Care: Safe Food List

[HCADirectors]

SAFE FOODS

Questions about an item on this list - or questions about any food item - should be directed to the [Food & Water] section as a new topic. This list will be kept updated as new safe food items are brought to our attention.

The following is an amended list from the Epicurean-Hermit website, with attributions to Julia Crab. You will need to obtain your own permission from EH and the HCA to copy this list to your own site or publication. But direct links to this post are OK.

To SEARCH this list, press Ctrl and F on your keyboard at the same time to bring up the "search this page" bar in your internet browser. Items are arranged alphabetically but some plants have more than one common name. To find topics about a certain food or if you would like more information about something specific but cannot locate it on this list, use the HCA search box in the upper right hand corner to see if there are existing conversations.


Acai berry ◇
Acorn
Agave ◇
Alfalfa
Algae ◇
Almond
Aloe ◇
Amaranth
Anchovy
Apple
Apple sauce, unsweetened
Apple wood (be cautious of pesticide use) ◇
Apricot
Arame (seaweed)
Artichoke
Arugula ◇
Ash Wood ◇
Asian Pear ◇
Asparagus
Avocado
Azomite, organic ◇
Bamboo
Banana
Barramundi (fish) ◇
Barley 
Basil, whole plant ◇
Bass (fish) ◇
Beans
Bee pollen
Beef, cooked or raw ◇
Beets, whole plant
Bell peppers
Birch, leaves and wood ◇
Bison ◇
Black raspberry, fruit and plant ◇
Black soldier fly larvae ◇
Blackberry, fruit and plant
Blackstrap molasses (unsulfured - 1 or 2 times monthly)
Bladderwrack
Bloodworm, live, dead, dried or frozen
Blue Crab ◇
Blueberry
Bluegill (fish) ◇
Bok Choy ◇
Borage blossom (Borago officinalis)
Brazil nut ◇
Brine Shrimp (frozen, dried, dead or live) ◇
Broccoli and leaves
Brown rice
Brussels sprout
Burning Bush, entire plant ◇
Buttercup ◇
Butternut squash (also known as Butternut Pumpkin/Gramma) ◇
Cabbage, all varieties
Calci worms ◇
Calcium carbonate powder, plain
Calendula flowers, pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)
Camellia (Camellia japonica)
Canteloupe (Rockmelon)
Cara-cara ◇
Caribou ◇
Carnation flower (Dianthus caryophyllus)
Carrot and tops
Cashiew ◇
Catappa Leaves (Indian Almond Leaves, Terminalia catappa do not confuse with Catalpa or Catawpa) ◇
Catfish ◇
Cauliflower and leaves
Celery, all parts
Cereal; Brown rice, soy, wheat or 7 grain, muesli
Chamomile flower
Chard
Cheese (natural varieties, serve as occasional treat) **
Cherimoya
Cherry, fruit and wood ◇
Chestnut
Chia ◇
Chick Pea
Chicken, cooked or raw
Chickpea
Chickweed
Cholla wood
Cilantro
Citrus, all fruits
Clams
Clementine ◇
Clover, all parts
Cochineal ◇
Cockroach (dead feeder insects) ◇
Coconut meat, oil, water, and shells
Cod ◇
Cod liver oil
Collard green
Coral, untreated ◇
Cork bark (Quercus suber)
Corn, fresh, frozen, dried, popcorn, on cob
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) ◇
Cornmeal
Crab, all types ◇
Crabapple ◇
Cranberry
Crappie (fish) ◇
Crayfish ◇
Cricket, dead, canned or dried
Crustacean including crayfish, lobster, shrimp, crab
Cucumber
Currants
Cuttlefish
Dairy products (milk, cheese, live-culture yogurt) **
Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Dandelion, entire plant (Taraxacum officinale)
