Feeding Nepenthes

[CristenH]

Hello! I'm new to nepenthes.

I bought my nep at a large local nursery a week ago. The employee I questioned about caring for the plant advised me to fill the pitchers about 1/3 full of distilled water every so often. In my internet searching I have read that this is not recommended, however, during the trip home most of the fluid from inside the pitchers spilled out and now those pitchers are shriveling (just cut off 7 smaller dead pitchers). I understand that the fluid inside a healthy pitcher is not exactly "water" but might it be at all advisable to add some water to the remaining emptied pitchers?

There is one pitcher which opened a day or two ago. When I gently shake this pitcher I can hear fluid. Feeding time!

From what I've read crickets are a choice food for newly opened pitchers. I've never dealt much with crickets and the thought of live crickets escaping my feeding attempts and thereby let loose into my apartment seems... sucky. Can I feed my nepenthes frozen or otherwise inert crickets?