Why Is My Hermit Crab Not Eating? (9 Menacing Reasons)

Hermit Crabs in the wild eat infrequently with anything they find around them. They spend their time burying themselves under the sand to stay away from predators and avoid the sun. It may be a bit different from the life of hermit crabs in captivity, as the pet owners will be on hand to provide food and drink at all times.

Why is my hermit crab not eating? Hermit crabs can refuse to eat when they are stressed, lack saltwater, are given the same food every day, disturbances, and loud persistent noise. Remember, hermit crabs can go 3-14 days without food and drink, as they can store water in their shells to moisten their gills.

To find out about hermit crabs’ eating habits, what they eat, and how to entice them to eat, let’s read this article to the end.

Why Is My Hermit Crab Not Eating?

Maybe hermit crabs live in the wild and captivity differently. Hermit crabs only need to eat and drink a little because of their small bodies.

If you give food every day, you may notice the food is often not finished or still intact. It’s not that hermit crabs don’t want to eat, but that hermit crabs rarely eat.

You can check from the dishes that you provide, whether they are reduced or still intact. Try to track food debris that falls in the tank. If there are some flakes, you can tell that the hermit crab will eat the food you give it.

Is there a cause for hermit crab not eating? There are several possibilities, such as crabs getting bored with the same food, under stress, or the environment being dirty. Wait until they want to eat, or try moving them to another tank and feeding them somewhere new.

What Do I Do If My Hermit Crab Is Not Eating?

There is one way you can try to increase the hermit crab’s desire to eat. Try holding the shell, and lift the hermit crab slightly in the air but not far from the ground.

Place the food slightly in front of the crabs so their eyes can see the food underneath. Remain in the same position for a few minutes until they come out of their shells. Ensure crab are attracted to the food in front of them.

If that still doesn’t work, bring them closer to the ground and lightly stick the food in their claws. Don’t force hermit crabs to eat if you see them stay in the same position for a long time. It’s possible that their feeder claws are injured or because they won’t eat for some reason.

Why is my hermit crab not eating? Sometimes pet owners don’t know what to feed hermit crabs with. What do hermit crabs eat is an essential thing to increase their desire to eat.

Is It Normal For Hermit Crabs To Not Eat?

If you have recently fed hermit crabs, there is a good chance that your crabs will not eat again for a few days. Hermit crabs include animals that can endure not eating from 3-14 days after they feel they have had enough food.

Hermit crabs will store water in their bodies to moisten the shell from the inside. If crabs have had enough of it, they won’t forage for food or water until they feel the need.

Ensure you provide saltwater for hermit crabs for their metabolic needs. If in the wild, hermit crabs will bathe in saltwater periodically to moisten their shell. In captivity, they have to take a salt bath to stay clean and healthy.

Why is my hermit crab not eating? It’s either the hermit crabs have eaten, or they don’t want to eat the same menu. If they have access to saltwater, they will have enough to meet their needs.

What Are Signs Of Hermit Crabs Dying?

It’s easy to tell if a hermit crab is dying or not by its smell. Hermit crabs will decompose when dying and give rise to a rotten scent and salty. Get closer when you can’t smell it from afar. You can smell it from the carcass to the inside of the shell.

See the arms will be weak and don’t seem to respond to things around them. Healthy hermit crabs will use their claws to keep away predators and begin to molt. But dying hermit crabs will be unresponsive and hang their claws.

Why is my hermit crab not eating? If you start to notice hermit crabs are less active, don’t come out of their shell much, don’t want to eat, there are signs that they are sick or dying.

Why Won’t My Hermit Crab Eat Or Move?

There are several possibilities for this. First, check to see if the hermit crabs are dry, to ensure they need saltwater to moisten their body and shell. Dry hermit crabs can die without water. It’s because they need it to moisten their body.

Also, check if hermit crabs have mites on their bodies. Although harmless to humans, mites can interfere with the activities of crabs and their health. Mites can affect the appetite of hermit crabs.

Don’t force hermit crabs by grabbing their claws or pulling them by force, so they don’t get worse. You check the behavior of why is hermit crab not eating. Try to figure out why crabs can get sick.

Why Is My Hermit Crab Not Eating?

Check the behavior changes of the hermit crabs, whether they emit a loud chirping sound. If you hear it, it’s a sign that hermit crabs are scared, stressed, or something they need.

One of the causes of hermit crab not eating is excessive noise. Although the hermit crabs couldn’t immediately hear the loud noise outside the tank, they could sense it from the vibrations. When they are disturbed, that is the reason why the hermit crab refuses to eat.

There are also things other than annoying noises, such as health conditions. Look at their food. If it’s not eaten, you have to look at their condition until you ensure their health is not compromised.

Why is my hermit crab not moving and not eating? There is a possibility of illness or death. If you smell a foul odor around hermit crabs, check for mites in their bodies, or their bodies are starting to decompose.

Why Is My Hermit Crab Not Eating Or Drinking?

Hermit crabs don’t want to drink because they have stored water in their shells for their metabolic needs. Saltwater is water suitable for crabs to keep the inside of the shell moist.

Hermit crabs are one of the few animals to eat, with small portions of food. They can go without food for between 3-14 days. You don’t have to constantly feed them. Even if they don’t always eat, give them a variety of foods to increase their appetite.

Why is my hermit crab not eating? Hermit crabs get tired of the same menu every time. They also want to feel the taste of other foods with the unique texture and way of eating them.

Why Is My New Hermit Crab Not Eating?

Hermit crabs refuse to eat if they are still not familiar with their new habitat. If you put more than one crab in the same tank, the new one will be afraid of its surroundings.