Dates ◇
Day lily (Hemerocallis)
Deer ◇
Dill ◇
Dragonfruit ◇
Duck ◇
Dungeness Crab ◇
Earthworm (collected away from pesticides) ◇
Edamame (soybean) ◇
Egg, cooked or raw (chicken, quail, duck, etc.)
Eggplant
Eggshell
Elderberry, flower and berry (Sambucus canadensis)
Elk ◇
Endive ◇
Exoskeleton, all insect and crustacean ◇
Feather (no medication, check legality if collecting) ◇
Feces/faeces (see note at bottom) ***
Fennel ◇
Fig
Filbert ◇
Fireweed ◇
Fish flake (w/out chemical preservatives)
Fish Oil
Fish, all species ◇
Flax seed / Linseed
Flax seed oil
Flounder ◇
Frisee ◇
Frozen fish food (esp. algae, krill and brine shrimp)
Gammarus ◇
Garbanzo
Garlic clove ◇
Gizzard, all poultry ◇
Gladiolus (Gladiolus spp.)
Glauconite, organic (Greensand) ◇
Goji berry ◇
Goliath worms (hornworms, only captive bred) ◇
Goose ◇
Gooseberry
Grape
Grape Leaf
Grapefruit ◇
Grapevine, vine and root
Grasshopper, frozen, canned or dried ◇
Green Bean
Green Tea ◇
Greensand, organic (Glauconite) ◇
Guava ◇
Halibut ◇
Hazel leaves
Hazelnut ◇
Hemp ◇
Hempseed Meal
Herring ◇
Hevea wood (rubber tree) ◇
Hibiscus flower (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Hikari dried or frozen insects and seafood
Hollyhock flower
Honey, and comb (check to make sure all-natural)
Honeybush
Honeydew Melon
Honeysuckle flower (Japanese Lonicera japonica)
Horn Melon (Kiwano or Jelly Melon) ◇
Hornworm (feeders only, never wild caught) ◇
Hot pepper ◇
Huckleberry /Bilberry
Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana)
Indian Almond Leaves (Terminalia catappa) ◇
Irish Moss
Japanese Maple, leaves and branches (Acer palmatum)
Jasmine flower (Jasmine officinale)
Jicama ◇
Johnny Jump Up flower (Viola tricolor)
Kale ◇
Kamut
Kangaroo ◇
Kelp 
King Crab, meat and exoskeleton ◇
Kiwi
Kohlrabi ◇
Krill ◇
Kumquat ◇
Lamb ◇
Lavar (seaweed) ◇
Lavender ◇
Lentil
Lettuce ◇
Lilac, flowers, branches and leaves (Syringa vulgaris)
Lima Bean
Liver ◇
Lobster
Locust
Loquat, fruit and leaves (Eriobotrya japonica) ◇
Lychee
Macadamia nut
Madrona wood
Maize ◇
Mallow ◇
Mandarin orange ◇
Mango
Mangosteen ◇
Mangrove
Maple leaves and branches, all species
Maple syrup 
Marigold flowers (Tagetes sp.) ◇
Marion Berry
Matcha (green tea powder) ◇
Mealworms ◇
Melissa ◇
Milk thistle flowers (Silybum marianum)
Millet ◇
Minneola ◇
Minnow, dried or frozen ◇
Mint
Mizuna ◇
Moose ◇
Mopani Wood ◇
Most organic baby food
Mulberry fruit, leaves and wood ◇
Muscadine (grapes)
Mushrooms, all types edible for humans
Mussels
Mustard green ◇
Mutton ◇
Napa cabbage ◇
Nasturtium, entire plant (Tropaeolum majus)
Naval Orange ◇
Nectarine ◇
Nettle
Nori (roasted seaweed) ◇
Nutritional Yeast ◇
Oak, entire tree
Oat ◇
Octopus
Oil, plant based, made for cooking
Okra
Olive (fresh or water packed)
Olive oil (extra virgin)
Orange
Oysters 
Pansy, flower and leaves (Viola X Wittrockiana)
Papaya
Paprika ◇
Parsley 
Parsnip, entire plant
Passion flowers (Passifloraceae sp.)
Passionfruit
Pasta, all natural ◇
Pea
Peach
Peanut
Peanut butter (all natural)
Pear
Pecan and bark
Peony flower ◇
Pepper, sweet and hot ◇
Peppermint ◇
Persimmon
Petunia flower
Phoenix worm ◇
Pickling cucumber (Pickles), raw or dried ◇
Pimento (Pepper) ◇
Pine cone, needle and dried wood ◇
Pine nut ◇
Pineapple
