HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I saw a crabber giving their crabs a feather to eat on Instagram. Is that an okay food for them? And if so, does it give any nutrients or not? I'd like to try them if they were beneficial to the hermit crabs

It contains keratin, which is a protein. It would actually be good for them, and it is safe. It would be a normal part of their wild diet as well since they would eat dead birds.

I always forget to give them feathers! Thanks for bringing this up! My budgie is molting, so now is a perfect time for me to stock up lol

hope you guys don't mind me adding in.. wouldn't want to make another topic on the same thing. how do you feed them? just set the feather right in? or should it be baked or something first?

NilyahEyakam wrote: how do you feed them? just set the feather right in? or should it be baked or something first?

From what I heard people use feathers from their pet birds and just put it in. But I don't know about bird feathers you find out side

There are bird mites that will affect humans (but not crabs) so for that reason alone it should be heat treated in some way or from a trusted source. Like any animal waste product, make sure that the birds have not been medicated!