top of page
Writer's picturethehappyhermie

Hermit Crabs - Safe and Unsafe Foods

Updated: Dec 12

Hermit Crabs are natural scavengers and will eat almost anything, however, there are some foods that are just not safe for your little hermie friend.

Below is a list of safe and unsafe foods to feed your Hermit Crabs.


If there is a food not listed here and you are unsure about it, search for it in the LHCOS recommended food guide here https://crabstreetjournal.org/blog/2016/04/22/hermit-crab-food-guide/




SAFE FOOD LIST -

A

Acai Berry

Acorns

Agave

Air Plants

Alfalfa

African Violet

Almonds

Amaranth

Anacharis

Anchovies

Apples

Apricot

Arame (seaweed)

Artichokes

Ash Wood

Asian Pear

Asparagus

Avocado

Avocado Oil

Azomite


B

Bamboo

Bamboo Fungus

Banana

Barley

Barley Grass

Basa

Barramundi

Beans (black, kidney, soy)

Beach Grass

Bee Pollen

Beef

Beef Suet

Beetroot

Birch Wood

Birch Leaf

Bison

Blackberries

Blackberry Leaves

Blackstrap Molasses

Black Rice

Black Soldier Fly Larvae

Bladderwrack

Blood Meal

Bloodworms

Blueberries

Blue Elderberries

Blue Spirulina

Bok Choy

Bone Meal

Bone Marrow

Borage

Brazil Nut

Brine Shrimp

Brine Shrimp Eggs

Broccoli

Brown Rice

Brussel Sprouts

Buffalo

Burning Bush

Butterfly Bush

Butterfly Pea Flower


C

Cabbage

Calendula Flowers

Camellia

Camel

Camu Camu

Cantaloupe

Canary Seed

Capsicum

Cape Myrtle

Caribou

Carnation Flowers

Carrots

Cashews

Cassava

Catappa Leaves

Catfish

Cauliflower

Celery

Centipedes

Chamomile Flowers

Cherimoya

Cherry

Chestnuts

Chia Seeds

Chicken (cooked)

Chickpeas

Chickweed

Chili

Chinese Bayberry

Chokeberry

Cholla Wood

Chlorella

Cicada

Cilantro

Clams

Clover

Cochineal

Coconut

Coconut Flour

Coconut Oil

Coconut Sugar

Cockroaches

Cod

Collards

Coneflower

Coral

Cork Bark

Corn

Cornflower

Cotton

Couscous

Cowpeas

Crabapple

Cranberries

Crepe Myrtle

Crustacean Exoskeletons

Crustacean Meat

Crickets

Crayfish

Crocodile

Crustaceans

Cucumber

Cupuaçu

Currants

Cuttlefish Bone


D

Daisy

Dandelion

Dates

Day Lilies

Deer

Dragon fruit

Duck

Duckweed

Dulse


E

Earthworms

Edamame

Eggs (cooked)

Egg Shells

Eggplant

Elderberry Flowers

Elk

Emu

Evening Primrose


F

Feathers (clean)

Fig

Filberts

Fireweed

Fish Oil

Fish (all species)

Flaxseed

Flaxseed Oil

Flounder

Forget Me Not Petals

Foxglove

Freekeh

Fringe Cup


G

Geese

Gladiolus

Goat

Goats Beard

Goji Berries

Goliath Worms

Gooseberry

Grapes

Grapefruit

Grape Vine

Green Beans

Green Leaf Manzanita

Greensand

Guava


H

Haddock

Halibut

Hairy Manzanita

Hazel Leaves

Hazelnuts

Hemp Seed

Hemp Seed Oil

Herring

Hibiscus Flowers

Holly Leaves

Hollyhock Flowers

Honey (organic)

Honeybush

Honeydew Melon

Honeysuckle Flowers

Hornworms

Huckleberries


I

Indian Almond Leaves

Insect Frass

Impatiens

Iris

Irish Moss

Isopods


J

Jasmine Flowers

Jicama


K

Kale

Kamut

Kangaroo

Katydids

Kelp

Kinnikinnick

Kiwifruit

Krill


L

Lamb

Lentils

Lettuce

Lilac Flowers

Lima Beans

Linseed

Liver

Lobster

Locusts

Lychee Fruit


M

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia Oil

Mackerel

Macroalgae

Madrona Wood

Maize

Manda

Mango

Mangrove

Maple Leaves

Maple Syrup

Marion Berries

Marshmallow Leaf

Marshmallow Root

Mealworms

Milk Thistle Flowers

Milk Thistle Leaf

Milkweed

Millet

Minnows

Mint

Mollusks

Moose

Mopani Wood

Mulberries

Mulberry Leaf

Mullein

Mushrooms (only human safe ones)

Mussels


N

Nasturtium

Nectarines

Nettle Leaf

Niger Seed

Nipplewort

Nopales

Nut Butters (organic)

Nutrional Yeast


O

Oak Leaves

Oak Bark

Oats

Oat Straw

Octopus

Oil Palm Fruit

Okra

Olives

Olive Oil

Ostrich

Oranges

Oregon Iris

Oyster

Oyster Shell Flour


P

Pansy Flowers

Pampas Grass

Papaya

Paprika

Parsley

Parsnip

Passionfruit

Passionflower

Pasta (no added salt)

