources. Hermit crabs require both freshwater and saltwater sources to survive. Salt water should be made from sea salt sold for marine fish and crustaceans. Both salt water and fresh water must be treated with water treatment fluid to neutralize any chlorine in the water – city water contains chlorine that is toxic to hermit crabs. You can also choose to use bottled spring water instead of water from your tap to avoid chlorine exposure. The water bowls should be big enough for your hermit crabs to submerge in, but not so deep that they can drown. Use non-metallic containers for water bowls. sponges. It’s important to offer your hermit crabs sponges in both their saltwater and freshwater dishes. The sponges provide a handy safety raft in any water bowl to prevent drowning. It’s also a good idea to place damp sponges in their habitat to help maintain a humidity level of 75%. Sand. Sand is preferable to rock for lining the floor of your hermit crab enclosure. When your crabs molt, they need a safe place to burrow. For this reason, it’s a good idea to provide at least 3 to 6 inches of sand for them to burrow into. The best type of sand is one that provides a source of calcium for your crabs. Calcium. Offering squid, oyster shells, egg shells, and calcium blocks are other ways to provide the calcium you need. Meal. Hermit crabs are omnivores, which means they require both meat and plant-based food sources in their diet. It’s a good idea to feed your crabs a good commercial food, alternating between offering them snacks like coconut, romaine lettuce, apple, white bread, sea-salted or unsalted popcorn, peanut butter, fish, and chicken. Be sure to wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before feeding them to your crab. Meats can be served raw or cooked, but avoid meats with preservatives (this includes salt). Leftover food must be removed daily to avoid spoilage. Heating. Hermit crabs like it when the temperature is between 70 and 75 degrees F, so it’s a good idea to put a heater under one end of your tank. Heat lamps and full spectrum lights are not recommended as they can negatively affect the humidity in the tank. Bathe as needed. At different times of the year, your hermit crab’s bathing needs will change. However, a bathing routine is important all year round to ensure the necessary moisture. In humid climates, bathe your hermit crab twice a week during the summer and once a week during all other seasons. In arid climates, or if your home experiences dry heat, you should bathe your crab every other day. You can also mist your hermit crabs daily to replace bathing. Provide additional bowls. After hermit crabs molt, they move into larger shells. You must provide at least three options per crab. The shells should be larger than their current shells and the openings should be the size of their larger pliers. Make friends with your crabs. In their natural environment, hermit crabs live in groups of a few dozen to hundreds. They thrive in company and are more active when living in pairs. Provide things to climb on and hide under. Hermit crabs love to climb. Provide lots of branches, rocks and corals for climbing. They also enjoy hidden huts where they can relax during the day.

They are scavengers in the wild, but pet hermit crabs thrive on a balanced diet. Credit: Chameleonseye/iStock/GettyImages

Hermit crabs are scavengers by nature, so when feeding them almost any healthy food is worth trying. Like most living creatures, they enjoy eating different foods at every meal. It’s best to avoid commercially prepared hermit crab food — which can contain pesticides, chemicals, and other non-nutritive and even harmful ingredients — and prepare your own food.

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meat and protein

Hermit crabs are natural scavengers, which means they will eat almost anything. but when you plan their diet, give them foods that are nutritious. Hermit crabs need protein-rich food on a daily basis. Most of their daily protein should come from meat or fish — you can feed them lean beef, chicken or turkey, salmon, tuna, shrimp, and eggs.

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Eggs can be hard boiled or scrambled. Fish can be fresh or freeze-dried; Think krill and plankton. Also include plant-based proteins like broccoli, corn, kale, spinach, snow peas, lentils, millet, soybeans, rice, alfalfa hay and wheat germ.

vegetables and fruits

Feed hermit crabs small amounts of vegetables and fruits almost daily. Organic products are best because they lack chemicals that can harm them. Give them small pieces of your varied diet.

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They may include cucumbers, zucchini, cauliflower, carrots and carrot tops, cilantro, chard, dark green lettuce, peppers, apples, berries, melons, pears, and citrus. Add sea vegetables, too — seaweed, kelp, seaweed, and spirulina, says Petco.

flowers, leaves and grasses

Plants such as flowers, leaves, and grasses are nutritious additions to a hermit crab’s diet. Consider wheatgrass; the leaves of broccoli, cauliflower, blackberries and strawberries; and flowers such as marigold, hibiscus, dandelion, carnation, jasmine, nasturtium, and pansy. Other options include Irish moss, sea fans, seaweed, rose petals and rose hips, alfalfa and spearmint – excluding peppermint.

