What do your crabs enjoy?

[karlys]

Popcorn is definitely my crabs' #1, no doubt about it. I offer it almost everyday because it's always gone in the morning. Honey and coconut oil are also quite popular. They like the flowers I offer them (roses and pansies) more than the leaves (birch). Finally, as far as protein goes, it's gotta be raw (fish/chicken/ground beef) or it's gotta be a dehydrated, crushed into a powder, bug for my guys to go for it.

Is it popped popcorn, or the kernels ground up? I used to think mine loved popped popcorn too. Then one day while eating popcorn in the crab room I threw some pieces in the crabitats while none of the crabs were up. After an hour I realized that the humidity in the crabitats disintegrated it.... :roll:

Oh no! I mostly give them the HCP's ground up popcorns but I've also given them a popped whole cob a couple times. I did notice that the cob disintegrated a little but the ground up stuff just clumps together.

[Lothlorien]

Our ruggies love egg shell, fresh bananas, squash, tomatoes, fish flakes (fish food).

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[Happyhermiehome]

my guys love banana it's one one the only things I feed almost nightly and it never goes unpinched. They like both green and overripe so it changes up through the week as they are still greenish on shopping day. Coconut is another fav. Once in a while I buy fresh and they eat the meat and fiber but mostly I use frozen grated unsweetened flakes. A put it in still frozen an it thaws pretty quick. They always eat it. Organic almond butter and peanut butter are always eaten as well. Organic raisins are a hit lately too. And walnuts they love walnuts! I use crushed walnuts and whole unsalted. Also dried nori seaweed but only if they get to it while it's still crispy. Fav protines are, canned crab meat, freeze dried krill, steamed clams, boiled chicken, ground beef and turkey, salmon with skin, And eggs scrambled or hard boiled and I put the raw un rinsed shell in with a bit of white leftover inside and they always disappear into the hidey huts lol. Some fav veggies are celery tops sprinkled with sea salt. Red and yellow pepper, hearts of romaine all organic of course. They also really enjoy dried sweet gum leaves and twigs from the tree in my yard. Tonight I plan to feed some left over bones with some meat and cartilage still on from a leftover rotisserie chicken. we shall see how that goes but I have a feeling it will be a big hit.
If u find that they are ignoring fresh foods try more dry dehydrated stuff. Like dried fruits, nuts, insects and krill. I have noticed that some crabbers report that there crabs really prefer dried stuffs and largely ignore fresh. My guys enjoy both but some crabs can be seriously picky.

[krbrown2000]

So you let the leaves get all dried out before putting them in?

My Duck really likes coconut flour. MI Mi used to love snake skin, and she would hide and eat it. I gave them ground oyster shells, for the first time yesterday and they ate it all. I have found also, that my bunch will eat much more if it is either ground up or at least chopped. Also, oak leaves and sticks... probably their favorite, especially if I wait a few months to put it in. They devour them.

[krbrown2000]

I just bought my crabs food from the Happy Hermit Supply on Etsy. This morning I gave them Diet 1 and the Crabby Patties. They went crazy. I've never seen them go for food like this.

I just ordered a sampler from them! I can't wait to get it!

[krbrown2000]

It seems that the crabbies can be quite the individuals with individual tastes and preferences. I think mine really like oats and raisins and bananas. I'm going to go get a whole coconut to try. I've been feeding a lot of fish protein but it seems widely untouched so I'm going to try a red meat.

Would you cook the meat, or serve raw? I tried cooked chicken and they didn't touch it (that I could tell).

[DaJimmer]

It might be safe to sear chicken and not so fresh pork? Ive been feeding raw fish and beef so far. Both very fresh

[Sillysheep]

So you let the leaves get all dried out before putting them in?

My Duck really likes coconut flour. MI Mi used to love snake skin, and she would hide and eat it. I gave them ground oyster shells, for the first time yesterday and they ate it all. I have found also, that my bunch will eat much more if it is either ground up or at least chopped. Also, oak leaves and sticks... probably their favorite, especially if I wait a few months to put it in. They devour them.

I do. Doesn't take long. I just lay them out on a table until they dried. I have never tried fresh. It would be worth a try to do both, I heard several people say that their crabs prefer all dried out and crunchy. Sometimes I just put sticks in the substrate and when I go back it will be all shredded. Fun stuff!

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[karlys]

It seems that the crabbies can be quite the individuals with individual tastes and preferences. I think mine really like oats and raisins and bananas. I'm going to go get a whole coconut to try. I've been feeding a lot of fish protein but it seems widely untouched so I'm going to try a red meat.

Would you cook the meat, or serve raw? I tried cooked chicken and they didn't touch it (that I could tell).

