HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Do hermits prefer their food to be crushed up or crumbled? Or will they eat from bigger pieces? And has anyone noticed if they prefer mixed selections or separated in the dish? I might be overthinking it, but I want them to be happy with their food choices.

Carlye.Purucker wrote:Do hermits prefer their food to be crushed up or crumbled? Or will they eat from bigger pieces? And has anyone noticed if they prefer mixed selections or separated in the dish? I might be overthinking it, but I want them to be happy with their food choices.

I make dry blends for them, and I just mix it all together. They usually pick through it to find what they want. I chop mine up into small bits so it's easier for them to pick up, but they can eat off of larger pieces. No harm in trying out mixed or separated, or crushed or whole. You'll find out what's best for them.

I sometimes do each. I will put a dish with small bits, everything separated out. Then the next time I will put bigger chunks all mixed together. Then sometimes I might mix all the little pieces together! I have no idea which they prefer! LOL.

Honestly, it depends on what it is. If it is smelly, I chop it up because I don't want the hermits dragging it off and burying it...cause they will!!!

GotButterflies wrote:Honestly, it depends on what it is. If it is smelly, I chop it up because I don't want the hermits dragging it off and burying it...cause they will!!!

I'm pretty sure Sheldon has buried at least one whole sunflower seed. I haven't found it yet.

In the wild, no one dices up their food into small little cubes...
Honestly, do what you and your crabs enjoy. Theres been crabs that dont eat foods one way, but will devour it if feed another way. I wouldn't ve surprised if some crabs want peeled grapes and refuse to eat grapes with skin on them, they can be so picky at times!

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Mine really seem to like eating out of a sectioned food dish. I'm guessing they probably don't care if foods get mixed, but maybe they do. Maybe they are like my son as a three year old--NO TOUCHING FOOD!!

I personally like being able to tell which foods are favorites and I find it hard to do that when they stir everything up together.

I put whole pieces in my tank, and you can definitely see where they have ate large chunks out of what they like (the current favorite is apple by far!)
I honestly think one of my new ones is gearing up for a molt, he ate almost his little weight in apple last night.

I've been doing both and it seems like they prefer larger pieces so far. They absolutely love peppers and asparagus, those have gone almost immediately after putting it in hahaha

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I'd say powdered foods generally go over better in my tank, and I assume that's because my crabs are lazy.

Really though, the only time crushed is likely to matter is if you're nursing a sick crab (like, missing all its limbs, been attacked or had a diaster moult kinda sick, when we try to feed them food on q-tips) & want it expending as little energy as possible. Otherwise, those pinchers are well equipped to tear up almost anything!

LadyJinglyJones wrote:I'd say powdered foods generally go over better in my tank, and I assume that's because my crabs are lazy.

Really though, the only time crushed is likely to matter is if you're nursing a sick crab (like, missing all its limbs, been attacked or had a diaster moult kinda sick, when we try to feed them food on q-tips) & want it expending as little energy as possible. Otherwise, those pinchers are well equipped to tear up almost anything!

Too true. My poor plastic plant is taking a beating. All of them are, actually.