When Foraging for your own flowers, leaves and woods to place inside your tank for your crabs to eat or play on, it's important to know what's safe and what's not. Not everything you grow in your own garden is safe for Hermit Crabs.
What To Avoid
Despite a flower, leaf or wood being on the safe list, it doesn't always mean it's safe. The biggest thing to look out for is pesticides and chemicals. These make safe foraging items unsafe.
When looking for Flowers, avoid store brought flowers from florists or supermarkets. These are sprayed with pesticides and chemicals to make them last longer and are not meant to be eaten by humans or animals.
Avoid woods that have been treated with oils, pesticides or other chemicals to make them last longer. When thinking about foraging foods and decor items for your tank, you want to go as natural as possible.
Sourcing Safe Items
The very best place to source safe flowers, leaves and wood is in your very own backyard. You can grow your own trees and flowers, and without treating them with chemicals, you know they are safe to use. If you decide to go exploring in your town for foraging foods, make sure you are aware of what has been sprayed with chemicals. Often local flowers and trees in your town will have been treated with some form of chemical by your local council to support the growth and prevent the decline in the way the plants and trees look.
The key thing to remember is, if you are unsure, don't use it.
Common Pesticides Used
Herbicides - Used to kill or control weeds and unwanted vegetation.
Insecticides - Used to kill or control insects.
Fungicides - Used to control fungi.
Florists Flowers - Florists will commonly use chemicals to preserve flowers and prevent wilting. These make flowers unsafe to be consumed by humans and animals. Common ingredients include dextrose, bleach, spirits, acid, antibacterial agents, sugar etc. These should be avoided at all costs.
If you cannot grow your own foraging items, the best place to look for flowers and leaves is through a certified organic supplier. Someone who sells their items for human consumption, otherwise purchase leaf litters and flower mixes through reputable hermit crab food stores. If it's not safe for us to eat or drink, it's not safe for your crabs. A good place to source natural and safe wood is through your local aquarium. Woods that are used in aquariums are unlikely to be treated and can be used in your tank, as long as they are on the safe wood list.
Preparing Flowers, Leaves and Wood
All flowers, leaves and wood should be washed thoroughly before using in your tank. This removes any nasty creepy crawlies and anything else unwanted that may be lingering. You can offer flowers and leaves dried or fresh, keeping in mind that fresh flowers and leaves will wilt and mould quickly in the high humidity. Wood can be baked in the oven on a low setting to remove any unwanted bacteria. We also recommend soaking your natural wood in a marine saltwater bath and leaving it in the sun to dry before placing it inside your tank. This will prolong its life and prevent moulding from the moisture.
Alternative Tank Decor
Alternatively, you can use fake plants and woods inside your tank. These are safer and prevent the possibility of them moulding. Reptile and fish tank fake plants, hides and woods are a good alternative.
List Of SAFE Foraging Items
Safe Flowers -
Burning Bush
Butterfly Pea Flower
Calendula Flowers
Camellia
Carnation
Chamomile
Chickweed
Cornflowers
Daisies
Dandelion
Elderberry Flowers
Hibiscus Flowers
Hollyhock Flowers
Honeysuckle Flowers
Jasmine
Lilac
Milk Thistle
Pansies
Passionflower
Peonies
Petunia
Prickly Pear
Rosehip
Roses
Sunflowers
Viola
Violet
Safe Leaves -
Air Plants
Alfalfa
Basil
Catappa Leaves (Indian Almond Leaves)
Clover
Dandelion Leaves
Fennel
Hazel Leaves
Mango Leaves
Maple Leaves
Marshmallow Leaf
Mint
Oak Leaves
Parsley
Passionflower Leaves
Raspberry Leaf
Rooibos
Rose Leaves
Sunflower Leaves
Sycamore Leaves
Tree Fern
Safe Wood -
Acacia Gum
Ash Wood
Aspen
Bamboo
Birch Wood
Cholla Wood
Cork Bark
Driftwood
Grapevine
Mangrove
Madrona Wood
Maple/Japanese Maple
Mopani Wood
Oak Bark/Wood
Pecan Bark/Wood
Swamp Cypress Wood
Willow
List Of UNSAFE Foraging Items
Unsafe Flowers -
Azalea
American Hellebore (Indian Poke)
Autumn Crocus
Bird Of Paradise
Bluebonnet
Bottlebrush
Buttercup
Cardinal Flower
Chrysanthemum
Clematis
Columbine
Crown Of Thorns
Daffodil
Delphinium
European Pennyroyal
Feverfew
Foxglove
Geranium
Green Hellebore
Hemlock
Hydrangea
Iris
Kalanchoe (Widows Thrill)
Lantana
Lily
Magnolia
Marigold
Mayweed
Milkbush
Morning Glory
Mustard Plant Flowers
Oleander
Oxeye Daisy
Peace Lily
Periwinkle
Prunus Flowers (Apricot, Bitter Almond, Laurel, Nectarine, Peach, Plum)
Stargazer Lily
Succulents
Tansy
Tulips
Verbena
Vinca
Yarrow
Windflower
Wisteria
Unsafe Leaves -
African Violet Leaves
Avocado Leaves
Bay Leaves
Boxwood
Carnation Leaves
Citrus Leaves
Dill
Eucalyptus
Fleabane
Golden Pathos (Devils Ivy)
Ivy (all types)
Juniper Leaves
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Lemon Grass
Lucky Bamboo
Mistletoe
Mustard Plant Leaves
Neem
Palm Leaves
Pencil Tree Cactus
Peppermint
Philodendron
Pine Leaves
Prickly Juniper
Prunus Leaves (Apricot, Bitter Almond, Laurel, Nectarine, Peach, Plum)
Red Emerald
Rosemary
Sago Palm
Sansevieria
Schefflera
Sweet Flag
Tea Tree
Thyme
Willow Leaves
Wormwood
Yew
Unsafe Wood -
Alder Bark
Apple Wood
Black Locust
Boxwood
Cedar Wood
Cherry Wood
Citrus Branches
Cyprus
Eucalyptus
Evergreen Wood (Pine, Cedar, Juniper)
Hemlock
Mango Wood
Prunus Branches (Apricot, Bitter Almond, Laurel, Nectarine, Peach, Plum)
Red Wood
Walnut Wood
Wisteria Branches
Yew
Couldn't find what you were looking for on our list? Make sure you do thorough research through reputable recourses such as LHCOS, Crab Street Journal and Crab Central Station. If you cannot find information claiming that something is safe or unsafe, it is best not to risk it at all.
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