Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Tamaracks
Tamaracks Tamarix (tamarisk, aka "salt cedar") are invasive plants that have delicate flowering branches. They easily take over a moist environment near streams and ponds and drink up more than their fair share of the water causing surrounding plants to thirst. They also saturate the soil with a type of salt in which other plants cannot thrive.
Tamaracks begin blooming in early summer and fill the air with a beautiful fragrance.
The blossoms are pale pink to violet and so caught my interest. I put the dried blossoms in the crab tank repeatedly without ever being able to catch them in the act of eating it. Each time the dish was disturbed by being overturned, buried in sand, or its contents spread about. But I could not confirm that anyone had done more than dance around in it. Finally, the last portion that I put in disappeared completely with no traces, and the surrounding area remained undisturbed indicating that it was most likely eaten. The trial is not conclusive until I can visually confirm a crab eating the stuff, but I was eager to make some report about it. This entry will be edited as better results come to light. Perhaps the drying process dulls the fragrance and is therefore less attractive.
There is a nice photo of them here:
http://www.ucweeds.org/weedlist/tamarix/
UPDATE: 2/26/08 Trial finally received more conclusive results and the response was so positive that we've incorporated the blossoms and seeds into our product called Pond Scum. More trials need to be done on the greenery and bark.
Tamaracks begin blooming in early summer and fill the air with a beautiful fragrance.
The blossoms are pale pink to violet and so caught my interest. I put the dried blossoms in the crab tank repeatedly without ever being able to catch them in the act of eating it. Each time the dish was disturbed by being overturned, buried in sand, or its contents spread about. But I could not confirm that anyone had done more than dance around in it. Finally, the last portion that I put in disappeared completely with no traces, and the surrounding area remained undisturbed indicating that it was most likely eaten. The trial is not conclusive until I can visually confirm a crab eating the stuff, but I was eager to make some report about it. This entry will be edited as better results come to light. Perhaps the drying process dulls the fragrance and is therefore less attractive.
There is a nice photo of them here:
http://www.ucweeds.org/weedlist/tamarix/
UPDATE: 2/26/08 Trial finally received more conclusive results and the response was so positive that we've incorporated the blossoms and seeds into our product called Pond Scum. More trials need to be done on the greenery and bark.
Herbs and Spices
Generally speaking, spices do not make good subjects for hermit crab food studies because most of them are extremely bug-repellent. You may have heard a bay leaf can be put in flour to keep out the weevils. Or I have poured a cinnamon barrier around my crab tank to keep out ants that were attracted to poppyseeds in my beachsand. If you decide to feed one of the rare spices that are known to be safe for crabs, please beware of the form in which you buy it because they often have anti-caking agents and other preservatives that could be harmful.
Basil is safe (see comment by Jedediah).
Parsley is safe. Dried parsley must be kept out of the sun to retain it's color.
Garlic is on the unsafe list.
Onion is on the unsafe list.
Several herbs are known to be safe for hermit crabs. Here are a few:
Chamomile (aka Manzanilla)
Parsley
Stevia (trial conducted by LolaGranola; see comment)
Basil is safe (see comment by Jedediah).
Parsley is safe. Dried parsley must be kept out of the sun to retain it's color.
Garlic is on the unsafe list.
Onion is on the unsafe list.
Several herbs are known to be safe for hermit crabs. Here are a few:
Chamomile (aka Manzanilla)
Parsley
Stevia (trial conducted by LolaGranola; see comment)
Monday, June 18, 2007
Natural Pet Health Blog
Crabotanicals has a very nice mention on the Natural Pet Health blog. Check it out!
