Hermit crabs are fascinating little pets. Watching them scuttle around their tank climbing over toys and peeking out from shells is endlessly entertaining. But have you ever wondered how exactly a hermit crab manages to eat? After all, they don’t have hands to hold their food or teeth to chew it.
Understanding how hermit crabs eat gives us insight into how to best care for them as pets. In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the eating process of a hermit crab.
Anatomy of Eating
Hermit crabs rely on specialized mouthparts called chelipeds to eat their food. Chelipeds are the frontmost pair of legs on a hermit crab, and function similarly to pincers or claws.
The right cheliped is usually larger and more dominant. The hermit crab uses this bigger pincer to pick up pieces of food and bring them to its mouth.
Meanwhile, the smaller left cheliped guides the food into the mouth opening. Without both pincers working together, it would be difficult for the crab to maneuver food properly
Inside their mouth, hermit crabs have small rigid structures called mandibles. These are used to grasp and grind up food into even smaller pieces that can be swallowed and digested.
Hermit crabs do not possess teeth, so they must break food down into very tiny particles before swallowing. Their mandibles are up to this chewing challenge.
Feeding Behaviors
In the wild, hermit crabs are omnivorous scavengers and opportunity feeders. This means they will eat just about anything they can get their claws on!
Fallen fruit, rotting wood, dead sea creatures, fecal matter, and human trash are all on the menu.
Hermit crabs kept as pets retain this same flexible, omnivorous appetite. In captivity though, we want to feed them a healthy, nutritious diet.
Hermit crabs use their keen sense of smell to locate food. They especially love pungent, aromatic foods like meats, fish, and ripe fruits. Strong scents will entice them to eat.
These omnivores appreciate variety at mealtimes. In fact, wild hermit crabs rarely eat the same exact food two days in a row.
As pets, they should be offered a diverse menu including plant and animal matter. This maintains their interest in eating.
Hermit crabs are nibblers. They prefer to take small bites of food here and there as the mood strikes. It’s rare to see them gorging themselves at one sitting.
Provide bite-sized pieces of food scattered around their habitat. This allows each crab to forage and graze as desired.
Ideal Feeding Schedule
In nature, hermit crabs usually eat just once per day. They emerge at night to scavenge when it’s safest.
As pets, it’s best to follow a similar schedule by offering food in the evening. This coincides with their natural time clock.
Place food into the crabitat shortly before lights out. That’s when they become active and will be interested in eating.
Though hermit crabs can survive 2 weeks without food, don’t make them wait this long! Offer a fresh meal every 1-2 days to keep your pets properly nourished.
Remove uneaten leftovers the next day to prevent spoilage. Then replace with a new food selection.
Handling Special Feeding Needs
In some cases, you may need to assist a hermit crab with eating:
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After Molting – Crabs are unable to eat while molting since they are sealed off in their shell. After emerging, they will be very hungry! Offer soft, high protein foods.
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Missing Limbs – Crabs missing pincers or legs will struggle to grasp food. Hand feed bit-sized pieces or provide easy-to-access foods.
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Surface Molts – Crabs who have molted but didn’t fully emerge may need to be hand fed until their pincers are functional again.
With a proper setup and some specialized care when needed, hermit crabs can eat a complete diet using their adapted mouthparts. Understanding how hermit crabs eat leads to better nutrition and quality of life.
Step 7: Stir & Microwave
Step 3: Chop Fruit and Nuts
What foods do hermit crabs eat? Give your crabs these foods to make them active & healthy!
Do hermit crabs eat salt water?
Fresh water is needed for drinking, and most hermit crabs will also drink salt water (some also like to bathe in the salt water, so providing a dish of salt water big enough for the crab to get into is a good idea). All tap water must be treated with a dechlorinator (drops available at pet stores) to remove harmful chlorine and chloramines.
How do you feed a hermit crab?
Some people also use natural seashells (the flatter half shells) for feeding. Since all species of hermit crabs should have access to both fresh and salt water, you will need two water dishes.
What do land hermit crabs eat?
In the wild, land hermit crabs are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. In captivity, their diet should be based on a balanced commercial food supplemented with a variety of fresh foods and treats. Keep reading to learn what foods to feed your hermit crab and which ones to avoid.
Do hermit crabs eat the same food twice a day?
They will also rarely eat the same food twice in the same day or night. Wild hermit crabs will feed on a large variety of foods, some of which include: Nuts – the high protein and fat content in nuts is beneficial to hermit crabs about to molt.