Peaches

Peanut Butter (organic)

Peanuts

Pears

Peas

Pecan Bark

Pecans

Peonies

Pepita Seeds

Persimmon

Petunia

Pheasants

Phoenix Worms

Pickles

Pickleweed

Pigweed

Pineapple

Pinecones

Pine Nuts

Pink Himalayan Salt (small portions)

Pistachios

Plankton

Plantain

Plums

Polenta

Pomegranate

Popcorn (no salt or butter)

Poppy Seeds

Pork

Potato

Prawns

Prickly Pear

Psyllium Husk

Pumpkin

Purple Carrot

Purple Sweet Potato

Purslane


Q

Quinoa


R

Radish

Rabbit

Raisins

Raspberries

Raspberry Leaf

Reindeer

Reptile Shed (must be unmedicated)

Roaches

Rooibos

Rosehip

Rose Petals

Rose Leaves

Rowan

Rhubarb (stems only)

Rye


S

Safflower Oil

Safflower

Sage Blossoms

Salal

Salmon

Salmonberry

Salsify

Sand Dollar

Sardines

Scallops

Scotch Broom

Sea Biscuit

Sea Cucumber

Sea Fan

Sea Grass

Sea Horses

Sea Lettuce

Sea Urchins

Seaweed

Semolina

Sesame Seeds

Sesame Oil

Shell Grit

Shrimp

Silkworms

Silkworm Pupae

Silver Burweed

Snowberry

Sorghum

Sorrel

Soyabean

Sphagnum Moss

Spelt

Spinach

Spirulina (green and blue)

Spirea

Squash

Squid

Star Fruit

Starfish

Strawberries

Strawberry Leaf

Sultanas

Sugar Cane

Sunflower

Sunflower Seeds

Superworms

Swamp Cypress Wood

Sweet Potato

Sweetgum

Sword Fern

Sycamore Leaves


T

Tallow

Tamarillo

Tangelo

Tangerine

Tansy Ragwort

Tapioca

Taro

Tarweed

Teff

Thimbleberry

Tilapia

Tomato

Tree Fern

Triticale

Trout

Tubifex Worms

Tulip Flowers

Tuna

Turkey

Turmeric

Turnip

Truffle Oil


V

Venison

Viola Flowers

Violet Flowers


W

Walnuts

Wakame

Watercress

Water Flies

Watermelon

Wax Worms

Wheat Cereals (organic)

Wheat Germ

Wheat Grass

Wheat

Whole Wheat Couscous

Wild Boar

Wild Rice

Worm Castings


Y

Yams


Z

Zucchini



UNSAFE FOOD LIST -

A

Aconite (monks hood)

African Violet Leaves

Alder Bark

Aloe Vera

Amaryllis

American Hellebore

Aniseed

Avocado Leaves, Skin and Pit

Azalea


B

Bay Leaves

Basil Leaf

Bindweed

Bird of Paradise Flowers

Black Elderberries

Bluebonnet

Bottlebrush Flowers

Bougainvillea

Boxwood

Buckthorn

Buttercup


C

Cacao

Caffeine

Carnation Leaves

Castor Bean

Catnip

Cedar Wood

Cherimoya Seeds

Chrysanthemum

Chocolate

Cinnamon

Citrus Leaves and Branches

Columbine

Compost

Crocus

Crown of Thorns

Cube Plant

Custard Apple

Cyclamen


D

Delphinium

Derris

Dieffenbachia

Dill

Dittany

Eucalyptus

European Pennyroyal

Evergreen (pine, cedar, juniper)


F

Fennel

Feverfew

Fleabane


G

Garlic

Geranium

Ginger

Golden Pathos

Green Hellebore


H

Hemlock

Holly Berries

Horse Chestnut


I

Ivy (all types)


J

Juniper Berries


K

Kalanchoe


L

Larkspur Seed

Laurel

Lavender

Lemon Balm

Lemon Grass

Lily

Lucky Bamboo


M

Magnolia

Mayweed

Milk bush

Mistletoe

Morning Glory

Mustard Plant


O

Oleander

Onion

Oxeye Daisy


P

Palm Leaves

Papaya Seed

Parsley Seed

Peace Lily

Pencil Tree Cactus

Peppermint

Pellets (shop brought crab food)

Pesticides

Philodendron

Pine Wood

Prickly Juniper

Pride of China Fruit

Prunus Trees - Seeds, Wood, Leaves, Bark and Flowers (Apricot, Bitter Almond, Laurel, Nectarine, Peach, Plum)


R

Rapeseed

Red Emerald

Red Wood

Rosemary


S

Sago Palm

Sansevieria

Schefflera

Sphagnum Peat Moss (NOT the same as Sphagnum Moss)

Stargazer Lily

Sweet Flag


T

Table Salt

Tansy

Tea

Tea Tree

Thornapple

Thyme

Tobacco


V

Vanilla Bean

Verbena

Vinca


W

Walnut Wood/Bark

Wild Angelica Fruit

Willow

Wormwood


Y

Yarrow

Yew

















Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page