If you have a hermit crab, you might wonder: What do you feed him? There are many options, from fruits to commercial crab food. But you have to be careful not to feed him with ‘junk’ food or anything containing pesticides. In this article, I will explain what to feed your pet hermit crab. Also, you can share your own produce with your hermit crab, such as fresh vegetables.
Fruits
Hermit crabs love fruits. In fact, they grow healthier if fed with a wide variety of fruits. Hermit crabs are opportunistic feeders in the wild, eating fallen fruit and anything edible that washes up on the shore. By providing them with a variety of fruits and vegetables, you’ll give them the best possible nutrition. However, there are some fruit varieties that are safe for hermit crabs.
Coconuts are one of the most popular fruits for hermit crabs. These tropical fruits contain vitamins and nutrients and are commonly grown along coastal areas. Coconuts also contain high levels of fat and are an excellent choice for hermit crabs. Coconut milk and coconut oil are both rich in fatty acids, which can help increase the appetite of a hermit crab. The right kind of coconut is the best choice for a healthy hermit crab diet.
Aside from fruits and vegetables, hermit crabs also enjoy dried fruits and grains. They don’t like citrus fruit and herbs, so it’s best to stick to dried fruits and grains. Avoid stone fruits and Prunus species, as shemit crabs don’t eat them. They also don’t need too much protein. Hermit crabs will get plenty of protein from pellets and other sources of protein.
Commercial crab food
To keep your pet hermit crab healthy, it is important to offer a well-balanced diet. Ideally, you should buy commercial crab food. Commercial crab foods are sold in many pet stores. They can come in gel, pellet, or powder form. Make sure that you choose a food that does not contain copper sulfate or ethoxyquin. In addition to meat, hermit crabs can also eat worms, plankton, or earthworms. If you want to feed your hermit crab an alternative diet, you can also give it wood.
When feeding your pet hermit crab, try to avoid adding a lot of meat, vegetables, and fruit. Crabs like meat off the bone and are not fond of sauces or butter. Seafood can be served raw or steamed. However, you should avoid adding too much sugar. Make sure that you use shallow dishes. You can choose from many types of commercial crab food for your pet hermit crab.
If you do decide to buy a commercial product, try to find one that is made from natural ingredients. This will help your pet crab avoid allergies to chemicals. Crabs also require water to drink. They require a moisture-rich environment to survive. You can also buy replacement shells. However, natural shells are best as they are not painted. Boiling the new shell before placing it in your crab’s tank will kill bacteria and keep it healthy.
‘Junk food’
You can get dried land and water bugs for a pet hermit crab at a discount price at your local Walmart. Just make sure to buy small plastic tubs. You can also mix and match the ingredients to create a healthy mix for your pet. You can also add salt and other ingredients to taste. You should feed your crab once or twice a day. Once it starts to seem hungry, you can add more food.
Hermit crabs are known to like bones, so make sure to remove the meat and give your pet plenty of bones. Steamed shrimp tails are a great option, but you should make sure to remove the bones from the shells at night to prevent insects from eating them. It is also good to offer a little raw fish. Make sure to clean the enclosure thoroughly after feeding your pet hermit crab, too.
You can also feed your pet crab fresh fruit. However, you should avoid using fruits that have become wrinkled or mushy. This is because the sugars and terpenoids in fruit change when they are old. It is best to leave citrus fruits on their own to wrinkle naturally. Citrus fruit peels are also a good option. These fruits contain limonene, which breaks down quickly in fruit peels and is very attractive to crabs.
