The secret that very few crab owners know is that calcium is essential to your hermit crab's health.
And it's especially essential before, during and after his molting period.
That's because the exoskeleton is made of calcium.
When he sheds and then begins to grow a new, larger one, his body needs more calcium than normal to grow this marvelous protective covering.
But beyond that, he can also use several extra minerals as well.
These include copper and zinc.
Just be sure if you decide to supplement your hermit's diet with copper it is not in the form of copper sulfate.
This particular type of copper is actually toxic to your pal.
This may seem contrary to our normal inclinations, but during the molting period you should refrain from feeding your hermit crab green, leafy vegetables.
Some of these contain enzymes called oxalates.
These oxalates may bind with the calcium, preventing your crab from absorbing this vital mineral.
If you want to feed this type of food to your crab, just be sure tht you cook the vegetables in de-chlorinated water before serving them to your friends.
Don't know offhand what foods are rich in calcium, copper and zinc? Below is a list of the best food sources for your pets.
Calcium Cereals (especially wheat and rye) Chickpeas Beans Fish Liver Meat Copper Broccoli Canned salmon with the bones Zinc Corn Cucumber Egg yolk Haddock Lamb Legumes Feed these foods to your friend who's about to molt (and you know how to recognize this from Secret #5), and both you and your crab you'll have a stress-free molting session.