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Grains, seeds and oils

Grains such as amaranth, barley, cornmeal, brown rice, and seven grain cereals provide carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to meet the nutritional needs of hermit crabs. Seeds are a nutritious source of healthy fats. Try giving pumpkin, sunflower, and flax seeds every other day. Occasionally, small amounts of oils can be given instead—such as olive, canola, coconut, sunflower, and palm oils.

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treats and other foods

A treat can be anything that the hermit crab doesn’t regularly get. That means treats can still be healthy. Popcorn is a whole food that some hermit crabs enjoy. The crunch of shredded squid or oyster shells adds variety, says Fishkeeping World.

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Not only that, How Stuff Works says it also offers the benefit of calcium, of which they need plenty of because their exoskeleton is made of calcium just like human bones. Fish flakes offer a quick way to deliver lots of vitamins and minerals in a food with a texture that’s unlike the fresh foods the hermit crab typically eats.

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Think fresh water

Caring for hermit crabs also includes having a bowl of fresh water available at all times, preferably a size they can crawl in and out of. Change the water daily and clean the bowl weekly.

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Also, have a bowl of salt water ready about once a week; The hermit crab will get used to its occasional appearance. Purchase commercial sea salt and follow the directions to make your own water.

How and when to feed

Hermit crabs are nocturnal creatures that are most active at night. That includes food. Don’t be surprised to see that a hermit crab hasn’t touched its food all day but makes up for it by snacking at night. Give very small amounts of different foods to see what he prefers and increase the amount of each as needed.

Some hermit crabs will go without food for several days—or a month if they molt—but make sure you offer food every day anyway. Dispose of perishable food within two hours; change other foods daily. Several hermit crabs need more than one dish to ensure they all get enough food.

are very limited when trying to learn about my pet. When I came across this I was overjoyed to finally find a website that actually knows about my favorite animal. “I am more than happy to know that after 3 years of searching I have actually found a website that tells me a lot about what I need to know.””

…”

“I also have a hermit crab and wanted the best for the little guy. However, I’m only 10 years old, so my options

If you get new pet hermit crabs or you already have hermit crabs in your home, you need to feed them regularly. You may be thinking, “What do hermit crabs eat, what should they be fed, what foods can they eat and which foods should they not eat?” and more. In this post, you will learn all about the hermit crab diet, what to feed them, feeding schedules, how often hermit crabs need to eat, what foods they can eat, how long they can go without food, if you need to use supplements, and much more.

Hermit crabs are omnivores + scavengers by nature, meaning they consume both living organisms and vegetables/vegetables/fruits. While hermit crabs are easy to feed, there are a few important feeding rules to remember. Depending on what you feed your hermit crabs, they can be healthy or they can get sick pretty quickly.

What to feed hermit crabs? feeding schedule

While hermit crabs are omnivores, you must feed them healthy foods and avoid junk or sugary foods. Also, hermit crabs need some protein with each meal (7 days a week). The protein source should be primarily from animal sources, with some vegetable protein. Other important food sources for hermit crabs are vegetables and greens, including sea vegetables, so feed different types of these 6-7 days a week.

So follow this schedule when feeding hermit crabs:

Proteins – mostly animal (and some vegetable), 7 days a week.

– mainly animal (and some vegetable), 7 days a week. Vegetables and leafy greens, 40-50% of which should be sea vegetables, 6-7 days a week.

, , 6-7 days a week. Fruit – 1-3 times per week as a treat or more often in smaller amounts

– 1-3 times per week as a reward, or smaller amounts more often supplement with calcium – 3-4 days per week. Feed calcium-rich foods and offer some cuttlefish or reptile calcium powder

– 3-4 days a week. Feed calcium-rich foods and provide some squid or reptile calcium powder Provide some healthy fats (nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, chestnuts, macadamias, pecans, walnuts, anchovy oil, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil) 2-3 days a week , cod liver oil, etc.). Very small portions as they are fatty.

(Nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, chestnuts, macadamias, pecans, walnuts, anchovy oil, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, cod liver oil, etc.). Very small portions as they are fatty. Treats – some peanut butter on a cracker (no added sugar, hydrogenated oils, or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)), fish flakes, herbs (basil, cilantro/cilantro, rosemary, and more), popcorn (no sugar, butter, or salt), brown rice

– some on a cracker (no added sugar, hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)), (basil, cilantro/cilantro, rosemary and more), (no sugar, butter or salt), brown rice Indian almond flakes so – ideal as shelter, food source

Below is a list of foods for hermit crabs in each category. Variety in your hermit crab’s diet is very important.

Commercial food for hermit crabs

There are many ready-made hermit crab foods that you can get for your hermits. These are sold in pellet, flake, ground powder, and more forms and provide comfort and nutrition for hermit crabs. You will find buffet mixes, fruit mixes, high protein mixes (from animal and some protein sources). Some brands even sell hermit crab cakes like this one.

If you don’t have time to prepare meals for your hermit crabs, you can feed them commercial food, but always supplement with fresh vegetables and protein 3-4 times a week. Always ensure that commercial foods are soaked or sprayed with plenty of water.

Watch out for preservatives like butylated hydroxytoluene, ethoxyquin, copper sulfate, and others as they could potentially have a negative impact on hermit crab health. When choosing, check the label for ingredients.

In addition to buffet mixes, you can also get omnivore buffet mixes, freeze-dried mealworms, freeze-dried or canned bloodworms, snails, grasshoppers, crickets, silkworms, crickets, shrimp, and more.

Top protein sources for hermit crabs

The most important sources of protein for hermit crabs are animal proteins and partially vegetable proteins (about 70–80% animal and 20–30% vegetable protein). Below is a list of the best animal and plant protein sources for hermit crabs.

Top Animal Protein Sources for Hermit Crabs:

Salmon

tuna

shrimp

krill

Sardines (unsalted, in water)

protein

Fish (trout, tuna, whitefish)

octopus

Fish flakes without preservatives (just as a treat)

Sea urchins, gorgonians, sea sponges

grilling

mussels

mealworms

Chicken

Lean pork (small amounts only, no spices, no sausages, ham or bacon)

Lean beef

crustaceans

Lean turkey

worm droppings

bloodworms

waxworms

superworms

grasshoppers

silkworms

grasshoppers

snails

Some insects, like waxworms and superworms, are extremely fatty, so limit them in the hermit crab diet. Meat should also be unseasoned and lean (too much fat, especially saturated fat, can have negative effects).

Top Plant-Based Protein Sources for Hermit Crabs:

wheat germ

Snappeas

buckwheat

alfalfa

lenses

Flaxseed/Flaxseed (nutritious, also provides healthy oil and omega-3 fatty acids)

hemp seeds

millet

Corn

broccoli

Kale

Vegetables and vegetables for hermit crabs

Vegetables and greens are also an important part of the hermit crab diet. These include sea vegetables like seaweed. If you offer vegetables and greens, you need to limit certain types to only 1-2 times/week. These belong to the group of oxalic acid-rich and highly goitrogenic vegetables and greens.

It’s always best to feed organic greens and vegetables because they’re generally cleaner and healthier. You can also sometimes harvest some food, but make sure it hasn’t been sprayed with pesticides/insecticides.

Foods rich in oxalic acid can interfere with the absorption of calcium in the organism and, in large quantities, lead to calcium deficiency. Goitrogenic foods can interfere with iodine absorption. Below is a list of top vegetables and greens and a table of high oxalic acid and goitre-producing foods.

Best Vegetables, Sea Vegetables, Vegetables and Fruits for Hermit Crabs

To squeeze

Algae, seaweed, sand dollars

dandelion leaves

pumpkins

prickly pear

collards

corn, cornmeal

zucchini

Kale (max 3-4 times per week)

potatoes

parsnips

mallow

seaweed

Bell peppers (red bell peppers have the most vitamin C)

escarole

watercress

mustard green

grape leaves

alfalfa

Arugula (Arugula)

Carrots (avoid/limit carrot tops as they are high in oxalates)

Fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, cilantro (cilantro)

Kohlrabi

apples

mangoes

coconut

papaya

persimmon

passion fruit

cranberries

Melon, especially melon

Cholla wood pieces like these – free of pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers

Less commonly vegetables, greens, and fruits (goitrogenic or high-oxalate foods)

