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Is it OK to feed bearded dragons freeze dried crickets?

Author

Ava Hall

Updated on May 17, 2026

Some bearded dragons take readily to freeze dried crickets without any fuss. If yours is this variety, have fun setting out crickets and watching your lizard snatch them up. You can get freeze dried crickets, as well as live feeders and other bearded dragon food options, at The Tye-Dyed Iguana.

Subsequently, one may also ask, is freeze dried food good for bearded dragons?

The Bearded Dragon Medley Treat Food is a perfect blend of freeze-dried mealworms, grasshoppers, and crickets. You'll be sure that your beardie will accept this meal as a real treat. We can keep a ready supply of food for days.

Similarly, is it OK to feed a bearded dragon dead crickets? They will feast on the dead cricket. Which is great for decomposition. However, it's not so great for your bearded dragon or leopard gecko. So although it may seam like a neat idea, don't feed your pets the dead crickets that might come in the mail.

Also know, how do I get my bearded dragon to eat freeze dried crickets?

you can also stick the crickets in the freezer for about 5 minutes to stun them so they don't move around and then feed them. That way you are still feeding 'fresh' crickets, but your bearded dragon might like them better since he seems to prefer the freeze dried.

Why did my bearded dragon stop eating crickets?

Beardie won't eat crickets The most common reason that a bearded dragon or other lizard will stop eating crickets is simply because they have gotten tired of crickets. If you've been feeding your pet crickets for a long time, and it's always accepted them before suddenly rejecting them, then this may be your issue.

Related Question Answers

What do bearded dragons eat?

Bearded Dragons can eat a wide range of live food such as crickets, mealworms and kingworms; vegetables such as sweet potato and pepper and leafy greens such as kale and parsley . They can also eat fruit.

What do bearded dragons eat in the wild?

Feeding and diet These omnivorous lizards feed on vegetation including fruit and leaves in the wild, as well as any invertebrates (including ants and beetles) and small vertebrates (such as lizards) that they can catch.

How long can bearded dragon go without eating?

It depends on its age, weight, general health, etc. But usually, a fully grown healthy dragon can live for anywhere from a few weeks to up to 3 months without eating food. Younger dragons, who need protein for their growth, are not able to survive without eating almost every day.

How many crickets should I feed my juvenile bearded dragon?

A young Bearded Dragon should get between 30-80 appropriately sized crickets (smaller than the space between the Bearded Dragon's eyes) a day. Before the age of 2 to 3 months, young Bearded Dragons should be fed 3-5 times a day. Between 3 and eight months, they should be fed twice a day.

Will Bearded dragons eat dead mealworms?

Re: Is it safe to feed bearded dragons dead mealworms? dead food is not a good nutritional choice. Mealworms are not a good choice even when alive as they can be hard to digest.

What should I not feed my bearded dragon?

To make sure you do not mistakingly feed your bearded dragon, here are five foods to avoid feeding a bearded dragon.
  • Lettuce. Bearded dragons love lettuce, especially Bibb lettuces.
  • Fireflies. Never, ever feed your bearded dragon fireflies.
  • Avocados.
  • Rhubarb.
  • Beet Tops.
  • Spinach.

What size crickets should I feed my bearded dragon?

For healthy, adult bearded dragons you're going to want to offer them around 10 crickets a day or 20 every other day, during a single feeding. If your dragon is under 3 months old, offer them crickets up to 5 times a day, and allow them to eat as many as they like in a 5 to 10 minute session.

How many Superworms should a bearded dragon eat a day?

This is difficult for baby bearded dragons as superworms are never quite small enough. If you get superworms small enough, they may be fed to juvenile bearded dragons from ages 5-15 months. During this high protein stage, the beardy can eat 3-7 superworms per day throughout 1-3 meals.

Will crickets bite my bearded dragon?

Brown crickets are the ones most pet stores sell; they are nocturnal. Both types of crickets can bite your bearded dragon on the legs, tail or back when left in the closure with your pet. These open wounds need to be kept clean and treated with a topical antibiotic in order to prevent infection.

Can Bearded dragons survive without crickets?

Yes, bearded dragons can live without crickets. There are plenty of feeder insects available now in most areas, (and available via mail order in areas they can't be picked up in person) that are just as good for dragons as crickets, or even better.

Do Bearded dragons need live food?

Yes, you can, but I've yet to find anyone's dragon who will eat them! If you don't like the idea of handling live food then a bearded dragon is not for you. However most people do get used to them. The most common live foods are crickets, locusts and roaches, with wax worms being given as an occassional treat.

Are peas good for bearded dragons?

Bearded dragons will need their greens chopped up. A good mix of vegetables for these lizards are raw shredded carrots, collard greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, kale, and frozen vegetables like carrots, peas, and beans. You should avoid spinach and broccoli because too much can be harmful.

What do baby bearded dragons eat?

Baby Bearded dragons can be fed newborn dubia roaches, which are very small and easily digestible due to their soft exoskeleton. Adult Beardies can eat adult dubia roaches quite easily. Mealworms and Superworms: These two feeder worms look very similar, but size-wise there can be a big divergence.

