Safe Food List 

By The Crab Street Journal

Safe List 

Alfalfa 

Almonds, crushed 

Aloe Vera (Asphodelaceaes) Offer in moderation 

Amaranth (calcium) 

Anchovy oil 

Apple and natural, unsweetened apple sauce Apricot (fruit only) 

Artichoke (all) 

Asparagus 

Aspen (wood,leaves,bark) 

Avocado (flesh only) 

Baby foods (no added salt/sugar) 

Banana 

Barley (calcium) 

Beans (all-cooked) 

Beets 

Bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green or purple) 

Bee pollen 

Berries (all varieties safe for human consumption) 

Bilberries/Huckleberries 

Blackberry fruit and leaves 

Bladderwrack 

Blueberries 

Bok choy 

Bone Meal (no additives, preservatives) Bones - cooked or raw 

Broccoli and leaves -cooked 

Brown rice 

Buckwheat 

Cantaloupe 

Carnation flowers 

Carrots (carotenoids) 

Carrot tops Cashews 

Cat Tails 

Cauliflower and leaves 

Celery leaves 

Chamomile flowers 

Chard

Cherimoya/Custard Appleripe ( fruit only) Cherry 

Chestnuts (The kind for people. USA Horse Chestnuts are toxic but in the UK they call the regular Chestnuts Horse Chestnuts)

Chia seeds and sprouts 

Chickpeas 

Cholla wood 

Clams 

Clover blossoms and leaves 

Coconut and coconut oil 

Cod liver oil 

Collards (calcium) 

Cork bark 

Corn (on the cob, too) 

Cornflower 

Cornmeal 

Cranberries 

Crustaceans (all shellfish must be cooked)

Cucumber 

Currants 

Cuttlefish bone, powdered 

Dandelion flowers, leaves and roots Dates 

Dragon Fruit 

Eggs (cooked or raw and shells) 

Elm 

Escargot 

Extra-virgin olive oil 

Figs 

Fish (any type safe for human consumption) 

Fish Oil 

Flax seeds and oil 

Fowl (chicken, turkey, duck, pheasant, game birds) 

Freekah 

Frozen fish food (algae, krill and brine shrimp) 

Fruit (common fruits consumed by humans are safe) 

Garbanzos (calcium) 

Goji Berries 

Grape Leaf 

Grapes 

Grapevine (vines and root) 

Green and red leaf lettuce or iceberg; dark green) 

Green Beans 

Greensand 

Hempseed 

Hibiscus flowers 

Hickory (all parts) 

Hikari products: brine shrimp, krill, crab cuisine, sea plankton (no preservatives, ethoxyquin, copper sulfate) 

Hollyhock flowers 

Honeydew Melon 

Honeysuckle (flowers only, no leaves or stems) 

Huckleberries/Bilberries 

Irish Moss 

Impatiens flowers 

Jasmine flowers 

Kale 

Kelp (calcium) 

Kiwi 

Lilac (flowers, leaves and wood) Lobster with crushed exoskeleton Mango 

Marigold flowers (calendula) 

MarionBerries 

May Apple (Ripe fruit ONLY) 

Meat (poultry, beef, pork, lamb etc) Melons (all) 

Mice 

Millet 

Mollusks 

Mulberry (fruit, leaves, wood) 

Mushrooms 

Mussels 

Nasturtium flowers 

Nettle (wilted) 

Nopals (prickly pear) 

Nuts (all) 

Oak Leaves and bark 

Oats 

Okra 

Olive and olive oil (extra virgin) 

Oranges

Oysters (zinc) and shells (whole or crushed w/no sharp edges) 

Pansy flowers and leaves 

Papaya 

Parsley 

Parsnip 

Passionfruit 

Peas 

Peaches 

Peanut butter (avoid sugar, corn syrup and hydrogenated oils) 

Pears 

Pecans 

Pecan bark 

Persimmon 

Petunias 

Pine nuts 

Pineapple 

Plain calcium carbonate powder 

Plums 

Pomegranate 

Popcorn (unseasoned, unflavored, unbuttered) 

Poplar (wood,leaves,bark) 

Potato (no green parts, including eyes) Prickly Pear (shellfish must be cooked)

Pumpkin (seed, meat and guts) 

Quinoa (New World grain – calcium)

Raisins (no sulphur dioxide) 