Cruciferous vegetables – cabbage, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, bok choy, turnip greens, beets, radishes, Brussels sprouts – high in goiter

Peaches, plums, apricots, pears, figs, grapes, kiwi (oxalic acid)

Watermelon – low in nutrients, high in sugar

Bananas – lots of sugar

Strawberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, raspberries (oxalic acid)

guava

Sweet potatoes (high in oxalates)

asparagus

Rapini (goitrogenic)

Rutabaga (goitrogenic)

celery

okra

pomegranate

parsley (oxalic)

chayote

Chard (oxalic acid)

Lettuce, especially Iceberg (low nutrition, mostly good for water)

radicchio (oxalic acid)

Citrus fruits (pineapple, tangerines, oranges etc.). Avoid lemons

Poor food for hermit crabs – avoid

Dog or cat food – may only offer a few pieces every few months

Avocado and avocado leaves – poisonous

Fatty meats, processed foods, deli meats, sugary cereals and other foods

Lemons

dill

garlic

bay leaves

onions

rosemary

artificial sweeteners

sugar

and many more. If you are unsure if the feed is safe, please check before feeding.

Do you have to feed hermit crabs every day?

Yes, you have to feed hermit crabs every day. Of course, you would have to put food out for them in the morning and remove any leftovers before the next day. Some dry food can be stored for 2 days.

How long can hermit crabs go without food?

While hermit crabs need to eat daily, they can go without food for some time. Hermit crabs can go a few days to 10 days without food, but this is not good for their health.

Can hermit crabs eat dairy (drink milk or eat cheese)?

In general, hermit crabs can consume some dairy products, but very rarely. Dairy products are very unnatural for hermit crabs, so don’t offer them more than once every 2-3 months.

Hermit Crab Diet – Feeding Rules

When shopping and choosing food for your hermit crabs, always try to select the best quality products. Hermit crabs are very sensitive to various pesticides, preservatives, insecticides, fertilizers and some food additives. Try to choose natural, preferably organic, options when you can.

Remove uneaten fresh food from the tank every day and uneaten dry food – every 2 days maximum. If you have more than 4 hermit crabs, place the food in 2 separate bowls for convenient eating.

In addition, you will need 2 water bowls in a hermit crab tank. A water bowl should contain plain water (treat with some water conditioner) for drinking. The second bowl of water needs to have salt water and is for soaking (you can get a salt water solution like this to make it).

Sea sponges are great for hermit crabs to drink from, consume minerals, and safely exit their water dish. However, sea sponges harbor a lot of bacteria and can produce an unpleasant odor if left in a bowl for too long. If you choose to use a sea sponge, make sure you change it every 2-3 days. Otherwise, make sure the drinking bowl is fairly shallow so your hermit crabs can safely get out without drowning.

Thank you for reading this hermit crab diet post. For more hermit crab care posts, visit this page.

Shipping Information

Processing times –

All items are dispatched in no more than 1 to 2 weeks unless otherwise stated. (Examples – free shipping on weekends or public holidays from mid-October to December which can take up to 12 business days)

Delivery times –

This depends on your shipping method.

USPS First Class Mail – 5 to 7 business days

USPS Priority Mail – 2 to 3 business days

Shipping Upgrades –

Our default shipping method when shipping items is USPS First Class Mail (no insurance), but we understand that this may not work for everyone. We have various shipping upgrades to meet everyone’s needs.

USPS Priority Mail – Same processing time but 2 to 3 business days Shipping and insurance up to $100 value.

USPS Priority Express – Same processing time but overnight shipping and up to $100 worth of insurance. On Free Shipping weekends, this option is only available via payment.

Rush Shipping – 3 business days processing time with 2 to 3 business days shipping and insurance up to $100 value. On Free Shipping weekends, this option is only available via payment.

Free weekend shipping –

If a code is used on free shipping weekends, your items will be shipped by First Class or Priority Mail, depending on weight. If you checkout with another shipping method, that method (e.g., Priority Shipping or Priority Express) will not ship unless you have paid for it. You can pay for this by invoice or through my “Shipping Upgrades” link.

Shop Policy

Payment –

We accept all major credit cards, PayPal and money orders. Money orders must be made out to Peter Vermeulen.