Let the crabs adapt to the new place. Point the crabs to the special place you put the food. If they are used to it, they will slowly start eating the food you give them.

Or if you buy hermit crabs at a pet shop, ensure they are fed before you take them home. It is to keep the hermit crabs full before adapting to the new habitat.

If hermit crabs make noise, it is a sign that they are afraid or anxious. Let the hermit crabs hide or find a safe spot. Don’t force them to eat on the same day, but keep food and drink near them.

Why is my hermit crab not eating? Check the surroundings of the new hermit crab, whether there are crabs that are disturbing. Shell struggles between hermit crabs often occur to show who is the strongest of them all. Don’t give the new hermit crab a bad impression, and you need to separate them from one another.

How do hermit crabs drink? If there is a pool of water in front of them, hermit crabs will scoop the water into their mouths until the drinking process is complete.

What Do I Do If My Hermit Crab Is Not Eating More Than Two Weeks?

Hermit crabs can survive without food or drink for up to 14 days. But if you see crabs not eating more than that, then you need to get them close to access to water or food and wait for them to take their food.

Even if their diet is small, you should pay attention to hermit crabs that will get food or drink occasionally in a few days. Especially if you have more than one hermit crab in a tank, you need to make sure all the crabs eat according to the portion.

Why is my hermit crab not eating? It depends on the behavior shown by the crabs. If the crabs don’t want to eat and make chirping sounds, that’s a sign that the hermit crab is being bullied again and is refusing to eat.

Check by smelling hermit crabs up close. If there is a foul odor, make sure their body’s health is there for mites, parasites, or illness.

How Do I Know If My Hermit Crab Is Eating?

We will see hermit crabs eat when the claw grabs the food and puts it in the mouth area. For water access, they will scoop the water into the shell. Another sign if the food you put is not whole, and some food flakes are scattered in several places.

Hermit crabs can see other crabs eating, and they will wonder what their friends have. If crabs reach the same item, they will do what their friends did.

There is another way to make sure hermit crabs eat, by placing food around the crabs and approaching the source of the delicious smell. Hermit crabs that come to the food you put can be sure they are interested in it and will eat it.

Why is my hermit crab not eating? You can give the same menu every time, or the food quality you bring is poor.

How To Get Hermit Crab To Eat?

You can help hermit crabs to eat if you see they are still struggling to take food or are still in their time of adaptation in a new habitat.

First, you can use a special feeding spoon. If you have a spoon specially designed for hermit crabs, you can easily feed them.

Second, you can hold the food near the crab’s antennae until they notice a good smell near them. Continue this way until the crab reaches for the food and eats it.

Third, check the cleanliness and quality of hermit crab food. Feeding indiscriminately is the main reason why hermit crabs refuse food.

What do hermit crabs need? Hermit crabs need a quiet place, adequate food, and drink. Even though they don’t eat often, they still need food and drink to maintain their health.

Is My Hermit Crab Eating?

Finding out whether our hermit crab is eating or not is to make sure the food we put in is whole or not. Also, does the food stay in the same position, or has it moved, and there is a track of food debris in several places.

Hermit crabs eat and drink in small portions, so you will see the food being eaten little by little. Ensure the food you put is still in good condition. If the food stays for days, immediately replace it with a new food before it causes mold or rot.

Why is my hermit crab not eating? Hermit crabs do not like the food they are given, or the food has not been replaced for a long time causing an unpleasant odor. Give a variety of foods every few days to entice them to eat and get a new taste of food.

How Long Can A Hermit Crab Survive Without Food Or Water?

Your hermit crabs can survive without drinking and eating for up to 2 weeks. If you give them access to saltwater, their bodies will remain moist and can survive without the need for food or water.

Do not give a feeding schedule every 2 weeks, because it can interfere with their health. If you are afraid that the food will spoil immediately, you can give it every other day or every 3 days to ensure the hermit crab will be hungry.

Feeding small portions of food and holding it for a few days is better than letting the hermit crabs get hungry first. What we can only know is that the hermit crab eats the food we give it little by little.

Why is my hermit crab not eating? It’s either they ate too little, or they were full from the previous meal.

How long can hermit crabs go without food? Start from 3 to 14 days. It’s better to put food in a spot that they know about regularly. If you want to help them eat, you can entice them to eat.

How To Get A Hermit Crab To Eat?

Hermit crabs prefer diverse food. Crabs get bored easily with the previously given food. This is one of the reasons why hermit crabs are not eating. If you can provide several kinds of food every 3 days, hermit crabs will be more enthusiastic about eating.

If you are confused about how to feed with one ingredient, you can mix it with several others, such as fat, animal protein, and grain.

You can give dried fruit to hermit crabs as a treat, but don’t combine it with their proper meal. Only give small portions so that the nutrients they need from their meal are not reduced.

What Do Hermit Crabs Eat?

Many pet owners are confused about feeding their hermit crabs in tanks. The table below is some of the foods you can give your crabs.

Final Verdict – Why Is My Hermit Crab Not Eating

Hermit crabs are animals with small food portions and do not look for food every day. They can last between 3-14 days without food if they have access to water to store in their shells to keep their bodies moist.

Although they rarely eat, there are several reasons why hermit crabs won’t eat. Some are stress, boredom with the same menu, disturbances, adaptation to a new place, or lack of saltwater, or check their shell fit. Look if they are often chirping. That could give it away. They often get along with other pets well but note their aggressiveness can increase while not eating.

Ensure hermit crabs will get a different meal every time they eat, even though their portions are small. If you’ve been keeping an eye on your hermit crabs that haven’t eaten in nearly 14 days, you can entice them to eat by pointing the hermit crabs near the food until they pick them up.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet hermit crab a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️