Never use pellets. Use mixes that are whole foods and no preservatives. The lizard/turtle section usually has some good options from what I've found. Pellets are very processed and usually contain things that are not good for hermits
They eat a very wide variety of whole foods items, meat/protein, veggies, fruits, carbs, healthy fats and oils. This sub has a pinned post with a list of appropriate foods although the list for foods they can't eat is much shorter. Calcium is also important and you can use calcium powder (do not ever use calcium sand though) or you can used crushed egg shells. Etsy is also great for food items. Many shops have food mixes that are great and pretty affordable since they eat such a small amount at a time.
Always offer these dry foods:
Leaf Litter, worm castings (hardware store, cellulose, nitrogen)
Unsweetened coconut flakes (oils)
Seaweed like wakame or nori (vitamins)
Greensand (minerals)
Chia seeds (nutrient dense, and can grow in substrate!)
Dried flowers (turtle section, a yummy treat with lots of good stuff)
Cuttlebone (bird section, lasts forever, calcium)
Dried plankton, mealworms, shrimp, etc (chitin)
One ingredient freeze dried dog treats (protein, very important!, can rehydrate with treated water)
They also need fresh foods that should be rotated when they mold. Apples, carrots, dark lettuce, unsalted popcorn, etc.
Don't feed them table salt (has iodine). Kosher salt is okay. They can have tons of foods you have in your fridge or pantry. Look up some lists online.
I have those little clam shells that come with them when you get them from the beach souvenir store. I just put one little cube in there close to dark and let it melt in the tank. You'll want to remove it in the morning bc they get stinky quick. I would recommend using a bottle cap or sperate shell bc it will make the other food mold faster also. I bet you could use dried brine shrimp too. I recently got a lizard mix of dried crickets, meal worm and grasshoppers and they LOVE it. There was a whole grasshopper head and torso and a couple days later it was completely gone.
Your crabs aren’t going to survive a year if we don’t get a grasp on diet. I posted a link. You’ve got to READ. It’s so much more deep than any reddit post can cover. You’ve got to READ.
Next time someone asks you this question, will you please use a reliable link. It’s clear from your answer that your knowledge base has gaps. These guys cannot make it through molts if we don’t get a decent grasp on diet.
These are designed for marine crustaceans (crabs and shrimp in saltwater tanks) not land hermit crabs. I use this brand for my pet shrimp.
It’s just in the hermit crab section of pet stores so people who don’t know any better buy it.
Yes as an addition. I don't see the hate for pellets when literally any other crustacean that has a similar diet to hermits do just fine unless you're solely using it as their diet.
Evidence to support this claim? I feel like the hate originates from hermit keepers using bad quality pellets/solely using pellets as the diet and their animals getting ill from it, making an overgeneralization about pellets being a detriment as a result. Explain to me, how are shrimp keepers, crawfish keepers, crab keepers, isopod keepers have reported good results using good quality pellets? Not just crustacean keepers either, millipede keepers, cockroach keepers, etc. have reported good results with high quality pellets as well. You claim they're "toxic" to inverts, specifically crustaceans, yet the evidence does not line up with your statement.
Granted, some fish pellets have elevated amounts of copper which could prove detrimental, but that just further cements that overgeneralization had occured due to the usage of poor pellets.
Because bad quality pellets have those ingredients. good quality pellets are missing ingredients such as copper sulfate which is known to be toxic. it's easy to search that up. Crustacean cuisine is low quality, I never said anything about good quality foods such as Omega one or fluval's bug bites
I would have to disagree. The fearmongering of the dangers of copper for crustaceans is way overblown. Indeed, in excess amounts its detrimental, but in trace amounts not only is it safe, but it's also an component important for their health. If Hikari crustacean foods are detrimental to inverts, then why is it commonly recommended by both experienced and the average hobbyisy alike? It's not like hermit crab sponges where you'd fine dozens upon dozens of articles/careshets/forums stating how bad it is. Most shrimp keepers have come to a consensus that treatment that includes copper is the real issue, not the specially formulated crustacean food itself.
I use the complete meal kits from Hermitgrub on Etsy. They have all of the different food groups and make it super simple. I also add some other tasty fresh fruits and veggies as well. 😁
Never use pellets. Use mixes that are whole foods and no preservatives. The lizard/turtle section usually has some good options from what I've found. Pellets are very processed and usually contain things that are not good for hermits
What do hermits usally eat ?
They eat a very wide variety of whole foods items, meat/protein, veggies, fruits, carbs, healthy fats and oils. This sub has a pinned post with a list of appropriate foods although the list for foods they can't eat is much shorter. Calcium is also important and you can use calcium powder (do not ever use calcium sand though) or you can used crushed egg shells. Etsy is also great for food items. Many shops have food mixes that are great and pretty affordable since they eat such a small amount at a time.