Shipment –

• Processing Times – All items are dispatched in no more than 1 to 2 weeks unless otherwise stated. (Examples – free shipping on weekends or bank holidays from mid October to December which may take up to 12 business days) Please remember this is a made to order pet food store. All items are made after order to ensure maximum freshness. To find out more please contact All items are dispatched in no more than 1 to 2 weeks unless otherwise stated. (Examples – free shipping on weekends or bank holidays from mid October to December which may take up to 12 business days) Please remember this is a made to order pet food store. All items are made after order to ensure maximum freshness. To find out more, please click here.

• Free Shipping on Weekends or Holidays – Due to high volume of orders, shipping may take up to 12 business days. If you need an item sooner I have priority mail or rush delivery options.

• How We Ship – We ship using USPS First Class Mail (unless you’ve upgraded to Priority Mail). All items sent First Class are mailed in envelopes and packaged per USPS standards. All fragile items (Mason jars, items under the sea, etc.) are packed in bubbles and marked with a fragile sticker. All prints are mailed in a carded envelope with a ‘do not crease’ stamp. First class mail can take up to 7 business days to get to your home. If you need it sooner, please upgrade to Priority Mail or Rush Shipping. If you are ordering prints, fragile items, a gift item, or an order over $10, I recommend upgrading to Priority Mail or Expedited Shipping.

Refunds and Exchanges –

• First Class – 3 day money back guarantee on shipping cost (not package contents) if item arrives broken. Once you send me a picture of the damaged item I will happily refund. Unfortunately, First Class Mail does not offer insurance. If you would like the contents of your package to be insured, please upgrade to Priority Mail.

• Priority Mail – 3-day money-back guarantee on all orders up to $100. I will refund you as soon as I have the picture of the defective item. I would be happy to refund your money. Please understand that I have no control over how poorly a package is handled during shipping.

• Express Delivery – If this option is selected, you will be put at the front of the line! Order will be shipped within 3 business days via Priority Mail. 3 Day Money Back Guarantee on Entire Order up to $100. I will refund you as soon as I have the picture of the defective item. I would be happy to refund your money. Please understand that I have no control over how poorly a package is handled during shipping

• Refunds on Custom Orders – I do not issue refunds on custom orders unless there is an error on my end. I do everything from you before you place your custom order. So please double check the spelling, name, numbers etc before giving me the ok to print/place your order.

• Refunds for Whole Orders – I do not offer refunds for whole orders, except as noted in the Priority Mail and Rush Shipping sections above. There are no refunds for yearly or six-month prepaid subscription packages. (Example: If you paid for a pinch packet or Mason Jar meal for the whole year, I can’t issue a refund, but you’ll still get your entire subscription.)

• Returns – I do not accept returns. If you return your package, your refund will be forfeited.

• Wrong shipping address – I am not responsible for items that are sent to the wrong address. Please verify your address before checking out. Items will not be reshipped unless I receive them back and you pay for a different shipping label.

• Returns – Items will not be re-shipped unless you pay for a different shipping label.

• Tracking – Once the package contains tracking information, it is the customer’s responsibility to track the package. If the package is stuck in a hub for more than 3 days, please feel free to contact me so I can call USPS to open a case and locate the missing package. Tracking can take up to 72 hours to update.

• Stolen or Lost Packages – If a priority mail or express mail package is stolen or lost, please contact me as soon as possible so I can call USPS. Stolen or lost packages are considered stolen or lost if there has been no tracking updates for 15 days or a call from your local post office to let me know the package was indeed dropped where you normally receive packages or mail. A refund of up to $100 will be given after a lost package claim is filed by me (this usually takes less than half an hour).

• Exchange – If you ordered the Priority Mail or Rush Shipping upgrade, I can exchange your damaged items instead of refunding them. Your order will be resent via email within 3 business days. I do not exchange other items for health and safety reasons. Items you do not like will not be exchanged for health and safety reasons.

• Cancellations – As of November 1st, 2018 I will no longer accept cancellations

• International Packages – Any delays or additional charges imposed by your country’s customs office are the responsibility of the buyer. Please call and check with your customs office.

• Anti-Harassment/Bullying Clause – If you are unhappy with an order, don’t be afraid to contact me, but if you do contact me, please be respectful. I will return you the same respect. Please do not bully, harass, threaten, belittle, or use profanity. This will result in the loss of your refund and will put you on my “Do Not Sell To” list.

Additional information –