http://www.natural-pet-care.com/natural-pet-health-blog/exoticunusual-pets/crabotanicals/
http://www.natural-pet-care.com/natural-pet-health-blog/exoticunusual-pets/crabotanicals/
Flower Gardening
Flower gardening is a rewarding hobby for those who enjoy beauty and color. Crab keepers have this added bonus: your hermit crabs LOVE to eat flowers. Insufficient research has been done on what is and is not safe for hermit crabs. There are some lists available, but they are based on the physiology of birds, lizards, and turtles--which are very dissimilar to hermit crabs. All plants contain toxins, so the plants that make the list are low in toxins known to cause problems in the particular animal for which the list was created. Still, these lists are a great place to start "pre-screening" a certain plant, and some of them include nutritional content which is invaluable!
http://home.earthlink.net/~rednine/nutrient.htm
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/article_view.php?ver=3
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww38eii.htm
http://www.epicureanhermit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=9
It is my hope that our readers will share their own trials here, so that we can begin a safe flower list that is specific to hermit crabs. Here are some of the blossoms that have been proven successful with crabs:
Roses—all varieties of roses are safe (wild and tame varieties) as far as we know. Petals and rose hips are safe. Rose hips have lots of vitamin C and can also be found dried with the seeds removed in most healthfood stores. LolaGranola of Naturally Crabby has had a successful food trial on rose leaves.
Carnations—petals are safe. Avoid feeding all other portions.
Sunflowers—all parts seem to be safe. My crabs have never given the bright yellow petals any notice, but the unroasted, unsalted seeds are well liked. My crabs have spent some time feeding on leaves, although I would not call it a favorite food.
Violets—flowers and leaves are safe. My crabs have never shown these much attention, but other crab keepers have had better success. These pop up in lawns voluntarily, so the biggest concern when harvesting is finding a specimen that has not been exposed to turf builders, weed control products, and commercial fertilizers.
Pansies—are safe. Johnny-jump-ups are included in this category.
Tulips—petals are safe and well-received in the crabitat either dried, fresh, or frozen. (I think my crabs prefer them to be dried.)
Daylily—most lilies are poisonous, but this one seems to be the exception. Petals from the daylily are safe for crabs. You may have seen them in an Asian market where they are labeled “golden needles” (usually dried) and sold as seasoning for soup.
Those believed to be unsafe are:
daffodil, iris, ?
http://home.earthlink.net/~rednine/nutrient.htm
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/article_view.php?ver=3
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww38eii.htm
http://www.epicureanhermit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=9
It is my hope that our readers will share their own trials here, so that we can begin a safe flower list that is specific to hermit crabs. Here are some of the blossoms that have been proven successful with crabs:
Roses—all varieties of roses are safe (wild and tame varieties) as far as we know. Petals and rose hips are safe. Rose hips have lots of vitamin C and can also be found dried with the seeds removed in most healthfood stores. LolaGranola of Naturally Crabby has had a successful food trial on rose leaves.
Carnations—petals are safe. Avoid feeding all other portions.
Sunflowers—all parts seem to be safe. My crabs have never given the bright yellow petals any notice, but the unroasted, unsalted seeds are well liked. My crabs have spent some time feeding on leaves, although I would not call it a favorite food.
Violets—flowers and leaves are safe. My crabs have never shown these much attention, but other crab keepers have had better success. These pop up in lawns voluntarily, so the biggest concern when harvesting is finding a specimen that has not been exposed to turf builders, weed control products, and commercial fertilizers.
Pansies—are safe. Johnny-jump-ups are included in this category.
Tulips—petals are safe and well-received in the crabitat either dried, fresh, or frozen. (I think my crabs prefer them to be dried.)
Daylily—most lilies are poisonous, but this one seems to be the exception. Petals from the daylily are safe for crabs. You may have seen them in an Asian market where they are labeled “golden needles” (usually dried) and sold as seasoning for soup.
Those believed to be unsafe are:
daffodil, iris, ?
Vegetable Garden
Hermit crabs love when their owners are gardeners! Fresh vegetables are very nutritious. Much research has already been done regarding which vegetables are safe or unsafe, so I will just mention some of the bits that we usually discard.
Blossoms (of zucchini, pumpkin, summer squash, cucumber, etc.).
Tuber tops (of carrot, turnip, radish).
