5 Top Tips For Feeding a Hermit Crab

In the wild, land hermit crabs feed on a variety of foods such as dropped fruit, tree bark, plants and grasses and food that has been washed on to the shore. They locate their food by a combination of watching other crabs and by using their antennae to sniff it out. Feeding your pet crustacean in captivity isn't as difficult as you guys may think and, provided you follow a few guidelines, your pet should stay happy and well nourished. These crabs are, like people, omnivorous, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. The following five pointers should help, if you have recently purchased one of these little guys, and are a little unsure what to feed him.

1. When feeding a hermit crab you can't go far wrong if you stick to a commercially produced specialized food which can be purchased at most reputable pet stores. These commercial foods are normally produced in pellet or canned form although you may need to crush the pellets if you are taking care of a smaller critter. Ready prepared diets ensure that your pet gets the right amount of supplements that he needs such as calcium, carotene and antioxidants.

2. You're little pets are not normally picky eaters and it's a good idea when giving one of these little guys food is to supplement the commercial food with a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. Your pet will enjoy eating a wide variety of food and particularly likes fruit from the tropics, such as mangoes, coconuts and papayas although he will be happy with citrus fruit as well.

3. If you are putting your little crawly pet on a fresh food diet it is important to try and source organic, whenever possible. Always rinse the food with water and then leave it to dry naturally as he likes to munch with a crunch.

4. These crawly critters need a good supply of calcium particularly when they are molting and this can be achieved by feeding your little guy with cuttlebone, which is normally located in the bird section of your pet store, which can be given whole or shredded and added to food. Additional sources of calcium can be found in crushed oyster shell, which is also available in the bird section, coral sand and crushed egg shells, which can be boiled, dried and then crushed.

5. Lastly, your pet will need water and supplying your little fella' with both fresh and salt water is preferable. Some of the crawlers like to bath in salt water, so it is a good idea to provide a dish that is big enough for this purpose. When it comes to fresh water you must never use tap water, since chlorine is harmful to your pet's body. Instead, you can purchase drops from your pet store which remove chlorine or alternatively, use bottled water instead, although this is likely to be more costly.

Follow these guidelines and you will have a pet that will provide you with hours of entertainment and fun. To be perfectly honest with you, feeding a pet like this is nowhere near as tricky as feeding a picky adolescent.