Honey - hermie won't stop eating it!

Questions about food and water.
Post Reply
FreeCrabby
Zoea I
Zoea I
Posts: 102
Joined: 15 Dec 2010, 23:11
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 0
Total gallons: 0
Total tanks: 0

Honey - hermie won't stop eating it!

Post by FreeCrabby »

I gave them different foods tonight - mince, carrot, appple and some honey - one hermie wont stop eating the honey - can they eat to much? Should I take it out or it should be okay?
User avatar
Wai
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 2908
Joined: 01 Nov 2004, 14:12
Gender: Male
Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 45
Total tanks: 1
Location: Victoria, Australia
Contact:

Re: Honey - hermie won't stop eating it!

Post by Wai »

He'll stop eating eventually, but keep an eye on him. Does he persist eating even if he knows you're watching him?
Wai
Image
User avatar
ladybug15057
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 3098
Joined: 03 Mar 2008, 04:12
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 82
Total gallons: 305
Total tanks: 7
Location: Southwestern Pa., U.S.

Re: Honey - hermie won't stop eating it!

Post by ladybug15057 »

Honey is fine (as other foods) to let them eat what they feel they need to remain healthy. Just make sure as with other foods to rotate it so they get all the vitamins they need. We offer honey once a week... as with the silversides and stinky foods, but we offer them outside of the tank.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

If you are contacted privately (via pm or e-mail) and enticed to join another forum, please contact a Crab Crew member. This is an unethical practice.
User avatar
Wai
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 2908
Joined: 01 Nov 2004, 14:12
Gender: Male
Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 45
Total tanks: 1
Location: Victoria, Australia
Contact:

Re: Honey - hermie won't stop eating it!

Post by Wai »

Marie, do you take those above the surface out to a separate tank where they eat the messy food? How long do you leave them in there for?
Wai
Image
User avatar
ladybug15057
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 3098
Joined: 03 Mar 2008, 04:12
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 82
Total gallons: 305
Total tanks: 7
Location: Southwestern Pa., U.S.

Re: Honey - hermie won't stop eating it!

Post by ladybug15057 »

Not exactly. I have a rubbermaid type container that we use. We take the hermies out, mist their gill area and place them in it. Similar this one:
http://www.organizeit.com/pocb70iris.asp

We have plastic peanut butter lids, even tops off of margarine dishes that the honey and other stinky sticky food is put on. We put in a few of these so everybody can have their fair share if they want to. They are usually in there for about 30 minutes to an hour, but we then either bath them or put some dechlor watered paper towels in the container for them to scoot on to get it off of them. They then get another little squirting and scoot about the baby pool jungle gym.
Seems to work for helping the odor of the tank, (knock on wooden desk) mold from this being on their shells, and possibly pests. It also gives them a good amount of exercise time.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

If you are contacted privately (via pm or e-mail) and enticed to join another forum, please contact a Crab Crew member. This is an unethical practice.
User avatar
Wai
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 2908
Joined: 01 Nov 2004, 14:12
Gender: Male
Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 45
Total tanks: 1
Location: Victoria, Australia
Contact:

Re: Honey - hermie won't stop eating it!

Post by Wai »

I'll do that too then. Sounds like a good idea to stop them spreading honey and fresh mango all over the tank hahaha. XD
Wai
Image
FreeCrabby
Zoea I
Zoea I
Posts: 102
Joined: 15 Dec 2010, 23:11
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 0
Total gallons: 0
Total tanks: 0

Re: Honey - hermie won't stop eating it!

Post by FreeCrabby »

thats a great idea! When mine get a bit more relaxed and tame I might do that to - the tank is already smelly so I need to clean asap - maybe a few more days so they can relax some more still lol

Wai he has stopped! But he does seem to be the main one eating - well I have noticed him eating more than the others do but I think its okay now! Just he spent quite a while at the honey last night lol Im not sure if he knew I was there or not - I walk in and the rooms dark with the night lamp on and they arent as scared or timid as when I walk in during the day when the room light is on!

Guess what! I watched a hermie change shells last night to! I put some new ones in - came in a bit later and one was checking a shell out - rolling it around - checking the hole and then he grabbed it with his claws and had the hole next to his shell and swaped his body/bottom to the new shell! was pretty cool and funny to watch!

Merry Christmas guys!
Post Reply