HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Right now, my crabs are only wanting proteins and nothing else. I’ve tried feeding them a mix of blueberries, blackberries and strawberries but the crabs weren’t interested. But when I switched it back to bloodworms and shrimp, they started eating. I’m suspecting they may be pre-molt.

Are you giving them other things in addition to the fruit?

Just keep a mixture of good healthy foods in the tank at all time. Sometimes a food needs to offered a few times before they will take to it, other times they just have preferences. As long as you are feeding a mix of foods, following the food pyramid, they will choose what they need.

Xeno, to answer your question, no, I’m not giving them other things in addition to the fruit. Maybe I need to try giving them fruit, vegetables, protein, calcium and fats in their food bowl. Then let them seek out what they need at the moment.

Proteins and calciums are vital.

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I do give them shrimp and blood worms. That’s what they’re eating right now.

They need foods for their exoskeletons. If they don't have any, yes they will cannibalize. They are scavengers. They will try to find what they need to eat. A molting crab would be perfect for them.

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I currently don’t have anyone underground at the moment. I only have two crabs. I apologize for the confusion. I think this is what I’m going to try:

Blackberry
Strawberry
Asparagus
Broccoli
Blood worms
Shrimp
Crushed Oyster Shell
Egg yolk

That's a great idea! They require more variety of foods and it's actually quite easy. The care sheets on here are so helpful!

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I think that might be my issue. Is that I’m only offering them one thing and they want more variety. As soon I start offering more variety, they will start eating more.

Try different fruits, they like them much more than veggies and berries. Things like banana, apple, or orange.

Okay, I’ll try offering banana, apple and orange.