Hermit crabs are scavengers and will try just about everything! Fruit should be a substantial part of their diet, and strawberries are generally liked by most hermit crabs.
Strawberry is a great source of vitamins and minerals for your hermit crab pets, and it’s 91% water which hermit crabs also enjoy. But fresh strawberry in a hermit crab habitat does come with some challenges.
Strawberries are one of the quickest-to-rot foods and can quickly start growing mold. It can also easily attract fruit flies and other pests.
Do Hermit Crabs Like Strawberries?
Every hermit crab is unique, so it’s difficult to say that all of them will enjoy a particular food. Strawberries are as close as any food to being universally adored due to their unique texture, taste, and aroma.
You’ll soon discover if your hermit crabs are fond of strawberries. Place some in the tank immediately before or after your hermit crabs wake up. They will likely descend upon the food dish.
Like all berries, strawberries are porous and absorb moisture in the air, so they’ll spoil in a hot and humid environment. So, remove the strawberries before they start to release mold spores.
Benefits of Strawberries
Strawberries are a superfood for a good reason. Just some of the health benefits that come from offering hermit crabs strawberries include:
- Vitamin C aids the immune system of hermit crabs.
- Folic acids, manganese, calcium, and protein build and strengthen the exoskeleton.
- Potassium provides hermit crabs with energy.
Strawberries are home to numerous antioxidants, which stave off sickness, and beta carotene, which contributes to deep, vibrant skin colors. For example, the strawberry hermit crab resembles a strawberry due to beta carotene.
Drawbacks of Strawberries
Aside from the fact that strawberries don’t last long when placed in hot, humid conditions like a hermit crab habitat, there are no concerns surrounding these fruits.
Can Hermit Crabs Eat Strawberry Tops?
The tops of strawberries are also known as calyx, and should never be fed to your pet friends. Wondering why? We’ll tell you.
In order to keep strawberries safe from the attack of different kinds of pests and insects, the farmers and vendors spray their tops with pesticides. These chemical pesticides might not affect your health severely, but they can prove to be lethal for your little pets.
Most people believe that a wash can always get rid of them. However, that might not always be the case. Some pesticides are far too strong to be diluted by water. This is why you should remove the tops before feeding strawberries to Hermit Crabs.