Raspberry 

Red raspberry leaves 

Rice (puffed or well washed, cooked to remove arsenic) 

Rooibus 

Rose petals 

Rose hips 

Royal Jelly 

Salmon 

Sand dollars 

Sardines in water 

Scallops 

Sea biscuits 

Sea fan (red or black) 

Sea grasses 

Sea salt 

Sea sponges 

Sea urchins 

Sesame seeds 

Shellfish (must be cooked) 

Shrimp and exoskeletons 

Spinach (cooked) 

Spirulina 

Sprouts (flax, wheat, bean, alfalfa) Squash and blossoms 

Strawberry and tops 

Sunflower Seeds, flowers and leaves Swamp cypress wood (false cypress, taxodium) 

Sweet potato 

Tahini 

Tangerine 

Timothy Hay 

Tomato 

Turmeric 

Tuna 

Turnip greens 

Violet flowers 

Venison 

Walnuts-meat only 

Watercress 

Watermelon 

Wheat grass 

Wheat 

Wheat germ 

Whitefish 

Whole Wheat Couscous 

Worm Castings 

Zucchini 

 

*With flowers and plants pesticide free is a must. 

 

Proteins and lipids 

All meats, meat fats, domestic, fish, seafood (silversides, goldfish, clams, oysters, crab, shrimp, tuna, salmon (skin and fat) bone marrow), nut meats, avocado (meat only), bamboo stalks (not lucky bamboo), egg yolks, pumpkin seeds. 

Oils (preferably cold pressed): coconut, olive, palm, sunflower, pumpkin seed 

Alfalfa hay, broccoli, egg whites, flax seed, bloodworm, plankton, shrimp, kale, lentils, millet, rice, snap peas, soy beans, spinach, wheat germ, quinoa, spirulina. 

Benefit: growth, molting, fueling metabolic function, discourages cannibalism 

 

Carotenoids, Zeaxanthin, Cellulose 

Tannin rich leaves, bark, cambium (inner skins) of oak, maple, mangrove root, some perennial leaves (Burning Bush). Fresh fruits and vegetables that are orange/yellow/red/dark green: Squash, sweet potato, carrots, corn, mango, blueberries, many flower petals (dry), spinach, fall foliage, bean sprouts, seaweed (especially spirulina), moss, acorn meat, avocado meat (only), bell peppers (orange, yellow, red), brussel sprouts, cilantro, collards, corn, corn meal, dandelion greens, egg yolk, grape leaves, romaine, papaya, parsley, peas, raspberry 

(leaves too), snap beans, pumpkin, pineapple, persimmon, peaches, passion fruit, microalgae, mango, apricot, cantaloupe, chard, guava, shellfish, salmon, tomato. Astaxanthin is found in microalgae, yeast, salmon, trout, krill, shrimp, crayfish, crustaceans, and the feathers of some birds. Benefit: immune system, nervous system, color enhancement 

 

Carbohydrates 

• Coconut, walnut, whole fish (like a dead goldfish), fish skin, animal fat, olive oil, some grass seeds, seeds, peanut 
• butter. Fresh flower petals: roses, sunflower, crab apple blossom 

 

Calcium 

Freeze dried brine shrimp, meal worms, blood worms, krill (fresh, frozen, freeze dried), sand dollars, starfish, sea urchin, powdered oyster shells, cuttle bone, figs, microalgae, nuts, okra, quinoa, broccoli heads, amaranth, beans, molasses, egg shells, milk, bone meal, seaweeds. 

Benefit: healthy exo and other functions Chitin 

Shrimp, crab, lobster, crawfish (shellfish should be boiled first), insect exoskeletons (such as cicadas), mushrooms. Greensand, worm castings.

Hermit crabs missing one or both claws should be fed soft (liquid) foods that can be picked up by the maxillipeds. Honey or molasses mixed with other foods is a good food for highly stressed crabs or clawless crabs but only in a tiny drop. Generally speaking most foods are equally valuable and getting the hermit crab to eat is more important than what it eats to begin with. Offering favorite foods to stimulate the appetite and fuel the metabolic function is your starting point, from there begin to incorporate foods from all of the above groups so that the crab has access to what its body needs to recover. Hermit crabs that are inactive and/or appear ‘dry could be lacking something. 

