The 5 Best Food For Hermit Crabs

The 5 Best Food For Hermit Crabs

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A healthy diet is the key to good health, even for hermit crabs. Just by looking at a hermit crab, however, you may not be able to determine what that healthy diet looks like. Hermit crabs are actually omnivores which means that they eat both plant and animal matter, so you’ll need to include elements of both in your hermit crab diet if you want your pet to be healthy.

In this article, we’ll talk about the basics of feeding pet hermit crabs and provide some tips for choosing the best hermit crab food. You’ll also see our top 5 picks for the best hermit crab food.

We highly recommend looking at the comparison table we have below where we highlighted the features of each product. You’ll also find more detailed information about each product later in the article.

Compare Best Food For Hermit Crabs

Overall Best 1. JurassiDiet - Hermit Crab View on Amazon Read Review	Runner Up 2. Fluker's Buffet Blend Hermit Crab Food View on Chewy Read Review	Budget Pick 3. Zoo Med Hermit Crab Fruit Salad View on Chewy Read Review	Vitamin Enriched 4. Florida Marine Research Sfm00005 Hermit Crab Food View on Amazon Read Review	Premium Choice 5. Zoo Med Hermit Crab Food View on Chewy Read Review
Type Commercial pellets	Type Commercial pellets	Type Treat	Type Commercial pellet	Type Commercial pellet
Amount 2.1 oz.	Amount 2.4 ounces	Amount 0.85 ounces	Amount 4 ounces	Amount 2.4 ounces
Key Ingredients Alfalfa, krill meal, fish oil	Key Ingredients Mealworms, shrimp	Key Ingredients Apple, cranberry, mango	Key Ingredients Corn, soy, alfalfa	Key Ingredients Fish meal, soybean meal, shrimp meal

What To Look For In Food For Hermit Crabs?

If you want to make sure that your hermit crab gets the nutrients it needs, consider a commercial hermit crab diet. You can also supplement your crab’s diet with fresh foods and treats, but its daily diet should provide the bulk of its nutrition, so it gets the nutrients needed for balanced health.

Here are some important things to look for in hermit crab food:

• Designed for hermit crabs. Hermit crabs have unique nutritional needs, so be sure to choose a product that is specifically formulated for hermit crabs to provide balanced nutrition.
• Nutritionally complete. If you’re going to make a staple diet out of a hermit crab food, make sure it is nutritionally complete. If it isn’t, use it as an occasional food or treat.
• Stay-fresh packaging. Hermit crabs are fairly small, so they won’t eat a lot at one time. Look for a hermit crab food that is packaged to stay fresh until it is used up.
• No artificial additives. There are no benefits to adding artificial colors or flavors to hermit crab food, so look for a product made primarily with natural ingredients.

Our Top Picks For The Best Food For Hermit Crabs

Now that you have a better idea what to look for in a hermit crab food, it’s time to start shopping! Keep reading to see our top 5 picks for the best hermit crab foods.

Overall Best

1.

JurassiDiet - Hermit Crab

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Commercial pellets
• Amount: 2.1 oz.
• Key Ingredients: Alfalfa, krill meal, fish oil

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 35%

Crude Fat: 5%

Crude Fiber: 5%

Moisture: 10%

Ash: 9%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 38.89%

Fat: 5.56%

Fiber: 5.56%

Carbs: 40%

Pros

• Contains a broad spectrum of nutrients
• Nutritionally balanced for hermit crabs
• Contains no artificial additives, corn, or soy

Cons

• Some hermit crabs may take time getting used to pellets
• Should be supplemented with fresh foods

If you’re looking for a high-quality, nutritionally balanced diet for your hermit crab, consider this Jurassipet JurassiDiet Hermit Crab Food. This product contains high-quality natural ingredients with no fillers like cornmeal or soy. It contains a broad spectrum of essential nutrients including protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. When you feed your hermit crab this diet, you’ll eventually see increased growth, a healthy appetite, and improved coloration within 1 month.

Runner Up

2.

Fluker's Buffet Blend Hermit Crab Food

View on Chewy

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Commercial pellets
• Amount: 2.4 ounces
• Key Ingredients: Mealworms, shrimp

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 45%

Crude Fat: 10%

Crude Fiber: 2%

Moisture: 10%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 50%

Fat: 11.11%

Fiber: 2.22%

Carbs: 36.67%

Pros

• Nutritionally balanced daily diet for crabs
• High-quality natural ingredients
• Adds variety to your crab’s daily diet

Cons

• Some crabs take time getting used to pellets
• Pellets may be too large for some crabs

For a nutritious daily diet for your hermit crab, consider this Fluker’s Buffet Blend. These commercial pellets are nutritionally balanced for hermit crabs, containing nutritious natural ingredients like mealworms and river shrimp. They are high in protein and add instant variety to your hermit crab’s diet.

