Food and Water for your Hermit Crab

Hermit crabs may be scavengers, but they cannot eat or drink just anything in your home. Their diet has specific needs in order to allow them to molt, and there are many things they simply cannot eat. Thei water can't be normal tapwater unless you have good filters on your taps. There are certain things they like more than others, but this doesn't mean you should always give these things to them.

Water

Drinking and misting water-
Water is the most important element to keeping your crab healthy, active and happy. When I first had crabs back in sixth grade, they had a huge terrarium, nice crabfood, and plenty of shells. Sadly, they all died. Why? I am pretty sure that it was because I was giving them tapwater for drinking and misting. Most tapwater has too much iron content for hermit crabs- it acts as a slow poison when given in small doses. Your crabs must have filtered water or distilled water.
The next thing you need in that pure water is the one element crabs need most to molt properly- calcium. If you use a clamshell as a waterdish, they'll get enough calcium. If you have a large waterdish, put some broken shells or coral in it.  The crabs need a water dish which is changed daily and is accessible at all times. Make sure your dish is not made out of metal- high content of any metal in your water will slowly poison your crabs.  Leave the water dish in an area accessible to all of the crabs.

Bathing and misting-
Not all crabs are as smart as we wish they could be.  They sometimes forget about getting enough water- especially if the air isn't humid enough for them. You should take them out two or three times eat week for a good bath or misting. Lately, i've been giving them a calcium bath with a product from the Sea Shell Shop.  Don't pile all of your crabs on top of each other- in their attempts to climb out of the water, they may pinch each other and lose a leg or claw.  Don't let them bathe in water too deep for more than a couple minutes. It doesn't matter whether your crab has good or bad water if they drown in it.

Food

Luckily, hermit crabs are not picky at all about their food. yes, one crab might not like chicken or lettuce that much, but they will eat it anyway when they are hungry. Your crabs should have a balance of store-bought and homemade foods.

FMR Crab food- Simply the best. My crabs eat this stuff up overnight. It's available on several web sites, and it is well worth the small price it usually costs. it smells fine, so don't worry about open-air cages stinking.

FMR Crab treat- The crab eat this up faster than FMR's food, but don't spoil them with it. it smells really good- like coconuts and dried fruit (which is what it is)

Tetra- It suffices, but the crabs don't dig into it like they do the other foods. it also kind of smells. They have crab food and crab cakes- go for the cakes first.

Wardley- dried shrimp. I was turned off by the smell (especially when it gets wet), but the crabs eat this stuff up pretty quickly. Make sure you remove it when they're done.

Zoomed Anole Food- Yes, it is for anoles, but it also says hermit crabs on the container. Very good for molting crabs- they seem to like this one when they're looking for calcium.

HBH Hermit Crab Bites
They don't mind this stuff and it's pretty good for them. A basic crab food that should be supplemented with veggies.

Non-Commercial Foods

Your crabs also need to balance out their diet with fresh fruits, vegetables, and other products. You can mix in anything from the following list- I've underlined the things my crabs like the most.

Fruits and veggies

Protein Foods

Grains

Lettuce (green or leaf, NOT iceberg), cabbage, carrots, broccoli, coconut, apples, bananas, peaches,  pineapple,

Brown bread, Cheerio's, Corn Flakes,

Peanuts (any nut will do), cooked chicken or beef, anything with bacon grease on it,

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