Diet – Krabitat

Confirm your hermit’s food does not contain preservatives – ethoxyquin (often contained in fish flakes, hermit crab pellets, fish pellets, algae wafers, and most commercial food) or BHT. These are known molt inhibitors according to the EPA. Ethoxyquin is also contained in almost all foods ending in the word “meal” – i.e. hermit crab meal.

Most brands lack nutrition leading to cannibalism. Land hermit crabs are omnivores; they eat both plant and animal origin. They are primarily herbivores plant based foods like plant detritus, plant litter, fruits, tubers, seeds, encrusting algae, fungi are leading part for a balanced diet.

Terrestrial Plant Litter
Aquatic Plant Litter
Living Plants
Fruits and Seeds
Protein
Calcium
Healthy Fats
Treats

Ref. a) Diet Chart

Terrestrial Plant Litter

Your crab will snack plant litter to consume the benefits of lignin, cellulose and wood fibers. Woods such as Birch, Maple and Grapevine. Cholla wood is a hermit crab favorite! Check out our list of Safe and Unsafe Woods for a wider selection.

Aquatic Plant Litter

Kelp
Nori
Dulse
Various Seaweed

Living Plants

sprouting seeds like chia and quinoa can be grown directly in the substrate or in a separate food dish container. Some recommended options are

Chia
Clover
Millet
Fescue
Orchard Grass
Wheat Grass
Oat Grass
Barley Grass
Chicory
Timothy Grass
Turnip Greens
Alfalfa
Plantain
Purslane
Italian Dandelion
Pumpkin Seeds
Sunflower Seeds

Fruit and Seeds

Coconut, mango, papaya, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, banana, starfruit, fig, pomegranate, and various other fruits, as far as seeds–any of those listed above in the sprouting list are good, also peanuts, almonds, cashews, and pecans can be given as long as they’re plain without any salt or other additives. For more on Safe Foods click here!

Proteins

Small invertebrates, shrimp, krill, plankton, crab, squid, mealworms, earthworms, isopods, and crickets are some of the most common ones and can be freeze-dried, frozen, or even fresh as long as they’re plain/don’t contain chemical preservatives.

Calcium

Eggshells are very popular, exoskeleton, cuttlebone and oyster shells are some great calcium options.

Healthy Fats

Adding healthy fats to your crabs diet helps promote a healthy and successful molt. Some fatty foods are coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, salmon and walnuts.

Treats

BOO

Don’t forget to spoil your crab with treats. Some crabby favorites are air popped popcorn, natural peanut butter, sweet apples and mango. Organic honey is a favorite treat, it helps the process of healing during a molt and a natural energy booster.

Lisa Roam shares what a typical food dish consists of

“I feed my two tiny girls the same things I feed my five bigger crabbies. For dinner last night they had smelt (a little bait fish), shrimp, cantaloupe guts, fresh pineapple with the skin, a piece of fresh coconut, baked potato (my biggest guy LOVES potatoes), hard boiled egg w/some shell, grapes, fresh spinach, dried cranberries. I also keep what I call a “seed cup” in the tank at all times. It has dried foods in it like chia seeds (which I also toss in the tank to sprout), meal worms, blood worms, dried shrimp, dried crickets, nuts, egg shell, powdered beet, carrot, bee pollen, spirulina, a dried seaweed blend, and ground flax. It sounds like tons of food, but there’s just a little bit of each thing.”

Emily Coker demonstrates a colorful dish full of healthy choices and treats

Canned meal worms, carrots, kale, coconut, sardines, blueberries, cherries, cabbage, cantaloupe pulp/seeds, pineapple, honey, flax seed, chia seed, hemp seed and coconut oil.