Pinkies (mouse or rat pups, frozen) ◇
Pistachio ◇
Pitaya (Dragonfruit) ◇
Plankton ◇
Plantain ◇
Plum
Pomegranate
Popcorn
Poppy seed ◇
Pork (no ham or deli meat) ◇
Potato (no green parts or eyes)
Prickly Pear (fruit and cactus) ◇
Prune ◇
Psyllium & husks
Pumpkin, and entire plant
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Quince ◇
Quinoa
Radicchio ◇
Radish, entire plant ◇
Raisin
Rasberry fruit and entire plant
Reindeer ◇
Rice ◇
Romain lettuce ◇
Rooibus (or rooibos)
Roquette (Eruca vesicaria)
Rose of Sharon, entire plant ◇
Rose, entire plant
Rowan ◇
Royal Jelly
Rubarb, stems only ◇
Rubber Tree ◇
Russian Olive leaves (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
Safflower Oil ◇
Sage blossoms (Salvia officinalis)
Salmon ◇
Sand dollar, untreated
Sardine ◇
Scallop
Sea biscuit, untreated
Sea fan, untreated
Sea grape ◇
Sea grass
Sea Horse, untreated ◇
Sea salt
Sea Sponge
Sea Urchan, untreated ◇
Seaweed ◇
Semolina
Sesame oil
Sesame seed
Shrimp and exoskeleton, all types
Silkworm ◇
Snail (use human food grade only; not wild snails)
Snakeskin (no medications or mite treatments) ◇
Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus, fish) ◇
Snow Crab, meat and exoskeleton ◇
Sole (fish) ◇
Sorghum ◇
Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
Soy and soy products (human grade; miso, tofu, etc.)
Spearmint ◇
Spelt
Spinach
Spirulina
Sponge (natural sea, do not use in water) ◇
Sprouts (flax, wheat, bean, alfalfa, etc.)
Squash, and blossom
Squid
Squirrel ◇
Star fruit (carambola)
Starfish, untreated ◇
Stevia ◇
Strawberry and tops
Sugar cane
Sunflower seed, flower and leaves (Helianthus sp.)
Superworm ◇
Swamp cypress wood (false cypress, Taxodium sp.)
Sweet Gum leaves ◇
Sweet potato ◇
Swiss chard ◇
Sycamore, leaves and bark
Tahini
Tamarillo
Tangelo (Ugly fruit) ◇
Tangerine
Tatsoi ◇
Thimble Berry
Tilapia ◇
Timothy hay
Tomatillo ◇
Tomato
Tree Fern
Triticale
Trout ◇
Tulip flowers (Tulipa spp.)
Tuna
Turkey ◇
Turmeric ◇
Turnip, entire plant
Turtle ◇
Ugli fruit (Tangelo) ◇
Venison ◇
Viola flower
Violet flower (Viola odorata)
Wakame ◇
Walnut
Wasa All-Natural Crispbread (Oat flavor)
Watercress 
Watermelon
Wax worm ◇
Wheat germ 
Wheat grass 
Wheat 
Whitefish
Whole wheat couscous
Wild rice
Wineberry (Rubus sp.)
Worm castings (organic) ◇
Yeast, nutritional ◇
Zinnia ◇
Zucchini, and flower ◇


*This food list is mainly adapted from Summer Michealson and Stacey Arenella's book, The All-Natural Hermit Crab Sourcebook, and expanded on by Julia Crab and others

** After extensive tests in several EH member tanks, it has been discovered that dairy items are not lethal to crabs. In fact, most crabs really enjoy cheddar cheese, live-culture yogurt, and the occasional drink of milk. Dairy is acceptable, once every 30 to 60 days as a treat. It should not be relied upon as a food base.

*** Crabs can eat the fecal waste of dedicated herbivores. Studies have shown that tortoise feces makes up a significant portion of the diets of land hermit crabs living on certain islands. Only gather from sources that you trust to be free of medications and chemical food additives. Keep in mind that parasites and bacterial contamination may be an issue for humans!

◇ Denotes HCA Update to the List

Last Updated August 2022