HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I read an article a while back about a lady that used a chopstick or long reptile tweezers to hand feed her crabs. Has anyone tried this?

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MooneyFamily wrote:I read an article a while back about a lady that used a chopstick or long reptile tweezers to hand feed her crabs. Has anyone tried this?

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I personally haven't tried it. Mine are still too skiddish and I want them to learn to trust me . So for about 99.9% of the time, I am hands off. That said, I have also heard of several hermies who do hand feed. I think it's more of a learned response - They associate u with food. But, from the stories I have read, they are from people who have had their crabs for several years. I'm sure there are some out there who will snack out of their owner's hands as each crab is so different in their personalities:) I have seen on the hermit crab patch website a feeding tool. I'm hoping to get to a point where the hermies trust me and will maybe occasionally take a piece of food from me but we will see!


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Kermie16 wrote:

MooneyFamily wrote:I read an article a while back about a lady that used a chopstick or long reptile tweezers to hand feed her crabs. Has anyone tried this?

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I personally haven't tried it. Mine are still too skiddish and I want them to learn to trust me . So for about 99.9% of the time, I am hands off. That said, I have also heard of several hermies who do hand feed. I think it's more of a learned response - They associate u with food. But, from the stories I have read, they are from people who have had their crabs for several years. I'm sure there are some out there who will snack out of their owner's hands as each crab is so different in their personalities:) I have seen on the hermit crab patch website a feeding tool. I'm hoping to get to a point where the hermies trust me and will maybe occasionally take a piece of food from me but we will see!


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I tried it with Santos, he's one of my most skittish, loves baths, tho! I just held him in my left hand and used a chopstick with peanut butter dipped in ground up Hermie food, once he got used to being in my hand, he snuck out pretty slowly, tasted it, and then did really well! Hopefully this can help me gain their trust enough they won't shy away when I'm observing them.

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MooneyFamily wrote:

Kermie16 wrote:

MooneyFamily wrote:I read an article a while back about a lady that used a chopstick or long reptile tweezers to hand feed her crabs. Has anyone tried this?

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

I personally haven't tried it. Mine are still too skiddish and I want them to learn to trust me . So for about 99.9% of the time, I am hands off. That said, I have also heard of several hermies who do hand feed. I think it's more of a learned response - They associate u with food. But, from the stories I have read, they are from people who have had their crabs for several years. I'm sure there are some out there who will snack out of their owner's hands as each crab is so different in their personalities:) I have seen on the hermit crab patch website a feeding tool. I'm hoping to get to a point where the hermies trust me and will maybe occasionally take a piece of food from me but we will see!


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I tried it with Santos, he's one of my most skittish, loves baths, tho! I just held him in my left hand and used a chopstick with peanut butter dipped in ground up Hermie food, once he got used to being in my hand, he snuck out pretty slowly, tasted it, and then did really well! Hopefully this can help me gain their trust enough they won't shy away when I'm observing them.

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I'm going try this! I think its a good method for an injured or weak crab


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I've personally thought about trying something like this: https://youtu.be/6qc1RFxMrbw?t=3m45s I think it'd be a good way to get your crabs to associate you with food.

Love the set up of that tat! What a cute hermie taking the food!


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any time i see a crab out i will make a few changes in the tank or put my hands in. if they dont go run and hide i put some food on my palm and place them on my hand. all in the tank. so far only my two largest will eat from my hand. Hermione is actually very social with me and im missing her while she molts. Uu is pick and choice with when he wants to be social but if he ever sees me siting outside the tank he comes right up to it. my smallest is usually Tina is usually in between molts and that can tell me how she will be but i find shes warming up more often as she gets bigger. RoxSand my medium is forever shy and scared tho. only recently has she been eating while i watch. not even with my hand in the tank tho.