HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So might be kind of a dumb question, but I received 20 mixes today and I'm not sure if you just put them in straight or what? Will the crabs be able to pick up the dry powder? Thanks!

They can! Every time I feed my crew they get all kinds of different powders. They love it..

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KellyCrabbieLove wrote:They can! Every time I feed my crew they get all kinds of different powders. They love it..

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Alright, thanks! This is my first time using powders so I wasn't sure

You're welcome.

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It's so cute to watch them pick up dry mixes pinch by pinch -- it's like a little conveyor belt: pinch to mouth, pinch to mouth, pinch to mouth, for minutes on end!

Crabinski wrote:It's so cute to watch them pick up dry mixes pinch by pinch -- it's like a little conveyor belt: pinch to mouth, pinch to mouth, pinch to mouth, for minutes on end!

I know <3 How much of the powdered mix do you usually give them? I'm not really sure how much to give >.<

I just ordered some online and I don't think it really matters how much you give them as long as they are eating their other food, the powder is pretty much a "dessert"

I don't often have powdered mixes, but with any food, I just give them small amounts of many different things every time I refresh the food dish. The amount will depend on how many crabs you have. Just start small and see how they do. If the dish is cleared pretty quickly, add a bit more next time. If you feel like you're wasting quite a bit, cut back.


As for them being "desserts." That depends entirely on the ingredients. Though I agree that fresh foods should be a part of their diet too.

CallaLily wrote:I don't often have powdered mixes, but with any food, I just give them small amounts of many different things every time I refresh the food dish. The amount will depend on how many crabs you have. Just start small and see how they do. If the dish is cleared pretty quickly, add a bit more next time. If you feel like you're wasting quite a bit, cut back.


As for them being "desserts." That depends entirely on the ingredients. Though I agree that fresh foods should be a part of their diet too.

Well, I haven't seen them eating it yet, but every morning it's everywhere so I'm assuming that's a good sign. I'll give them a new mix today and see how they do!

Hmm, so I've given some different mixes but I'm still not sure if they're actually eating it. I haven't seen any of them eat, and the food always seems pushed around instead of eaten. I really hope they're eating, I'm starting to get worried

They eat very small amounts - unless you have a lot of crabs who are demolishing the food dish every night, it can be hard to tell how much they're eating. Try not to worry! The food being pushed around is a good sign.

Like everyone else said, a pinch of this and a pinch of that in a dry bowl.

When NaRnAR had her shop, she had one called Sick Crab Smoothie. It was a powder mix like the others but I mixed with with either honey, coconut oil or red palm oil. It got several sick rescues I had back then to start eating. I imagnie you could do that with ANY of the mixes just as a different way to serve it up. I have noticed my Es don't like getting the same foods all the time so I do have to rotate foods a lot.

A couple OLD pics- I don't have any current ones. I think I need to start again I love making food for them LOL
Fruit-Flower-Nuts& Grains, Nuts&Bugs, dried Krill, Bee Pollen, dried coconut, and other misc. food from NaRNaR


Wet and Dry dishes

megmaholm wrote:They eat very small amounts - unless you have a lot of crabs who are demolishing the food dish every night, it can be hard to tell how much they're eating. Try not to worry! The food being pushed around is a good sign.

Hmm... Well, I've left it for about a 2 days now, and it hasn't been moved anymore. Maybe they just don't like that one? I'll try giving them a different mix. I only have two big crabs in this tank, so I don't expect them to eat TOO much

Yep, I'd try something different to see if that helps. It's funny how picky they can be about stuff, considering they're scavengers. I usually give my crew a good variety of stuff daily, separated in little piles so it's easier to keep track of what's being eaten and what isn't. Inevitably I end up offering something that not a single crab touches. I just make a note of it and try something else.

Victory! I gave them a dessert banana coconut mix and they loved it. I'm not sure why they hated the other mixes so much. Maybe I'll just give them to another hemit crab loving friend and hope they have better luck!