I feed my guys raw everything. I mostly do various raw fish and beef but I've also done chicken and pork before. They seem to like it all.

[Hermiesguardian]

mine go crazy over corn. freshly boiled corn kernels was the only food i've seen them carting off to their sleeping place so far. Blueberry loved corn bread. Strawberry loves pop corn. Little watermelon doesn't seem to care for either. Strawberry also likes Silver pomfret (cooked) and raw shrimp. But the others don't seem to care. They also eat hemp seed and bee pollen. not crazy about them, but they will take a few bites.

They all eat moss from the moss pit. and picking oyster shells from the sub.
they all love HCP's Surf'n'Turf protein combo (Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, plankton, krill, blood worms and meal worms.) all can spend up to an hour sitting there and nibble.

worm castings are another staple in my tank. i usually leave a shell full of it and they will take their time but eventually finish it off. it doesn't go bad, so i could leave it in for quite a while.

little watermelon is the only one in my tank likes fresh stuff, the big guys almost never touch the fresh dish. among the fresh veggie/fruits i've served so far. little watermelon has been really fond of apple, coconut and watermelon (ha!). I've seen Strawberry took a couple of nibbles on fresh cucumber, honeydew, and watermelon. I've also seen watermelon nibble on bok chooy once or twice.

i buy "just coconut chunk" from trader joe's
https://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/j ... nut-chunks
$2.49 a bag, i usually serve one small chunk once or twice a week, little watermelon often spends half an hour picking on it.

Things i've served but they don't care for: pear, fresh fig, grape, tomato, bell pepper, carrot, scrambled egg, flaxseed (powder), HCP's mineral powder, raisin, dried cranberry, dried apple, dried mango, beet (fresh), blueberry(fresh), nori, strawberry(fresh), orange

Where would I get worm castings?

[Hermiesguardian]

Popcorn is definitely my crabs' #1, no doubt about it. I offer it almost everyday because it's always gone in the morning. Honey and coconut oil are also quite popular. They like the flowers I offer them (roses and pansies) more than the leaves (birch). Finally, as far as protein goes, it's gotta be raw (fish/chicken/ground beef) or it's gotta be a dehydrated, crushed into a powder, bug for my guys to go for it.

Is it popped popcorn, or the kernels ground up? I used to think mine loved popped popcorn too. Then one day while eating popcorn in the crab room I threw some pieces in the crabitats while none of the crabs were up. After an hour I realized that the humidity in the crabitats disintegrated it.... :roll:

Oh no! I mostly give them the HCP's ground up popcorns but I've also given them a popped whole cob a couple times. I did notice that the cob disintegrated a little but the ground up stuff just clumps together.

I made my own popcorn and yes they love it! Derek, who is a bit bigger than Shelder, wrestled a piece out of poor Shelder's claws. Then dragged it (it was a big piece) under the log. I'll be putting in more. Lol.

[Hermiesguardian]

my guys love banana it's one one the only things I feed almost nightly and it never goes unpinched. They like both green and overripe so it changes up through the week as they are still greenish on shopping day. Coconut is another fav. Once in a while I buy fresh and they eat the meat and fiber but mostly I use frozen grated unsweetened flakes. A put it in still frozen an it thaws pretty quick. They always eat it. Organic almond butter and peanut butter are always eaten as well. Organic raisins are a hit lately too. And walnuts they love walnuts! I use crushed walnuts and whole unsalted. Also dried nori seaweed but only if they get to it while it's still crispy. Fav protines are, canned crab meat, freeze dried krill, steamed clams, boiled chicken, ground beef and turkey, salmon with skin, And eggs scrambled or hard boiled and I put the raw un rinsed shell in with a bit of white leftover inside and they always disappear into the hidey huts lol. Some fav veggies are celery tops sprinkled with sea salt. Red and yellow pepper, hearts of romaine all organic of course. They also really enjoy dried sweet gum leaves and twigs from the tree in my yard. Tonight I plan to feed some left over bones with some meat and cartilage still on from a leftover rotisserie chicken. we shall see how that goes but I have a feeling it will be a big hit.
If u find that they are ignoring fresh foods try more dry dehydrated stuff. Like dried fruits, nuts, insects and krill. I have noticed that some crabbers report that there crabs really prefer dried stuffs and largely ignore fresh. My guys enjoy both but some crabs can be seriously picky.

Everyone says no seasonings but you mentioned rotisserie chicken. I know not the skin with the seasonings but just the chicken is ok? I bought organic chicken legs just for them and boiled them for an hour. I broke one leg open to expose the marrow. I think that was nibbled but the chicken looked untouched. But then again all the food does.

