HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Okay, here's the story. I had been wondering why whenever I'd go to surface clean the substrate, I wouldn't find any poop. There was no doubt they were eating, so I thought it was really strange that there weren't any droppings to clean up. Then, the other day I found my answer - they had all taken to doing their business on the very top of the grapevine log. I thought, ew, then thought, awww, how cute, they made a little potty for themselves! Such tidy little babies Welllllll, then I noticed that Digby goes up there and eats the poop I know they're scavengers and will eat pretty much anything, but these hermies are spoiled rotten with good food, so why would he climb all the way to the top of the log to eat poop when he could be fine dining on the floor?? He's always been a little odd, but does this mean there's something wrong with him? Or is this normal?

That's completely normal. Feces makes up a part of their diet in the wild. Your little guy just wanted some different nutrients I guess.

Whew! Thanks!! But is it okay that he heads straight for it as soon as he gets up at night? He along with Skittle go underground all day every day and are only out at night, and Digby will come out and go right to the poop even before checking what's on the menu for that night

Yeah, I think it's fine. Ruggies eat tortoise poop in the wild. I know that someone on here tried to order tortoise poop to keep their Ruggies healthy.

Mine do it all the time. I pick them up, and they'll have poop in their claws. :roll:
Gross, actually.

Some of mine poop right in the food dish, so I know others are getting poop in their diets. lol Thanks guys... :roll: ~*sarcasm*~

Ya, my crabs eat their subsatare, their moss, their poo, gosh, everything but their FOOD! :roll:

Ya, my crabs are pretty hip on the poo to. And the sand and the EE and the... you get the idea!

I've noticed a trend in my tank, they seem to go around and scoop their poo into the empty shells - usually the largest shells. What does this mean? are they leaving a little message for the larger crabs should they swap with that one ?
I've been rinsing those shells out every day....

Ummm... well to quote a favorite story of mine.. the land hermit crab population in Bermuda actually decreased after the advent of indoor plumbing. Yummy thought, that.

Maybe your other hermies missed some nutrients on the first go around? Just be glad they aren't eating cork bark. Cork goes right through them and they turn into pooping machines. Ugh! Yet another reason I prefer EE, you can't see all the turds!

hc!
Christa

this might be a fairly odd question, but how do they poop?? I honestly can't tell poop from ee from worm castings etc... at least from a macro pov, they all seem to just blend in. I'm assuming they poop from the ends of their abdomen...so do they come out of their shell and poop? or poop inside, then work it out of the shell?