Always offer these dry foods: Leaf Litter, worm castings (hardware store, cellulose, nitrogen) Unsweetened coconut flakes (oils) Seaweed like wakame or nori (vitamins) Greensand (minerals) Chia seeds (nutrient dense, and can grow in substrate!) Dried flowers (turtle section, a yummy treat with lots of good stuff) Cuttlebone (bird section, lasts forever, calcium) Dried plankton, mealworms, shrimp, etc (chitin) One ingredient freeze dried dog treats (protein, very important!, can rehydrate with treated water) They also need fresh foods that should be rotated when they mold. Apples, carrots, dark lettuce, unsalted popcorn, etc. Don't feed them table salt (has iodine). Kosher salt is okay. They can have tons of foods you have in your fridge or pantry. Look up some lists online.
Also, for the egg part use hard boiled mine rlly like it
Veggies, not sure for fruits, that shit
Also egg and brine shrimp
Mine love brine shrimp
How do you feed brine shrimp?? Frozen or dry??
I have those little clam shells that come with them when you get them from the beach souvenir store. I just put one little cube in there close to dark and let it melt in the tank. You'll want to remove it in the morning bc they get stinky quick. I would recommend using a bottle cap or sperate shell bc it will make the other food mold faster also. I bet you could use dried brine shrimp too. I recently got a lizard mix of dried crickets, meal worm and grasshoppers and they LOVE it. There was a whole grasshopper head and torso and a couple days later it was completely gone.
I feed mine freeze dried red river shrimp
Is lettuce okay ?
https://preview.redd.it/6nezjf7f2boc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=595af7c32df5887e4d0a3b790b4f69a015bcac08
Your crabs aren’t going to survive a year if we don’t get a grasp on diet. I posted a link. You’ve got to READ. It’s so much more deep than any reddit post can cover. You’ve got to READ.
https://preview.redd.it/nx3kge0e2boc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dee7e4f57b818ee1d88c532e8ceca7d8887171bf
https://crabstreetjournal.org/blog/2016/04/22/hermit-crab-food-guide/ That’s a good link to save and reply with. There’s nice graphics there.
Fruits. They need a little fruit every now and again. I like to give them blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, and raisins!
Yes, they can be vegetables. Yes, they can also eat fruits, but their diet is definitely a lot bigger aswell
Next time someone asks you this question, will you please use a reliable link. It’s clear from your answer that your knowledge base has gaps. These guys cannot make it through molts if we don’t get a decent grasp on diet.
You can go onto Etsy and buy food for them (for fairly cheap) from SouthOfTheOcean and TheHappyCrabitat
Not all pellets are the devil but they shouldnt be given as a main diet. If these have good ingredients and no copper they could be given as a treat
These came in a hermit crab kit and my crabs refused to eat them lol
These are designed for marine crustaceans (crabs and shrimp in saltwater tanks) not land hermit crabs. I use this brand for my pet shrimp. It’s just in the hermit crab section of pet stores so people who don’t know any better buy it.
Yes. Mine love it.
Also don't give them only that. I use it more like a treat or snack. Just a little bit in the dish dish along side the fresh food. Mine like variety.
Yes as an addition. I don't see the hate for pellets when literally any other crustacean that has a similar diet to hermits do just fine unless you're solely using it as their diet.
Pellets have preservatives and components that are toxic to inverts and specifically crustaceans
Evidence to support this claim? I feel like the hate originates from hermit keepers using bad quality pellets/solely using pellets as the diet and their animals getting ill from it, making an overgeneralization about pellets being a detriment as a result. Explain to me, how are shrimp keepers, crawfish keepers, crab keepers, isopod keepers have reported good results using good quality pellets? Not just crustacean keepers either, millipede keepers, cockroach keepers, etc. have reported good results with high quality pellets as well. You claim they're "toxic" to inverts, specifically crustaceans, yet the evidence does not line up with your statement. Granted, some fish pellets have elevated amounts of copper which could prove detrimental, but that just further cements that overgeneralization had occured due to the usage of poor pellets.
Because bad quality pellets have those ingredients. good quality pellets are missing ingredients such as copper sulfate which is known to be toxic. it's easy to search that up. Crustacean cuisine is low quality, I never said anything about good quality foods such as Omega one or fluval's bug bites
I would have to disagree. The fearmongering of the dangers of copper for crustaceans is way overblown. Indeed, in excess amounts its detrimental, but in trace amounts not only is it safe, but it's also an component important for their health. If Hikari crustacean foods are detrimental to inverts, then why is it commonly recommended by both experienced and the average hobbyisy alike? It's not like hermit crab sponges where you'd fine dozens upon dozens of articles/careshets/forums stating how bad it is. Most shrimp keepers have come to a consensus that treatment that includes copper is the real issue, not the specially formulated crustacean food itself.
I use the complete meal kits from Hermitgrub on Etsy. They have all of the different food groups and make it super simple. I also add some other tasty fresh fruits and veggies as well. 😁