The Power of Protein Land Hermit Crabs are arthropods. Arthropods have a stiff cuticle made largely of chitin and proteins, forming an exoskeleton that may or may not be further stiffened with calcium carbonate. They have segmented bodies and show various patterns of segment fusion (tagmosis) to form integrated units (heads, abdomens, and so on). The phylum takes its name from its distinctive jointed appendages, which may be modified in a number of ways to form antennae, mouthparts, and reproductive organs. Land Hermit Crabs in the wild eat a lot of protein in the form of dead fish, prawns, seaweed, cuttlefish as well as other forms of protein including plants. Some have been known to eat soft crabs, clams, worms and barnacles. Gourmet food for a hermit crab! In Lisa Loseke's table of Hermit Crab Nutrition she states that "High protein level of 50% of total food is required for growth." and that "sources of protein listed includes "Nuts, Seeds, Beans, Eggs, Spirulina, Fish Food Flakes, Cat Food, Dog Food, or Hermit Crab Food should always be a part of each nightly food offering. Spirulina (dried seaweed) is 48% protein by calories." ( Dall & Moriarty 1983) Here are some links to find out more: Links: Hermit Crab Nutrition Table Learn which foods are needed for hermit crab nutrition. http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/articles/#food SoyStache: Sources of Protein: Plant-based sources vs. animal sources Plant-based protein and animal protein listed http://www.soystache.com/plant.htm Oceanside Meadows Innstitute for the Arts and Sciences presents: Wonders of the Sea: Crustaceans http://www.oceaninn.com/guides/crustacea.htm Smithsonian: ThinkTank: Hermit Crabs http://natzoo.si.edu/Animals/ThinkTank/Animals/LandHermitCrab/default.cfm Chesapeakbay Crab Info: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/info/crabshell.cfm Products: HBH Net article on Land Hermit Crab Diet http://www.hbhnet.com/hermit.html Hikari Crab Cuisine http://www.hikariusa.com/crab_cuisine.htm References: Dall, W. and Moriarty, D. J. W. (1983). Functional aspects of nutrition and digestion. In: Mantel, L H (Ed.) The Biology of Crustacea. Vol. 5. Internal Anatomy and Physiological Regulation. Academic Press, New York, 215-61 bibliography pp. 251-61. Loseke, L. Hermit Crab Nutrition Table. Published in The Crab Street Journal. 2004. [ Previous] [ Next]