Hermit crabs require more care than what most people would think. Once you understand their basic requirements, it will be quite easy for you to manage them should you decide to adopt one or more as pets. This includes providing appropriate hermit crab food to your soon-to-be pets.
Food and Diet for Hermit Crabs
Domesticated hermit crabs eat a wide variety of foods in their natural habitat. Their diet then includes fruits that fall on the ground, pieces of decaying wood, scattered leaves, plants and grasses, and other items that find their way on the shore where they walk on. So, as you can see, these unusual pets are not picky eaters. In fact, they may just eat whatever may be available for them to consume.
In the wild, they get to eat food that they see other crabs eating and those that they smell as they go. But what exactly does your pet hermit crab need to consume to remain healthy? Although there is not enough information on the exact nutritional needs of a hermit crab, most crab owners understand that their pets need food that contains calcium, carotene, and antioxidants just like all of us do. It is best, then, to provide your crustacean friend with good quality vegetables as well as fruits that are free from pesticides as these foods will keep their color bright and your crab healthy-looking.
Feed your hermit crab anything that can make you healthy
Anything that will be safe for you to eat will also be safe for your crab to consume. Fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and other meat, seeds, and so on. You’ll need to provide your pet with naturally grown food. But before you serve any food to your pet, you have to make sure that they are thoroughly cleaned with water and dried.
You can also provide best hermit crab food that you can find in supermarkets. There are also some good food options that you can find at your local pet stores. You will have to be mindful, however, of the ingredients that may be included in every packed food that you intend to buy for your pet. Make sure that there are no unfamiliar ingredients, as they may put your hermit crab’s health in danger.
Any food products that contain ethoxyquin or copper sulfate as these are known to be poisonous chemicals to invertebrates. You can do a quick search online to find some of the best organic staple food, treats, as well as supplements that you can provide your hermit crab to ensure that your pet will remain in top health.
There are some good-quality pellet foods that you can also opt to offer to your hermit crab. But as your pet does not have claws to grab pellet foods, you will have to crush them to smaller bits before offering them to your pet.
Remember that hermit crabs are extremely sensitive to metal. That means you will need to find food and water bowls that are not made of metal or non-porous material, but of ceramic and similar materials.
Water is vital!
Just as you need water to remain properly hydrated, your pet hermit crab also needs enough water to survive and remain healthy. Allow your pet to have easy access to fresh, clean water at all times. If you will be giving tap water to your pet, you will need to add some dechlorinator or water conditioner to the water that you will serve your pet.
Make each meal interesting
Like you, hermit crabs also like variety in the food that they consume. Even though your hermit crabs are known not to be picky eaters, offering a variety of food items to your pet will make each meal time a bit more interesting for the hermit crab.
You may also hand-feed your pet to make the food serving a lot more interesting for your pet. Coax your pet out of its shell and place the food under its pinchers. If your pet is hungry and likes the food that you are offering it will pinch the food and put it in its antenna to have a taste of the food particle before putting it into its mouth.
It won’t take long before you and your pet will get used to this hand-feeding practice. You’ll pet will love it if you can offer food pieces that are healthy, clean, and prepared just right.