Stems (of cilantro, parsley, broccoli, and cauliflower--leaves too, etc.).
Skins/peels (of many safe vegetables like eggplant, etc.)
Leaves of many plants might be hermit crab edible. We want to try leaves of melons and squashes, peppers, okra. Corn leaves are edible as well as celery leaves.
I know many of our readers will be testing many of the items found in their vegetable gardens this year, so please comment about your results here!
If you're not a gardener yourself, why not create a little garden in your window box or sow seed directly into your crabitat! Yes, bird seed, alfalfa seeds, mung beans, barley, etc. can be sprouted in a shallow container in the crab tank. Once I grew a carpet of sprouts right in the substrate and the crabs ate it and treated it like a soft grassy place in which to lie around).
Blossoms (of zucchini, pumpkin, summer squash, cucumber, etc.).
Tuber tops (of carrot, turnip, radish).
Stems (of cilantro, parsley, broccoli, and cauliflower--leaves too, etc.).
Skins/peels (of many safe vegetables like eggplant, etc.)
Leaves of many plants might be hermit crab edible. We want to try leaves of melons and squashes, peppers, okra. Corn leaves are edible as well as celery leaves.
I know many of our readers will be testing many of the items found in their vegetable gardens this year, so please comment about your results here!
If you're not a gardener yourself, why not create a little garden in your window box or sow seed directly into your crabitat! Yes, bird seed, alfalfa seeds, mung beans, barley, etc. can be sprouted in a shallow container in the crab tank. Once I grew a carpet of sprouts right in the substrate and the crabs ate it and treated it like a soft grassy place in which to lie around).
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Crabotanicals featured in CSJ newsletter
Crabotanicals and it's creator (yours truly) were featured in the May 2007 issue of The Crab Street Journal Newsletter! Two entire pages were dedicated to how we got our start and how we find inspiration for our products! To subscribe to the journal please go to:
http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=6194
http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=6194
Product Development: Mayan Papaya, Salad Savvy
Introducing a new mix:
Mayan Papaya
Ingredients: papaya, organic blue cornmeal, chamomile, red bell peppers, cilantro, plantain, and a hint of lime.
Salad Savvy
Ingredients: wild prickly lettuce, whole dandelion, carrot, spinach, broccoli, pea pods, tomato, celery, shrimptails, and traces of other salad fixin's.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Tropical fruit
Ripe or over-ripe tropical fruit is a well-known favorite of land hermit crabs, but some of the parts we disgard may be crab-edible and nutritious.
Pineapple--the plant is a bromiliad and therefore safe as a food source. The pineapple top can be fed as well as the skin (wash thoroughly w/ warm water and vegetable brush to eliminate pesticides if not organically grown) and tough core can be sliced, dried, and ground for easy consumption.
Mango--mango is a favorite food in our crabitat. Cubed mango works well fed fresh or frozen for later use. Sliced mango dries well in a dehydrator making it possible for the leathery skin to be utilized as well (pulverize dried slices in blender or grinder). Recently, we dug the seed out from the pit, thinly sliced it, dried it, and fed them to the crabs. They ate some of them on the first and second feedings with no ill effects, so the pit is safe too. I planted one in a flower pot in hopes of making a houseplant of one so that I can test the leaves as well.
Papaya--is well-liked by hermit crabs. Papayas contain a lot of latex, especially before they are ripe so there may be a need to feed in moderation (but the affect of latex on hermit crabs is unknown at this time). The Hermit Crab Addiction administrator has established that papaya leaves are safe too.
Banana--The secret to getting crabs to eat banana is to let the skin turn black and the over-ripe fruit is a favorite. Crabs completely ignore "green" bananas. We want to test the skins and banana leaf, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Bananas are notorious for being loaded with pesticides, so it is best to invest in organic in this instance. Crabbers have definitely put peels in the tank, and no ill-effects were reported. Whether the peels were eaten or not, I cannot remember. If you've tried it, please comment on this post.
