What Are Freeze-Dried Crickets?

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All pets, including birds, bearded dragons, birds, turtles, and tropical fish, need variety in their diet. And when you’re dealing with exotic pets, you have to pay attention to what you’re feeding them. Aside from freeze-dried minnows and bloodworms, did you know you can also give your pets freeze-dried Crickets?

What Are Freeze-Dried Crickets?

These are crickets processed to remove 97% of water content. What you get are light, crunchy insects, and some would say satisfying to eat for their pets. They’re easier for you and your pets to handle because you don’t have to deal with all the jumping around and biting.

What Are The Benefits of Freeze-Dried Crickets?

There are many reasons why you should give your pet babies freeze-dried crickets.

• Ideal for those who can’t handle live ones – if you get the hibbie jibbies when handling live insects, this one can lessen your anxiety during feeding.
• Can be stored on brought anywhere – you can keep them in any drawer or cabinet without fear of escape or spoiling.
• Doesn’t stink the room – if you have roommates, you don’t have to worry about offensive smells.
• Easier to eat – they come in various sizes, making them appropriate for those too weak to hunt.
• Good alternative for live crickets – if you can’t find live insects, these will satisfy your pets.
• Don’t have to worry about parasites – live crickets often carry parasites that can harm your pets. The freeze-drying process help remove parasites, making the insects safe to eat.

What Are The Disadvantages of Freeze-Dried Crickets?

Crickets, although they’re good, also have some disadvantages.

Cons

• Most are not gut-loaded – gut-loading is feeding crickets nutritious food so your pets can benefit from them. Unfortunately, most freeze-dried insects weren’t prepared that way, so you must supplement them with other food.
• Not all pets like them – even the most ferocious bearded dragons turn up their noses and refuse to eat them.
• Can lead to buildup and impaction – these insects have hard exoskeletons that become even harder with freeze-drying. Feeding these too much and too often can block your pet’s gut.
• Doesn’t stimulate the hunting instincts of your pets – if you want to keep your pet active, then this is not the ideal food for them.
• Training required – pets that are used to eating live food, you need to do a bit of coaxing and training to get your pets to eat.
• Dry protein – freeze-dried crickets are literally bone-dry. Keep your pet adequately hydrated when they eat these.

Where Can I Buy Freeze Dried Crickets?

If you’re interested in freeze-dried crickets, here are some of the brands you can check out:

Fluker’s

This is a top brand most people go for when it comes to freeze-dried crickets. They’re suitable for birds, hedgehogs, tropical fish, and even sugar gliders. You get whole crickets in each bottle. Although some were said to be broken or missing a couple of feet or antennae.

The freeze-dried insects are good to have when you’re traveling. Most customers are happy that their pests love the food. Some eat the freeze-dried crickets like they haven’t been fed for days.

Fluker’s is a very popular brand, so you can get yours from Petco, Amazon, and Walmart.

Thrive

Thrive made their freeze-dried crickets especially for reptiles. The bottle contains 100% freeze-dried crickets that are high in protein. The recommended use is to feed your reptile 1 teaspoon of crickets per meal.

The crickets are a good size for your pet reptiles. Even picky eaters don’t have any difficulty eating them. One also said these aren’t stinky or gross to the touch as other brands, so no hibbie jibbies here.

American Brine Shrimp

These freeze-dried crickets are gut-loaded with calcium and protein. According to the company, they’re 100% clean and healthy and free from any type of pet bug.

There are no reviews about this brand, unfortunately. What got our attention was that they’re gut-loaded, something that Fluker’s and Thrive don’t mention. If you’ve tried this brand for your pets, we would appreciate you sharing your experience in our comment section.

Can I Freeze Dry Crickets At Home?

Did you know that you can also eat crickets? They’re a delicacy in several countries like Australia, China, Papua New Guinea, and India. They’re also food for Native Americans, including Ute and Shoshone. This means you can also freeze-dry them at home.

Do note, though, that you should do this very carefully and meticulously. Your freeze dryer can stink and you can spread the insect flavor to several batches of food you’ll freeze dry. Not all crickets are good for human consumption, so do your research first to learn more on how to do this properly. Remember that insects can carry parasites that can harm your health. So be very careful and study the necessary techniques you’ll need to make your own freeze-dried crickets.

If you freeze dry these insects for your pets, observe the same care and attention. Remember that you’re giving these to your pets or to pets of others should you wish to share. They’re one of a kind and have unique personalities that make them precious.

To avoid the nightmare of your live crickets escaping and running all over the house, this is for you. Read the label closely when buying them, and document your pet’s reaction each time you feed them.

Do let us know what your pet is and what makes you interested in giving them freeze-dried crickets. Please share your story in our comment section.

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