Food for Eyes

[Carrie]

I posted this question to an online vet place w/ reptile vets on their panel, and got this answer:

"I am sorry for your problem. There isn't a lot of information on crabs out there. I have found the crabs in my care with eye problems usually do not get better over time. Most develop the problems due to improper molting or improper diet. Continue to take care of the crab as you have done as there isn't a treatment option on this case."

It got passed around from person to person for almost 24 hrs. The person finally brave enough to offer this much was a vet named Michael D. Stafford, DVM. Having no option to take Arwen to a vet I chose this instead. I think, however, that there are folks on this forum who could answer hermit crab questions better. Just an experiment, which proves that we still do not, most likely, have vets we can take our pets to. They notably do not offer any further advice, like what WOULD help the diets of my pets, which was thankfully provided by Marie...

Now I have to see about acquiring some algae/seaweed. Thank you, HCP, once again! And esp. to Marie.

[cometstream]

try this link for other foods you can use (I don't know if you already know of it) http://www.hermitcrabaddictionstore.com/

[ladybug15057]

So sorry, I missed your other posts... guess like CJ mentioned they sort of got together with the merge?
Well golly Carrie thank you!
This eye infection type situation (shrinking eyes) was first noted during the all famous play sand uses. It was thought that it was the quicklime or calcium oxide found in play sand. (hermies do not have eye lids to protect their eyes) And the substrates that were/are not 100% cocofiber, as well as the questions as to how long could/will the 100% cocofiber break down bacteria and do it safely? Not long ago herp doctors began to question the safety too of certain lights with reptiles. (would you happen to use a light on your tank?)
Hermies are known to seek shelter from the sun due to dehydration, as well as it is said due to predators.
Now I know this thread is from a crabber passing along info from a herp contact... but as you have seen there aren't/isn't much info out there about hermies as far as vets go. Unfortunately a bit of it is trial and error..
http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modu ... 60&start=0

[ladybug15057]

Oops, and the link CJ posted is a good one for beginners/newbies. But Carrie I am sure you know there is a much broader horizon when it comes to foods. Would you happen to also have some pure natural honey on hand you could offer the little one to eat? (a natural antibiotic working from the inside out... not topical)
I also know this is for humans, but how about picking through some of these Vitamin A foods that are hermie safe?
http://www.eyecaresource.com/health/healthy-eyes/

[Carrie]

Thanks, Marie! Just saw these come up on here. I read about the vitamin A on a reptile site, but wasn't sure if I should try it (these sites pretty much conclude that you should take your pet to a vet rather than risk making their eyes worse or causing blindness, but they also have eyelids and not quite the same eyes as hermit crabs, of course). What was said is that eye conditions could be either a deficiency or an overdose of vitamin A, and that the owner couldn't be sure which it was, so consult a vet. As we all know... we have to be our own vets for hermit crabs, so I must explore the issue myself, with the help of other crabbers. Thank you so much for the links and suggestions! It's difficult to judge what to do with a creature whose bodily makeup is so unfamiliar when compared to ours... something innocent like "saline eyedrops" that seems logical for eye irritation (it works on people and animals) would no doubt cause more harm than good. Everyday concerns aren't so everyday. Glad to get the go-ahead on vitamin A. Given that Arwen has been in captivity for so many years I think it's safe to say that she needs more of it, not less. It's not something I've emphasized in their diet specifically before.

[Carrie]

Oh--will begin w/ the honey right away, too. Arwen's quite used to being dosed with it by now. I think she actually likes it. Forgot to add that--sorry about the extra post!

[ladybug15057]

I know what you mean about the saline eye drops, and last I remember reading was not good to test on hermies. Their eye make up is basically like that of a flies...
Diet, good hygiene, and all the TLC you will give her during this healing process. Good luck and keep us updated please.

[Carrie]

Thanks, CrabbyJo. I've ordered some seaweed and I have some spirulina powder. Seems like I try to emphasize one nutrient or a few and then something else gets left out. Also loaded up on some snacks that have Vitamin A in them (which is good for eye development in us AND hermit crabs, apparently) such as mango chips, banana chips, and carrot chips. Naturally the crabs show no interest in them. Got these chips (dried fruits) b/c they'd store better, but they'd probably prefer fresh. Trust Arwen to NOT eat for once when you really want her to get a particular nutrient. Normally she just loves to eat. Also giving her some honey to boost her strength, and I found out it is something of a natural antibiotic, too (thanks, Marie!) Thanks, everyone, for your advice! I probably won't see any changes until Arwen molts, but she will hopefully start to regenerate her eyes. Grapes have a smaller amount of Vitamin A in them, and that's the one food she's really attracted to, so at least she's getting some eye nutrition in there...

[ladybug15057]

Oh they can be finicky at times... I think they must be distant cousins of cats!
A little trickery maybe in order? Mix a little of the food with the honey to 'slip' it into her?

[Carrie]

There's a certain point at which I'll go out and get some baby food and feed Arwen some on a tiny paint brush. Honey-on-a-toothpick, only taken further. People only THINK I'm a mother when I peruse the baby food forever, reading the nutrition facts... Right now I'm at that standoff point where the ONLY food is in the food dish and they're either going to eat it or get nothing for a few days. Fortunately they seem to LIKE baby food, since I figure that's where this is going to end up eventually. You can even get it in "organic." Meanwhile I won't eat banana or mango chips myself, let alone carrot chips. Can't say I blame the hermit crabs on this one... Arwen gets awfully mad when I treat her like a crab and not like a human... She is pre-molt, barely, but she never gives up her constant eating until she starts actually digging a nest, which I'm estimating at November, right now. Wish there were one food that contained ALL the ingredients... which would be why I never use "commercial" hermit crab foods anymore. The crabs also hate hermit crab pellets, which has a certain irony...