Food Bits: Avocado

The avocado is known to be a favorite food for land hermit crabs. The avocado is native to the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, making it a common fruit that C. clypeatus and C. compressus could come across in the wild. Avocados are scientifically a fruit, bearing a large seed in the middle. Avocados are normally eaten plain, cooked with another food, or served as guacamole, a type of dip.

Avocados are a great source of fiber, vitamin C and K, and folate. Here you can view all of the nutritional facts regarding the avocado.

Avocados are a great way to treat your crabs to a healthy treat. Land hermit crabs require fresh fruits and vegetables in order to maintain their bodily systems and regulate bodily functions.

The avocado possesses special cancer-fighting properties, cardiovascular benefits, and cholesterol-lowering power. It is a great antioxidant for land hermit crabs.

One interesting fact I found while researching more about this amazing fruit is that it helps the body absorb carotenoids. If this were also true with land hermit crabs, avocado would be a great food to serve along side other color-enhancing foods like red and orange bell peppers, carrots, cilantro, and spirulina.

It is important to know that when feeding avocado, you use only the ripe meat. The skin, seed, and leaves of the plant are considered toxic to mammals, and haven't been thoroughly tested on land hermit crabs.