HCA: Hermit Crab Association

My crabs never seem to want to eat their large claw after a molt, so I usually keep them to see how much they've grown.

My oldest crab has gone through 4 molts with me and there is a big difference from the claw from his first molt and how large his current claw is now.

Does anyone else do this or am I just a weirdo?

That's a really cool thing to do actually. But my crabs usually eat the claws...it's the feet tips that they normally don't consume. :roll:

Wow! THat sounds like an awesome collection ! some pics would be cool............. :roll:

mellocello wrote:Wow! THat sounds like an awesome collection ! some pics would be cool............. :roll:

Unfortunately, I don't own a camera...

Great idea - even better than keeping their old shells. But mine never moult where I can see them, so shells will have to do for me.

All I found from my guys was a very small piece of the BP and a few tiny pieces of exo. They ate the rest. That is a cool idea, tho, if they don't eat them but from what I've read on this site I think most of the guys eat theirs.

A number of crabbers have said their crabs don't eat all their exo and what is usually left are parts of the legs.

I collect up the bits they don't eat, grind them into a powder in my pestle and mortar and then mix it into their food, so they do still get to eat it.

Good idea, Dodgydutch! I think I'll start doing that.

i keep any uneaten exo in a small wooden pot. i keep it in a powdered for encase of an emergency, e.g. crabs exo stolen.

It reminds me of a parent keeping their children's teeth.

Wow, you guys are really on top of things! Saving one for emergencies is also a very good idea. How did you end up with an extra, though? Did someone not eat theirs? If that happens, what do you do?