What is the overall opinion on feeding freeze-dried crickets?
My beardie is either farsighted or slow - when I put crickets in her tank, her reaction time is a little slow, so unless I drop the crickets in front of her one or two at a time, she doesn't get them before they get away...and then they hide among the rocks in her tank, and their chirping drives my family crazy!
I know that it's better to feed live insects, but am looking for alternatives for days when I don't have time to "herd" the crickets in front of her so they get eaten.
Not sure if using freeze dried crickets as a stable would be a good idea. Why dont you try putting your beardie in another container such as Rubbermaid tube or a box and drop the crickets in there. That's what I do because I had the same problem with the hiding and chirping all nite.
They will eat dried insects if there is nothing else to eat, but that's an awful existence. They like live, juicy bugs. Black soldier fly larvae, silkworms, and dubias can be put in a glass casserole bowl 2" deep. They won't be able to escape. Even if they do, they can't go very far. And none of those escapees will bite back.
Beardies get most of their moisture from the juicy bugs that they eat. Feeding freeze dried crickets as a staple could deprive him of water. I think they would make a good salad topping, however.