HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I finally have a good place to collect leaves and branches for the hermies. Can you share what's been a hit in your tanks? I've tried Oak and Maple so far, and the Oak was gone the first night and they tackled the Maple the second.

Does anyone thing it would it be worth it try Dawn Redwood? There's a ton of other species as well, though not much in the fruit orchard department.

Mine like the classic oak and maple. And they also really like rasberry leaves, and Crab apple leaves. That is all I have tried.

I've had same results you had with the oak and maple, I have also dried blackberry leaves and grape leaves....they love them!

Mine really like wild rose leaves, especially when they turn red in the fall. They eat them like candy. Mine also like comfrey leaves.

I would stay away from the redwood. They all have stuff in them that serve as insect repellents/insecticides.

Oak and maple are a favourite here, too. Willow didn't go over that well, but they loved hazel and birch.

trying some dried dogwood leaves, will let you know if they like them (:

How about weeping willow....thats the tree we have in our yard???

I can't say whether this is good or bad but I believe willow bark contains compounds used in making aspirin. This might have an affect on whether or not its safe for the crabs.

It's safe, but my crabs at least never seem to go for it as much as they go for hazel or oak.

I'm having trouble figuring out which tree is which, so I stuck with the Maple and Oak again. (First time was Silver Maple and Pin Oak, this time it was a classic Maple and a regular Oak.)

How good were those Maple leaves?

So good that there was no time for Miss Echo "I'm too lazy" Crab to flip her shell over proper before she started eating! (Yes, she sat there for a good 20 minutes, chowing down just like that.)

:roll:

Oak leaves are a huge hit in my tank. But they also really love dried rasberry leaves. They would choose the rasberry leaves over a lot of things.

Do the leaves have to be dried? I would like to try Rose of Sharon flowers, buds, leaves - are they safe? Also, I have a huge (organic) chestnut tree and a crab apple tree. Can't wait to see what they like!

dinky wrote:trying some dried dogwood leaves, will let you know if they like them (:

id like to hear about the dogwood leaves, i have a dogwood tree in my yard

They haven't went crazy over the dogwood, will keep adding them just to see what happens, also going to try sweet gum. We have a large selection of oak trees in Fl. (water oak, post oak, pin oak that are deciduous so mine get a variety in the oak family) Also trying leaves off of my blueberry bush and drying them.

Rose of Sharon = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_syriacus ? That name is used for a few different plants If you mean the Hibiscus, then I think it's safe. It can be eaten by humans in any case and so far I couldn't find anything about it that would make it unsafe for the crabs.