[ROSIEonFIRE]

mine go crazy over corn. freshly boiled corn kernels was the only food i've seen them carting off to their sleeping place so far. Blueberry loved corn bread. Strawberry loves pop corn. Little watermelon doesn't seem to care for either. Strawberry also likes Silver pomfret (cooked) and raw shrimp. But the others don't seem to care. They also eat hemp seed and bee pollen. not crazy about them, but they will take a few bites.

They all eat moss from the moss pit. and picking oyster shells from the sub.
they all love HCP's Surf'n'Turf protein combo (Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, plankton, krill, blood worms and meal worms.) all can spend up to an hour sitting there and nibble.

worm castings are another staple in my tank. i usually leave a shell full of it and they will take their time but eventually finish it off. it doesn't go bad, so i could leave it in for quite a while.

little watermelon is the only one in my tank likes fresh stuff, the big guys almost never touch the fresh dish. among the fresh veggie/fruits i've served so far. little watermelon has been really fond of apple, coconut and watermelon (ha!). I've seen Strawberry took a couple of nibbles on fresh cucumber, honeydew, and watermelon. I've also seen watermelon nibble on bok chooy once or twice.

i buy "just coconut chunk" from trader joe's
https://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/j ... nut-chunks
$2.49 a bag, i usually serve one small chunk once or twice a week, little watermelon often spends half an hour picking on it.

Things i've served but they don't care for: pear, fresh fig, grape, tomato, bell pepper, carrot, scrambled egg, flaxseed (powder), HCP's mineral powder, raisin, dried cranberry, dried apple, dried mango, beet (fresh), blueberry(fresh), nori, strawberry(fresh), orange

Where would I get worm castings?

Gardening supply stores or you can get small batches of them from hermit crab shops on etsy like the healthy hermit, for example

[Happyhermiehome]

my guys love banana it's one one the only things I feed almost nightly and it never goes unpinched. They like both green and overripe so it changes up through the week as they are still greenish on shopping day. Coconut is another fav. Once in a while I buy fresh and they eat the meat and fiber but mostly I use frozen grated unsweetened flakes. A put it in still frozen an it thaws pretty quick. They always eat it. Organic almond butter and peanut butter are always eaten as well. Organic raisins are a hit lately too. And walnuts they love walnuts! I use crushed walnuts and whole unsalted. Also dried nori seaweed but only if they get to it while it's still crispy. Fav protines are, canned crab meat, freeze dried krill, steamed clams, boiled chicken, ground beef and turkey, salmon with skin, And eggs scrambled or hard boiled and I put the raw un rinsed shell in with a bit of white leftover inside and they always disappear into the hidey huts lol. Some fav veggies are celery tops sprinkled with sea salt. Red and yellow pepper, hearts of romaine all organic of course. They also really enjoy dried sweet gum leaves and twigs from the tree in my yard. Tonight I plan to feed some left over bones with some meat and cartilage still on from a leftover rotisserie chicken. we shall see how that goes but I have a feeling it will be a big hit.
If u find that they are ignoring fresh foods try more dry dehydrated stuff. Like dried fruits, nuts, insects and krill. I have noticed that some crabbers report that there crabs really prefer dried stuffs and largely ignore fresh. My guys enjoy both but some crabs can be seriously picky.

Everyone says no seasonings but you mentioned rotisserie chicken. I know not the skin with the seasonings but just the chicken is ok? I bought organic chicken legs just for them and boiled them for an hour. I broke one leg open to expose the marrow. I think that was nibbled but the chicken looked untouched. But then again all the food does.

Yeah it's seasoned on the skin and did not have onion or garlic seasoning which is what's bad for them. I only gave them a few bones with some meat still on from well inside the chicken so I doubt there was any season there and it was just for a once in a while treat. They enjoyed dragging the bones around lol.

[Fledgling]

I'm still early in crab ownership, but some of the biggest hits in my tank so far are honey, dried mealworms, freeze dried salmon, freeze dried blueberries, millet, cuttlebone, various small shrimps, freeze dried brine shrimp, bloodworms, and strawberry leaves. I offer lots of other things, but those are the ones I end up picking off the sub or end up disappearing entirely. I also have a small blackberry branch in there that my little guy has definitely done a number on over the past few months...

My adoptees love popcorn and other more "human" foods. My little guy prefers more natural scavenger foods. My theory is that it's because he was taken from the wild more recently than the other two. Those guys have been in captivity for over 3 years now and could've adjusted their tastes accordingly. Just a hunch x)

There are times when I offer something like coconut and they go crazy, and other times when they won't touch it. I guess it just depends. X)

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