Can you freeze crickets?

The next time you decide to freeze your pet's crickets, remember that a few hours in the freezer won't necessarily kill them. Those who need some extra storage space for unused crickets may opt to refrigerate them, rather than freeze them. That way, you can keep them alive for a couple days to a week.

Is it OK to leave crickets in with my bearded dragon?

Crickets -- or other insects -- left in the cage may nibble on your lizard, spread pathogens and elevate your pet's stress level. Instead, feed your lizard as many crickets as he can eat in a feeding, and remove uneaten crickets immediately afterwards.

How often should I dust crickets for my bearded dragon?

Once they've reached a year, go down to one feeding a day of 10 to 20 crickets. ✅PRO TIP: You'll also want to dust the feeders with calcium AND a multivitamin. Dust a baby bearded dragon's food with calcium 4-5 times a week, no more than once a day and provide a multivitamin 2 to 3 times a week.

Why do my crickets die so fast?

You need to clean out their enclosure: Even if you are just keeping them in an old plastic takeout container that you don't really care about, waste products and dead crickets must be removed on a daily basis. After enough ammonia accumulates, the remaining crickets can quickly suffocate and die off.

How long do crickets live in a house?

Lifespan – Crickets only live about 8-10 weeks once adults, and die of old age. Cooling temperatures later in the year will often kill adult crickets. Adult crickets can live without food or water for up to 2 weeks.

Can you feed dead crickets to a gecko?

Leopard geckos are insectivores, meaning they only eat insects, and that too, live ones. So, if you try feeding your pet a dead roach or a dead and silent cricket, they won't eat it. Before buying a Leopard gecko, make sure to find a regular supplier of their food.

What can you feed a bearded dragon instead of crickets?

So, here is a list of food that bearded dragons can eat besides crickets.
  • Leafy greens. Some of the absolute best things to feed your bearded dragon- adult bearded dragons in particular- are dark leafy greens.
  • Vegetables.
  • Feeder insects.
  • Fruits.
  • Vegetables.
  • Avocado.
  • Rhubarb.
  • Iceberg Lettuce.

Can bearded dragons overeat?

Yes, bearded dragons can be overfed. Generally pet dragons are overfed fatty insects (such as worms) which causes the dragon to gain too much weigh. We recommend reading our diet page more details on how much to feed bearded dragons Learn what to feed bearded dragons..

What is the best thing to feed crickets?

But here's a list of the best food to gut load your crickets:
  • tropical fish flakes.
  • dark leafy greens (romaine, mustard greens, kale, collard greens)
  • squash.
  • sweet potatoes.
  • carrots.
  • oranges.
  • apples.
  • potatoes (peelings are fine)

Can a bearded dragon eat dead insects?

Yes your beardie needs food and it really should be live and dusted. Imo cans of dead food are never going to be as nutritious as live gut loaded and properly hydrated insects.

Do bearded dragons poop during Brumation?

How to Get Your Bearded Dragon to Poop During Brumation. While your bearded dragon is brumating, they won't need to go to the bathroom, that is unless upon waking them up for their weekly bath, they express interest in eating.

What age do bearded dragons Brumate?

Most bearded dragons don't start brumating until they are at least 10 months to one year old. Reptiles can be extremely unpredictable when it comes to brumation.

How do I keep bugs off my bearded dragon?

The Kricket Keeper comes in small and large sizes, and is a great way to store feeder crickets until they are ready to feed to your bearded dragon.

Use a Kricket Keeper

  1. Vented, removable lid with trap door.
  2. Two “capture tubes” for catching crickets.
  3. Flap covers to prevent escapes.
  4. Gut load and cricket quencher cups.

What is the lifespan of a bearded dragon?

Average Life Expectancy. The average life expectancy for these reptiles is roughly 10 years in captivity. In the wild, their life spans are usually shorter. In the wild, many factors can shorten their life spans, including scarce food supplies and predators such as snakes.

Why won't my bearded dragon eat vegetables?

Reason #2: Too Much Food If your bearded dragon won't eat greens, there's a good chance that you're feeding him/her too many bugs. Keep to a strict schedule with the bugs, and a dragon that is used to getting fed more often will have no choice but to try the salad.

How do I make my bearded dragon Brumate?

Try to encourage them to bask under their UVB and give them a bath daily until they have a bowel movement. Once out of brumation, you can expect your bearded dragon to regain a regular appetite within a few days to 2 weeks.

Why does my bearded dragon not want to eat?

A Very Common Reason: Brumation In the wild once a year, when the temperatures drop bearded dragons slow down their metabolism. This means that they can survive without eating. So if your bearded dragon is inactive, hides all the time and does not eat, it might be the time to brumate.

How do I know if my bearded dragon is stressed?

Aside from glass surfing, if your bearded dragon's color darkens or turns black, it's probably stressed. This is most obviously noticable on the beard. If a bearded dragon has a black beard, a recent change involving it may be the source of the stress, even if it was thought to be a good change.