Budget Pick

3.

Zoo Med Hermit Crab Fruit Salad

View on Chewy

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Treat
• Amount: 0.85 ounces
• Key Ingredients: Apple, cranberry, mango

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 0.5%

Crude Fat: 0.25%

Crude Fiber: 15%

Moisture: 30%

Ash: 1.5%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 0.71%

Fat: 0.36%

Fiber: 21.43%

Carbs: 75.36%

Pros

• Nothing but dried fruit, all-natural
• Excellent source of supplemental nutrition
• Adds variety to your crab’s diet

Cons

• Pieces may be too large for some crabs
• Not a balanced source of nutrition

On top of your hermit crab’s staple diet of commercial pellets, you should provide supplemental foods. Supplemental foods add variety to your crab’s diet as well as a boost of nutrition. These Zoo Med Hermit Crab Fruit Salad Treats are perfect because they are all-natural, consisting of dried apples, cranberries, and mangos. Simply add a few small pieces to your hermit crab’s food bowl and it will dig right in.

Vitamin Enriched

4.

Florida Marine Research Sfm00005 Hermit Crab Food

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Commercial pellet
• Amount: 4 ounces
• Key Ingredients: Corn, soy, alfalfa

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 12%

Crude Fat: 3%

Crude Fiber: 12%

Moisture: 20%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 15%

Fat: 3.75%

Fiber: 15%

Carbs: 66.25%

Pros

• Fine texture is easy to feed/eat
• Contains a rich blend of nutrients
• Nutritionally balanced for hermit crabs

Cons

• Contains some corn and soy ingredients
• Some hermit crabs don’t like pellets

Another option in commercial hermit crab pellets is this Florida Marine Research Hermit Crab Food. It is specifically intended for hermit crabs, so it contains a rich blend of nutrients your pet needs. Plus, it comes in a very fine texture that is easy to administer and easy for your hermit crabs to eat. Simply sprinkle a little in your crab’s food bowl and it will enjoy the food.

Premium Choice

5.

Zoo Med Hermit Crab Food

View on Chewy

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Commercial pellet
• Amount: 2.4 ounces
• Key Ingredients: Fish meal, soybean meal, shrimp meal

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 38%

Crude Fat: 12%

Crude Fiber: 4%

Moisture: 11%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 42.7%

Fat: 13.48%

Fiber: 4.49%

Carbs: 39.33%

Pros

• Nutritionally balanced for hermit crabs
• Vitamin-enriched for healthy nutrition
• Contains a variety of natural ingredients

Cons

• Pieces may be too large for some crabs
• Some crabs may take time getting used to pellets

You don’t necessarily need to spend a lot to give your hermit crab a balanced diet. This Zoo Med Hermit Crab Food is nutritionally balanced and fortified with essential nutrients to give your crab a healthy diet. It is extremely affordable and is formulated for all land-type hermit crabs.

Tips For Feeding A Hermit Crab

In their natural habitat, hermit crabs are nocturnal scavengers. This simply means that they become most active at night and they scavenge for their food, eating bits and pieces of whatever they can find. Hermit crabs are omnivores as well, so they will eat both plant and animal matter.

Here are some simple tips for feeding a hermit crab properly:

• Build your hermit crab’s diet around a high-quality commercial food – these are specially formulated to provide for the bulk of your hermit crab’s nutritional needs.
• Supplement your crab’s diet with small amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables such as leafy greens, carrots, and non-citrus fruits like mango and coconut.
• If feeding your hermit crab pelleted foods, crush them before offering them to your crab.
• Be sure to include a wide variety of foods in your crab’s diet, especially if you are feeding it a commercial pellet – offer different fresh foods every day.
• Always feed your hermit crab at night because this is when they are most active – you want your crab to eat the food when it is fresh.
• Chop fresh foods into very small pieces so your hermit crab has an easier time taking the food where it feels most comfortable eating.

Now that you have a better understanding of your hermit crab’s nutritional needs and how to meet them, you’re ready to start shopping! Take what you’ve learned here to find the best food for your hermit crab.

Final Remarks

Hermit crabs are not complicated to care for but, like all animals, they have specific nutritional requirements. A commercial hermit crab pellet is the ideal staple diet because it provides for the bulk of your hermit crab’s nutritional needs.

You can also feed small amounts of fresh foods according to the advice provided above. If you’re still not sure where to start in looking for a hermit crab food, try out one of the top 5 best hermit crab foods we’ve reviewed above. Good luck!