HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Lately i have been noticing my crabs eating my Habbit hut. it is simply a log cut in halve and hollowed out. Now I have two issues. Is it okay for them to eat it, and should i replace it if they keep eating it so it doesn't get too old?

wood is rich in tannin and I feed mopani wood, oak wood, and oak leaves for tannin. I also have cholla wood, and other woods. You don't have to replace it.

ok now i also have a hollowed out coconut is that also ok for them to munch on?

Yes, the cocunut shell is safe for them to munch on

The way i get them tannin is, i go outside in my yard and pick some oak and maple twigs straight from the tree, boil them and let them cool, and then put them in some of themmare placed randomly around the 'tat, some of them i use to hold up vines, and some of them i make little " trees" out of by tying a few together
If you chose to do the above, i think it's best to make sure that no pestisides or insectiside wher around the trees you pick from, just to be on the safe side

You can also microwave the leaves twigs and bark for about 2 mins less if you have less leaves and twigs or a high powered microwave or heat them in the oven. Never leave it unattended.. Or you can put it all in a zip lock and freeze it for a few days to kill off any bugs or nasty stuff. If you do acorns i would suggest you crack open the outer shell of the nuts and boil them or bake them the crabs seem to like them when they are more cooked. I boil them in salt water then bake them to dry them out to store them.. the crabs love them and they are full of tannins.. I will add them to the hermit crab dollar store when the snow melts and i can get more! lol I do have some of the other leaves and barks here http://www.etsy.com/shop/Suebeebuzz?section_id=6854851

dramacat692 wrote:ok now i also have a hollowed out coconut is that also ok for them to munch on?

Sure is. I rotate coco nut shells through the tanks because they little bugs eat the strands of fiber on the shells and leave them bare in no time.

I open most of my coconuts with a 3 inch hole saw so that i always have an instant coconut to put in. They love them.

Keith

Keith I still cant PM but so glad to see you back! Happy New Year!

This was one thing I was going to ask - for coconut, when I pull out the meat can I just put the shell in the tank as a hut (after I cut a hole for entry, of course) without ripping off the bark/sanding off the outside of it?

sure can they love the coco nut milk or liquid inside too.

The water in the coconut is good for crabs and can be served. Coconut milk is actually derived from the meat of a mature coconut. Its often used in many different recipes and can be found in cans at the grocery store. It is often full of additives and preservatives for flavor and for keeping the shelf life long. I wouldn't go with the canned coconut milk for feeding crabs.