 

Note: 

Some dry foods (egg shells, grains, seeds, flowers, seaweed) can be sprinkled into the crabitat to encourage foraging behavior. 

Greensand and worm castings should be available at all times. 

 

Here’s a detailed safe food list for hermit crabs, broken down by category, with a focus on value and variety. These foods help support their health and well-being. 

Animal Proteins 

Hermit crabs need protein to grow and maintain their exoskeletons. 

- Dried/Cooked shrimp – High in protein and calcium. 

- Mealworms (dried or dead,) – Rich in protein and fats. 

- Boiled eggs (crushed shell included)– Excellent calcium source. 

- Cuttlefish bone– Great for calcium.

 

Vegetables 

 Fresh vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

- Carrots – High in beta-carotene, which enhances shell color. 

- Sweet potato - Packed with fiber, beta-carotene, and energy. 

- Kale - Rich in vitamins A, C, K, and calcium. (Needs to be cooked) 

- Zucchini - Hydrating and full of essential vitamins. 

- Spinach– Contains lutein and iron. (Needs to be cooked) 

 

Seeds & Grains

These are great for energy and nutritional balance. 

- Chia seeds – High in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. 

- Quinoa – A complete protein source, rich in amino acids.

- Flaxseed – Loaded with omega-3 and antioxidants. 

- Millet – Nutrient-dense, with vitamins B and iron. 

 

Nuts 

 A good source of fats, protein, and antioxidants. 

- Walnuts - High in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. 

- Almonds – Rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. 

- Pecans - Provide antioxidants and a good fat source.

- Hazelnuts - Packed with vitamins and minerals.

 

Fruits 

Hermit crabs love fruits, which provide hydration, vitamins, and natural sugars. 

- Blueberries - High in antioxidants and anthocyanins.

- Apples (remove seeds) – A source of fiber and hydration. 

- Papaya - Contains digestive enzymes and vitamins. 

Mango - Rich in vitamins A, C, and antioxidants. 

 

**Foraged Greens & Plants** 

Hermit crabs benefit from foraging on natural plants. 

Dandelion greens 

A good source of calcium and vitamins. Plantain leaves 

High in fiber and healing properties. Hibiscus flowers 

Vitamin C and antioxidants. 

Anthocyanin-Rich Foods 

These provide powerful antioxidants that boost health and enhance color. 

Purple cabbage 

Anthocyanins and vitamin C. 

Blackberries 

Rich in antioxidants and nutrients. Chokeberries 

Another excellent source of anthocyanins. Red grapes 

Provide hydration and antioxidants. Supplements & Boosters 

Provide these at all times to boost their nutritional intake. 

Worm castings 

A natural source of nutrients and minerals.

Green sand 

Full of minerals. 

Bee pollen 

Vitamins, protein, and enzymes. 

Cuttlefish bone & Egg shells 

A constant source of calcium for 

exoskeleton health. 

Beta-Carotene-Rich Foods 

These enhance the vibrant colors of your crabs' exoskeletons. 

Pumpkin 

Rich in beta-carotene and fiber. 

Red bell peppers 

High in vitamin C and beta-carotene. Butternut squash 

Contains beta-carotene, fiber, and vitamins. Carrots 

Loaded with beta-carotene for healthy coloring. 

 

Fat Sources 

Essential fats help hermit crabs maintain energy and healthy growth. 

- Coconut oil 

A good fat source for energy and shell care. Sunflower seeds 

High in fats and nutrients. 

Hemp seeds 

Contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Salmon oil 

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Lutein & Zeaxanthin-Rich Foods 

These protect eyesight and enhance overall health. 

Marigold petals 

High in lutein and antioxidants. 

- Peas – Rich in lutein and protein. Collard greens 

Packed with lutein, calcium, and fiber. (Need to be cooked) 

Corn kernels 

Contains zeaxanthin and offers fiber. – 

 

General Feeding Tips 

- Always wash fruits, vegetables, and foraged items thoroughly to remove pesticides and chemicals. 

- Avoid foods that contain salt, 

preservatives, or artificial ingredients. 

- Offer a wide variety to ensure a balanced diet and prevent boredom. 

- Replace uneaten food regularly to prevent spoilage and mold.

This detailed list covers a broad spectrum of safe, nutritious foods to help hermit crabs thrive!

 

Not sure where to get nutritional and safe hermit crab food? Check out some options here!