Cat Food

Tongue Flicker · Post by **Tongue Flicker** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 3:42 pm

Just the other night, one of my hermits escaped yet again (which they've done a lot of times in almost a decade, as they seem to be great escape artists). Good thing the room is escapeproof.I found the escapee and to my surprise it somehow managed to rip open a sack of whiskas and was munching on dry cat food (that i use to feed my hedgehogs and my civet). i don't recall seeing cat food or dogfood on the crabby food list, so i was wondering if eating dry catfood could have harmful effect on him?thanks in advance!

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 12:32 pm

Yes cat and dog foods have been eliminated as safe because many brands of these foods contain ethoxyquin a big no no, bha, bht, copper sulfate and a few variations on these making the foods toxic even for the animals intended being linked to birth defects, low muscle mass in breeding females and a load of other health issues.Cat food also contains a specific additive meant to promote health kidney function in cats but it is highly toxic to dogs usually resulting in the dog loosing the functionality of it's kidneys needing to be put to sleep.For these reasons it was determined that cat and dog foods a long time recommended treat for the last two decades for hermitcrabs should be avoided after further evidence came out.

Tongue Flicker · Post by **Tongue Flicker** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 1:23 pm

oh great. thanks, thanks! i need to keep my cat food out of the reach of my crabbies then

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 3:42 pm

Yeah I'd strongly recommend putting up out of their reach.One time wont kill them but repeated exposure to the food can do long term damage which wont show for some time but when it does you'll know it as their molt success and general health will be impacted.