HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I just added some fresh wild grape vines from my back yard. The crabs have eating much from their food dish since. Instead the munch on the vine. They seem to really enjoy the sap that congealed on the end.

I got a good picture, but accidentally left the flash on. They didn't seem to notice. Hope didn't blind them.

How fun! What a great picture! Wish I had some grapevines!

My crabs prefer the oak branches and raspberry canes I've been giving them instead of their food in the dish too. Food in the dish is just NOT as exciting, I guess. Isn't it cool that they actually get nutrients out of the bark and such?

Hermias_mom wrote:How fun! What a great picture! Wish I had some grapevines!

My crabs prefer the oak branches and raspberry canes I've been giving them instead of their food in the dish too. Food in the dish is just NOT as exciting, I guess. Isn't it cool that they actually get nutrients out of the bark and such?

Would it be fine to take oak branches off of trees around my neighborhood, or do they get sprayed with anything?

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Da_Stos208 wrote:

Hermias_mom wrote:How fun! What a great picture! Wish I had some grapevines!

My crabs prefer the oak branches and raspberry canes I've been giving them instead of their food in the dish too. Food in the dish is just NOT as exciting, I guess. Isn't it cool that they actually get nutrients out of the bark and such?

Would it be fine to take oak branches off of trees around my neighborhood, or do they get sprayed with anything?

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You have to call your county or city government and ask them if your particular area gets sprayed for mosquitoes. Every place is different. I live in the suburbs, and they don't spray here. I also don't spray my yard to kill insects (fleas and such). Also, some homeowners can treat their trees with systemic insecticides that goes in through the rooots and stays in the tree's system for over a year or more, to discourage borers. Sometimes trees can get sprayed with dormant oil to kill scale, fungus, borers, etc. in the wintertime. I'd only use your own trees, or talk to the owners about what they spray/treat the trees with before you harvest them. Some fertilizers might also pose a concern. I don't know how much herbicide (for killing weeds in the yard) is taken up by trees (I don't know how much of a concern herbicide use in the yard is for trees), but you might ask if they use that as well.

alright so i guess thats just a no then lol. Don't wanna risk it

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Better safe than sorry. .

Although I've got to say, you might be surprised what you can grow in an apartment or on an apartment patio. . I had a full vegetable garden going at one point.

Hermias_mom wrote:Better safe than sorry. .

Although I've got to say, you might be surprised what you can grow in an apartment or on an apartment patio. . I had a full vegetable garden going at one point.

That gives me an idea... would it be safe to grow a grapevine plant INSIDE the crabitat? the roots could be protected by a pot with with screen mesh over the top to prevent digging.

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Da_Stos208 wrote: That gives me an idea... would it be safe to grow a grapevine plant INSIDE the crabitat? the roots could be protected by a pot with with screen mesh over the top to prevent digging.

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You could definitely try. Most folks don't have much success with live plants growing inside the crabitat, since crabs tend to eat everything / destroy them (they like to eat leaves, bark, roots, you name it). However, if you were to grow it outside your crabitat, and put shoots in occasionally, or small potted seedlings in occasionally, they'd have a lovely time tearing it up and eating it. If you do this, make sure your soil is organic, no fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc. Some organic worm castings would probably be a perfect soil here, and the crabs like to eat the worm castings as well. Or you can try and grow it in ecoearth or playsand/ecoearth mixed with dechlorinated freshwater. You'd be growing it more as a food than a decoration, though it would probably last for a while before they tear it all the way up. There's a lot of stuff on the safe foods list you can provide this way - sprouted/grown chia, alfalfa, wheat grass, any type of sprouted seeds, beans, safe trees, vines, etc.

Many crabbers use plastic or silk vines/flowers/aquarium decor, along with real wood on the safe list. Also remember, you'll need to be able to sanitize anything you put in your tat occasionally just in case it gets funky/dirty/moldy. You can dip wood in saltwater and bake it dry, or for plastic items use a vinegar/water mix to clean.

I have the same thing in two of my crabitats! It is a hit for sure! My powder blue isopods love them also!

I'd bet that if you tried growing a vine from seed your crabs would trash it - but if you got a decent sized cutting sprouted & well established in a pot, it would have a better chance. I'm growing a couple of vines, which I'm planning on eventually suspending in their pots as part of a second level, so they don't take up digging space. No idea if it'll work - but that's half the fun. Just be sure the soil/whatever you use isnt a standard issue potting soil that contains fertilizer... you still want to be careful about what goes into the tat.