Yes, hermit crabs can eat strawberries. As an omnivorous creature everything edible thing they can eat including strawberries. For rich vitamin C and antioxidants, strawberries can be added to the regular diet of hermit crabs.
Fresh strawberries are generally liked by hermit crabs and you can feed your hermit crab strawberries anytime you want. It doesn’t have to be a treat. However, you should know the proper way to give them and what you should keep in consideration.
Benefits found in strawberries
Here are the nutrition values for 100 grams of strawberries. The nutrient values can vary slightly depending on the type of strawberries. Hermit crabs will benefit in many ways from nutrient-rich fruits like this.
| Calories | 32 kcal |
| Water | 91% |
| Protein | 0.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7.7 g |
| Sugars | 4.9 g |
| Dietary fiber | 2 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g |
| Vitamin C | 58.8 mg (98% of the Daily Value) |
| Manganese | 0.4 mg (18% DV) |
| Folate | 24 mcg (6% DV) |
| Potassium | 153 mg (4% DV) |
| Magnesium | 13 mg (3% DV) |
| Vitamin K | 2.2 mcg (3% DV) |
Impact of the strawberries on hermit crabs
Nutrient content
Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, manganese, fiber, and antioxidants which can contribute to the overall health of a hermit crab.
Antioxidants in strawberries
Strawberries contain antioxidants like vitamin C (ascorbic acid), quercetin, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid, which can contribute to a hermit crab’s immune system, promote exoskeleton health, contribute to cardiovascular health and help combat oxidative stress.
Sugar and Carbohydrates
Natural sugars and carbohydrates found in strawberries can provide a hermit crab with a quick and easily digestible source of energy which is important for their activity. Many hermit crabs enjoy the sweetness of strawberries.
Water content
Hermit crabs need a lot of water outside and inside the body. The high water content in strawberries helps to prevent dehydration. The water in strawberries contains natural electrolytes such as potassium which is important for maintaining proper fluid balance and cellular function in hermit crabs.
Contribution to balanced diet
To live a healthy and happy life and live as long as in their natural habitat hermit crabs need high calcium and protein food with an overall balanced diet. Incorporating fruits with vitamins, antioxidants, and high water content, like strawberries, adds variety to their diet and provides essential vitamins and minerals.
The concern with strawberries
These are very normal concerns to have with strawberries and they should not be the reason to not include strawberries in your hermit crabs’ diet.
Starts rotting quickly
High water content fresh fruits like strawberries almost start rotting immediately. A freshly served slice will start rotting within 2 to 3 hours or less if the environment is humid. As hermit crabs require high humidity, it helps to rot faster.
If the uneaten food is left for a long period it will invite harmful pests and mites into your crabitat. So clean the leftover food to maintain the cleanliness of the hermit crab enclosure.
Pesticides and Contaminants
The strawberries bought from the shop may contain pesticides or other contaminants. This is not a thing to concern because as an aware person, you must have washed them before serving.
High sugar and fiber content
Strawberries contain natural sugar which is a source of energy but excessive consumption can lead to imbalances in the hermit crab’s diet.
While fiber is essential for digestion, too much fiber can potentially lead to digestive issues in hermit crabs. Providing a variety of food with fresh vegetables and other foods can help prevent excessive fiber intake.
Allergic reactions
Hermit crabs do not have allergic reactions like humans but some hermit crabs may have individual sensitivities or allergies to certain foods.
Excessive feeding
Moderation is key. Like any treat, strawberries should be given in moderation. Overfeeding on strawberries or any other treats can lead to many health issues like digestive issues, obesity, and dental issues (hermit crabs don’t have normal teeth like other animals, they have a specialized feeding structure called a chela. feeding excessive soft food like strawberries without providing harder items for them to chew on could potentially contribute to dental issues).
The proper feeding method
As we know excessive feeding can lead to many problems, so you have to introduce strawberries gradually. Monitor their consumption behavior for the first few attempts if you see any sickness or any changes in health you need to reduce or stop feeding.
Slice and clean nicely before serving. Give one-fourth of a strawberry at a time for one hermit crab and not more than one strawberry a week for each crab.
You have to give nicely chopped in small pieces if the crab doesn’t have a claw because it will not be able to break with one claw and bring into the mouth with the other claw.
Other ways of introducing strawberries
The best way to introduce strawberries to hermit crabs is to give them raw maintaining freshness and hygiene. If you do not have access to fresh strawberries or you can’t remove uneaten fruit due to business then you can look for other options like dried or frozen strawberries, strawberry jelly, and strawberry juice.
- Dried-frozen strawberries – Dried or frozen strawberries solve the problem of quick rotting and they hold almost all of the benefits of the fruits. Extended shelf life gives another reason why you should feed dried strawberries.
Just be careful with dried ones because most of the time they contain extra sugar and additives dried at home is totally fine. Don’t forget to thaw frozen ones.
- Strawberry jelly – Homemade strawberry jelly is just fine but commercial one can be cause of health issues as it can contain chemicals. Strawberry jelly can be given as a treat and for the rewards of promised food while training specific behavior.
- Strawberry juice – If it is the first time for your hermit crabs to have strawberries, instead of giving raw ones you can start with strawberry juice and it will be appreciated by your crabs as it is in the liquid form. After introducing juice you can go for regular ones.
