Is it ok for one crab to eat another crabs exoskeleton?

ShelbyNS · Post by **ShelbyNS** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:25 am

My crab that I accidentally disturbed while he was down had already molted. He came up without eating the exo so I dug it up and put it on the surface next to where he hangs out, but now another little crab is eating his exo. Is it ok for the other crab to eat his exo? Or should I take it out?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:03 am

It's not going to hurt the other crab but the crab that molted should be eating the exo to regain calcium after the molt. Maybe you could put the exo and the newly molted crab alone together until he eats it.

MacandHunter · Post by **MacandHunter** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:10 am

I'd also offer something like cuttlebone, or other foods with calcium so the crab can eat that if he doesn't get to the exo.

Hermie Lover · Post by **Hermie Lover** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:11 pm

I agree, try to put the molted crab w/ his exo, maybe put them both under a cup or something....he really needs the exo.

Kilimanjaro · Post by **Kilimanjaro** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:43 pm

A lot of times my crabs don't end up eating all of the exoskeleton or leave some of it behind. When I find these pieces, I usually put them on the surface for other crabs (or the same one) to eat.

Recently, Ryukyu molted and there was a lot of exoskeleton left over. I put some with him (but he has dug back down) and I gave some to the other crabs.