Please email me at hermitcrabhappy@dejazzd.com if you have a question that has not been answered elsewhere on this website. Please also read these frequently asked questions to see if your question has already been asked and answered!
QUESTION:
How can I help my crabs maintain a dark, healthy colored exoskeleton?
ANSWER:
Let me tell you about my experience. Like you, I have purchased crabs that have had lovely and bright exoskeletons, only to find them become pale and dull over the course of time and several molts.
The good news is that I have had crabs long enough to see them go from being peach ghosts to deep purple cuties over the course of 5 years. In other words, time is the best solution.
It is no doubt that your crabs' exoskeletons will not look as good as when they lived in the wild. We just can't replicate Mother Nature's environment in captivity. But, we can try to get close.
I have heard that beta carotene (found marigolds) can strengthen a crab's color. For a short time, all of my hermit crab-loving colleagues and I were into mixing dried marigold petals into all of our crabs' food. And yes, it made their color more vibrant.
Unfortunately, after a few months, we noticed that excess beta carotene (or perhaps it was something else in the marigolds) also caused blindness! We all had hermit crabs who molted and developed extra exoskeleton over their eyes, preventing them from sight!
Fortunately, we all removed marigolds from their diet, and--through the process of several molts--the crabs regained their sight.
Here's how I would recommend that you safely help your hermit crabs. Use an overhead UV light. Exposure to light has been known to help the exoskeleton. Just make sure you monitor the tank temperature; you don't want your cuties to overheat!
Second, feed them carrots! Carrots have beta carotene and are harmless to our little friends.
If you don't see results within a few molts, don't worry about it. Remember -- I have had crabs long enough to see them go from being peach ghosts to deep purple cuties over the course of 5 years. Yes, TIME is the best solution!
Good luck!
Lisa
QUESTION:
How can I help my crabs maintain a dark, healthy colored exoskeleton?
ANSWER:
Let me tell you about my experience. Like you, I have purchased crabs that have had lovely and bright exoskeletons, only to find them become pale and dull over the course of time and several molts.
The good news is that I have had crabs long enough to see them go from being peach ghosts to deep purple cuties over the course of 5 years. In other words, time is the best solution.
It is no doubt that your crabs' exoskeletons will not look as good as when they lived in the wild. We just can't replicate Mother Nature's environment in captivity. But, we can try to get close.
I have heard that beta carotene (found marigolds) can strengthen a crab's color. For a short time, all of my hermit crab-loving colleagues and I were into mixing dried marigold petals into all of our crabs' food. And yes, it made their color more vibrant.
Unfortunately, after a few months, we noticed that excess beta carotene (or perhaps it was something else in the marigolds) also caused blindness! We all had hermit crabs who molted and developed extra exoskeleton over their eyes, preventing them from sight!
Fortunately, we all removed marigolds from their diet, and--through the process of several molts--the crabs regained their sight.
Here's how I would recommend that you safely help your hermit crabs. Use an overhead UV light. Exposure to light has been known to help the exoskeleton. Just make sure you monitor the tank temperature; you don't want your cuties to overheat!
Second, feed them carrots! Carrots have beta carotene and are harmless to our little friends.
If you don't see results within a few molts, don't worry about it. Remember -- I have had crabs long enough to see them go from being peach ghosts to deep purple cuties over the course of 5 years. Yes, TIME is the best solution!
Good luck!
Lisa
