New hermit Owner Questions ! Please Reply

Hermie escape artist · Post by **Hermie escape artist** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:27 am

Hi , I'm new to all of this... but I've been reading alot !!
I just got Hermie at OC ..
I made him a new home etc .. been feeding him the store food and started chopping and mincing veggies .. and bananas I can't tell if he eats it at all .. but he does eat the store bought one ! .. should I stop the store bought one completely.. worried he wont eat anything else .. he barely touches anything barley has sand in the other bowls at all that has fresh veggies .....

ALSO
I think he lost 2 legs at the shop I got him from I seen pics of other crabs and my hermit only has 1 leg on side and like 3 on the other... didnt realize at first but he is active as ever !
AND he doesnt dig at all .. he started climbing like a maniac yesterday !

YouTube · Post by **GotButterflies** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:32 am

Hi! Welcome to the HCA!

Yes, quit using the store bought food. They can actually eat a lot of the things we eat.

Make sure you cover all aspects of food pyramid

Foods should be organic when possible. Hermit crabs are sensitive to pesticides and fertilizers. Also, provide him with calcium. You can pick up a cuttle bone from the bird section in the pet store.

Safe food list: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92557
Unsafe food list: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92556
Food pyramid: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92554

He can regrow his legs when he molts.

Hermie escape artist · Post by **Hermie escape artist** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:38 am

Ok ! Thanks !
What if I can't do organic ... i can try to get him or her
. A couple organic things but I cant right now ...
Can I wash the veggies etc
.
I've tried diff things the past 2 days I know that not alot but he seems to not bother it at all which I think I did already mention just worried he wont eat and I wanna make sure he gets all the stuff he needs why I was gonna use the store bought and my own but yes I was thinking ng of quitting the store bought so will do !

DO YOU feed him often through out the day .. I usually change his food if I see its sandy to much or .. has sit for more then half the day not fresh anymore am I right ???

mxxlane · Post by **mxxlane** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:39 am

Hermies are VERY picky eaters. Always provide a good assortment. Even if they don’t like it at first they may eat it in the future! He’ll regenerate his legs when he molts. My herms absolutely love baby food (organic) so I always provide some with every meal along with other things. They eat very little so sometimes you won’t even notice. My crabs will sometimes eat a ton one night and hardly eat for a days after

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Hermie escape artist · Post by **Hermie escape artist** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:46 am

Thanks! Will buy some baby food very soon! And will keep trying diff fruits and veggies THANKS !!

Hermiesguardian · Post by **Hermiesguardian** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:09 am

Hermie escape artist wrote:Thanks! Will buy some baby food very soon! And will keep trying diff fruits and veggies THANKS !!

When I buy baby food, I freeze what's left in the jar (most of it) in contact lens holders and label it. Or you can freeze it in ice cube trays. And even if you buy an organic apple or whatever, you only need to buy 1 at any given time so it's pretty cheap.

Hermie escape artist · Post by **Hermie escape artist** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:15 am

Hermiesguardian wrote:
Hermie escape artist wrote:Thanks! Will buy some baby food very soon! And will keep trying diff fruits and veggies THANKS !!
When I buy baby food, I freeze what's left in the jar (most of it) in contact lens holders and label it. Or you can freeze it in ice cube trays. And even if you buy an organic apple or whatever, you only need to buy 1 at any given time so it's pretty cheap.

I have to defrost it for the barb right that's a dumb question but just wondering .. lol.ya I'll try that !!!

Hermie escape artist · Post by **Hermie escape artist** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:17 am

What do I do besides fruits and veggies?
I heard shrimp .. do I get cooked shrimp and chop it up really fine or ?

Hermie escape artist · Post by **Hermie escape artist** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:19 am

Also I read about rinsing out their shells or something ...
And about dishes with water .. is it suppose to be a dish or alittle pool ?
How important is that .. I have nice size bowls but not a little pool for hermie ...he can walk and drag his shell through but idk how much...

Post by **JoeHermits** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:26 am

You can chop the shrimp, but you don’t have to. Hermit crabs are usually pretty good at tearing things apart. Other protein sources include chicken, fish, and feeder insects.

A deep pool is essential. They use it to maintain their shell water, a saline solution kept isotonic to their bloodstreams. They get stressed without it. Small Tupperware containers with ramps or ladders (plastic mesh or plants work well) will suffice.

Edit: It doesn’t have to be big or expensive, just deep enough for submersion with a way to climb out.

Post by **JoeHermits** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:27 am

You can rinse the shells with dechlorinated water to clean them. I would also recommend a light boil to be thorough.

Hermie escape artist · Post by **Hermie escape artist** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:29 am

K ya trying to think of how to make him alittle pool should I be regular water or salt water ??

Post by **JoeHermits** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:32 am

Hermie escape artist wrote:K ya trying to think of how to make him alittle pool should I be regular water or salt water ??

Both.

The dechlorinated freshwater will act as normal drinking water.

The dechlorinated saltwater, made with a marine grade salt (easy and relatively inexpensive) will serve as their “ocean”. They’ll still drink from that, too, for salts and minerals.

mxxlane · Post by **mxxlane** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:33 am

They’ll need both dechlorinated and salt water. They need special salt water solution so don’t make it yourself with table salt haha

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Hermie escape artist · Post by **Hermie escape artist** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:37 am

No I know I have the solution ! Lol ok I need to find containers .. I have 2 nice size shells for him with water but I dont know if they are big enough ... he can get into it but he cant actually swim in it

HCA: Hermit Crab Association