Plantain--This is much like a banana, but not as sweet. Crabs will eat them, but only if they are very ripe.
Kiwi--(aka Chinese gooseberry) contain latex and were not well-liked by my crabs, but have good nutritional properties and are safe.
Starfruit--safe.
Dragonfruit--safe (see comment by brad873).
Many dried fruit products have added chemicals to preserve coloring and are often dipped in a sugary syrup to make them "candied," so these should be avoided. Canned products should also be avoided, especially if the product is highly acidic as in the case of pineapple.
Pineapple--the plant is a bromiliad and therefore safe as a food source. The pineapple top can be fed as well as the skin (wash thoroughly w/ warm water and vegetable brush to eliminate pesticides if not organically grown) and tough core can be sliced, dried, and ground for easy consumption.
Mango--mango is a favorite food in our crabitat. Cubed mango works well fed fresh or frozen for later use. Sliced mango dries well in a dehydrator making it possible for the leathery skin to be utilized as well (pulverize dried slices in blender or grinder). Recently, we dug the seed out from the pit, thinly sliced it, dried it, and fed them to the crabs. They ate some of them on the first and second feedings with no ill effects, so the pit is safe too. I planted one in a flower pot in hopes of making a houseplant of one so that I can test the leaves as well.
Papaya--is well-liked by hermit crabs. Papayas contain a lot of latex, especially before they are ripe so there may be a need to feed in moderation (but the affect of latex on hermit crabs is unknown at this time). The Hermit Crab Addiction administrator has established that papaya leaves are safe too.
Banana--The secret to getting crabs to eat banana is to let the skin turn black and the over-ripe fruit is a favorite. Crabs completely ignore "green" bananas. We want to test the skins and banana leaf, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Bananas are notorious for being loaded with pesticides, so it is best to invest in organic in this instance. Crabbers have definitely put peels in the tank, and no ill-effects were reported. Whether the peels were eaten or not, I cannot remember. If you've tried it, please comment on this post.
Plantain--This is much like a banana, but not as sweet. Crabs will eat them, but only if they are very ripe.
Kiwi--(aka Chinese gooseberry) contain latex and were not well-liked by my crabs, but have good nutritional properties and are safe.
Starfruit--safe.
Dragonfruit--safe (see comment by brad873).
Many dried fruit products have added chemicals to preserve coloring and are often dipped in a sugary syrup to make them "candied," so these should be avoided. Canned products should also be avoided, especially if the product is highly acidic as in the case of pineapple.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Product Development: Lilac Bouquet, Citrus Rose Bouquet
Announcing two new products!
Lilac Bouquet
Ingredients: lilac blossoms, cottonwood tree leaves, alfalfa, pear, yellow corn, mulberry leaves.
Citrus Rose Bouquet
Ingredients: rose petals, orange, mango, dandelion leaves, brown rice, eggshell, rose hips.
Lilac Bouquet
Ingredients: lilac blossoms, cottonwood tree leaves, alfalfa, pear, yellow corn, mulberry leaves.
Citrus Rose Bouquet
Ingredients: rose petals, orange, mango, dandelion leaves, brown rice, eggshell, rose hips.
Coming soon to The Crabbage Patch and The Happy Hermit:
Seaweed
Norwegian kelp Laminaria (aka Oarweed, tangle, tangleweed) was put in the tank and within a few minutes, one purple pincher came to investigate and eat a couple of bites before moving into his midday hangout. Seaweeds are highly nutritious, but crabs usually need to be coaxed into eating them (by smothering them in something irresistable or mixing them with favorite foods, etc.). For this reason, I prefer pulverized products that can be sprinkled on fruit or "dissolved" into applesauce.
Spirulina, nori, dulce, and many other sea vegetables should be included in every hermit crab’s diet on a regular basis. Be careful not to buy seasoned varieties.
Spirulina, nori, dulce, and many other sea vegetables should be included in every hermit crab’s diet on a regular basis. Be careful not to buy seasoned varieties.
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