HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I don't have crabs yet but I am getting a couple for my birthday. I'm in the midst of getting all the supplies and setting up their tank. So far I have a 29 gallon tank and I'm going to buy a heat lamp, sand, huts, humidity and temp gauges, water and food dishes and everything I need... I came on here looking for ideas on what to feed and now I'm so confused!

It seems everyone makes all these crazy, intricate dishes. Mixing 4 or 5 things together, blending and freezing... I understand from reading that commercial foods aren't good but what the heck am I supposed to feed them? Do I have to get crazy with how I feed them? I'm also a full-time college student and I don't have THAT much money to spend on food... I've read to keep kitchen scraps aside, I've read about organic baby food...

My question is, do they need these big meals with fruits and veggies and egg shells and everything or can you feed them one thing at a time? Like, feed them some apple.... next time feed them some greens...

Help!

Crabs are scavengers by nature, we only spoil them because its fun Feeding crabs is very cheap and easy as long as you think of them when feeding yourself.
I think you can feed em one thing at a time as long as its varied. The prob is that crabs dont always eat before u take the food away, so if your rotation takes longer your crabs might not be getting proper nutrients.
I recommend you buy a cuttlebone and strap it somewhere the crabs can reach, so they have a constant source of calcium. You should always keep a protein source like a little snack pack of unsalted mixed nuts. By constantly offering protein and calcium, you may be free to give scraps from food that you eat on a rotating basis. That way things are pretty simple and easy for you.
Also, if you have access to freezer space, keep a baggie or two of food stored up. For instance if you eat grapes you can cut 2-3 of them into little pieces and just give the crabs a piece every now and then.


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Thank you!!! That really helped. My worries are gone!

Where would I buy a cuttlebone? I'm not exactly sure what that is. Would the petstore have them? I can pick one or two up when I get my crabs

grandlinegirl wrote:Thank you!!! That really helped. My worries are gone!

Where would I buy a cuttlebone? I'm not exactly sure what that is. Would the petstore have them? I can pick one or two up when I get my crabs

Cuttlebones are found in the Bird section of any pet store. They are long, flat ovals (about 4-5") with a metal mounting strip -- you'll want to remove that metal piece as metal, moisture and hermies are not a good mix. As YYWW suggested, you can mount the cuttlebone in the tank or can "powder" it over the fresh food you serve (it easily powders with a fingernail).

Oh great, thank you for the help!

If you haven't seen it already, I find this article by Kilimanjaro very helpful. viewtopic.php?t=93503

I only feed them about 4 things every 2-3 days. Egg shells, assorted dried fruits, fish flakes, and dried coconut. Sometimes I feed them banana, grapes, or strawberries. You don't need to feed them much, but an occasional treat helps a lot!


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There are some stores that you can buy food and whatnot online, and the prices really arnt that bad. You should check some out just to see.
I personally love "the hermit crab patch"