What Do Hermit Crabs Eat – You’d Be Surprised!
So you’ve just moved your new little friends into their plush new home and now you’re wondering what do hermit crabs eat? This is a common question that is asked by anyone who is about to start enjoying the delights of owning hermit crabs. Well, luckily for you, hermit crabs are not picky eaters and will eat just about anything that is offered to them. Marine hermit crabs feed on small snails and dead fish but you will be able to shop in the supermarket for your new pets.
When shopping for your new little friends, you don’t have to give yourself a headache wondering what do hermit crabs eat, because it really is very simple. In fact, I’d go as far as saying that it is easier than feeding a picky teenager! Basically, they need a variety of meat, fish, vegetables and fruit to ensure they are receiving a healthy and nutritional diet. They enjoy the type of fruit that would be found in their natural habitat, such as mangoes, coconuts and papaya but will also eat citrus fruit such as oranges. Wherever possible these foods need to be organic or at best unprocessed.
One interesting fact, when learning about what do hermit crabs eat, is that they learn what to eat by watching other hermit crabs and by using their antennae to sniff food out. You can have fun with your crabs by experimenting with their food and giving them a new dish each day. Watch how they sniff it first with their antennae. Some of their favourite foods are peanut butter, tuna fish, raisins, grapes and popcorn. Just be careful, though, not to over indulge them with junk food!
Hermit crabs are omnivorous like us humans and can eat meat or fish plus vegetables, followed by a fruit dessert, but make sure when giving them meat that it is well cooked and not covered in any sauce or flavouring that could harm them. They also benefit from tannin rich foods such as oak leaves and tree bark. Before serving up your crab’s meal make sure that everything is first washed in water (no soap) and then left to dry. They love to crunch when they munch so take care that no food is soggy. Be sure to remove any uneaten food from the aquarium or tank to avoid flies.
Another interesting fact about your new pet, is that he is actually a cannibal! That’s right. A delicacy for him is shrimp tails and dead crustaceans such as he would find in the wild. One word of advice, though, is to make sure that your hermit crab’s diet contains sufficient calcium, carotene and antioxidants. You can get specially prepared hermit crab food from your pet store which contains all of these supplements. A carotene deficient hermit crab will fade after moulting and lose its lovely reddish brown colour and may also suffer problems moulting in the future.
Well now you know just about all you need to know about what do hermit crabs eat, so go ahead, relax and have fun with your new friends.
