A Cricket or Two. Or Thirty.
You’d think the mice were enough.
But somehow our kids came home from grandma and grandpa’s house with frogs.
It’s my fault, actually.
I said they could.
However, I distinctly remember saying they could bring two.
They brought six.
I could’ve intervened, I know. But when I saw how tiny the frogs were, I figured, two or six–what’s the difference? They’re actually pretty cute.
Besides, it’s not the frogs that are the problem.
It’s the crickets.
A couple of days ago, my husband woke me up with a gentle shake and a…
“Gen, I’m so sorry, I have a meeting that I can’t be late for and I just noticed there are crickets all over the house.”
Crickets?
Not exactly the sweet cup of coffee he brings upstairs most mornings. It took me a second to understand what he was saying.
See, we’d bought this thing for the frogs called the Bug Box.
It’s a whole little cricket ecosystem, all in one box. Tasty, plump morsels that stay fresh, too. And when it’s time to feed the frogs, you just open the little trap door on the side of the box, shake a cricket out, then close the door. Or at least that’s what I did.
I even taped over it for good measure.
Apparently, crickets eat tape.
And after they escaped through the hole, they proceeded to gallivant around our kitchen. And our living room. And our dining room.
The picture doesn’t do the scene justice. This just happens to be the only cricket that would stop hopping long enough for me to get a shot.
I don’t know how many crickets come inside those Bug Boxes, but let me just say there was a great turnout at the cricket party at our house that morning.
The nice, little 6 a.m. cricket party.
There I was, on my hands and knees (without coffee, I might add), chasing crickets around with a paper towel and tossing them into the frog cage. Except for the crickets that were a little too fast or a little too big.
Those I might’ve pinched a little too hard.
At least the frogs were happy, though.
Even if I wasn’t.
Until I had my coffee.
Then I felt better.
Mostly. Because, still, all that day and the next, we found crickets around the house. Running along the baseboards, lurking in the corners, hopping across the carpet.
And, call me weird, but that gave me the willies more than finding my daughter’s mouse in the laundry basket.
Way more.
I hope my son doesn’t start wanting to keep animals in the house!!! I’m not prepared!
I cannot tell you the horrow I have felt in just reading about this. I think I would tell myhusband to meet me at the hotel after he put up the for sale sign. Mass quantities of crickets loose in my home… ugh. That is truly a nightmare. Thank goodness it happened to someone far less suseptible to hysteria.;)God bless you you brave woman-Amanda
Oh my gosh! Crickets are music to my ears, but NOT inside! Ick! When my husband was in Catholic high school he bought 1000+ crickets at the pet store and set them free at school. He’d walk down the hall and hear the other kids laughing because they were chirping for weeks. He says it was one of the best pranks ever and very satisfying. I think secretly he is STILL enjoying it all of these years later. Maybe he snuck into your house and set yours free. Hmmm, where is your house again?
I’m so sorry, really, I am…But I am laughing hysterically right now. That is so funny!! omigosh!! They eat tape. hahahahahaha!!! Doesn’t the label say to place the box in the vivarium? LOL!!I guess you didn’t take heed of Kelli’s warnings about frogs and crickets, huh? hehehe!
I’m still laughing….LOL!!
Bleh!! I got the willies just reading this. I am not a “caged pet” kind of person.
*shudder*You are a much braver woman (and a MUCH better sport) than I – I’d have had the exterminators out before you could say Jiminy Cricket!
I think you need to let the frogs out to catch the crickets.
i’m thinkin the frogs need some time out of their tank to do some “hunting”! make their little green lives more adventurous. hmm, but then 6 frogs jumping around everywhere….doesn’t sound much better than the crickets.
sheesh!!! i totally have the heebie geebies now….you poor thing! it was like the Egyptian plagues in your house this week!!!! :}
Oh my goodness! What a story, I would have had the “willies” too. I love frogs, but the crickets…you are brave indeed. :)
frustrating situation = great bloggy material. :-)
That is hilarious! Crickets are the WORST! They’re jumpy and crunchy and loud at night. How considerate of you to buy them for the 6 frogs. ;)
I love the sound crickets make but not inside. The frogs are very cute!
Oh, I understand how the crickets are worse than finding the mouse. I completely agree. But, like someone else commented, what great blog fodder!
I guess of all the possible insects, I think crickets are the least revolting. But still, I hate the thought of ANY critter loose in my house!
How convenient for your husband that he just HAD to leave! :) I don’t blame you for being creeped out by that – it’s almost as bad as the time I had honey bees coming in through the attic. I made my hubby come home for THAT!!
Oh my goodness. That gave me the willies just reading it. I don’t do well with any kind of bugs in my house, much less leaping crickets. Yikes.
oh boy been there done that – yikesThank goodness for coffee
You are a much better mom than me. I would have screamed for Hubs and if he wasn’t there, I would have gotten the vacuum out. Hope you get them out of your house.
Blech. I HATE Crickets, more than spiders even. Maybe it’s the hopping, I don’t know. They just give me the creeps!!! Good luck with the chirpies tonight!
Oh no – that must have been horrible but funny!!
Oh my! Sound like you handled it fairly well, much better than I probably would have.So these frogs…are they pets?
Oh no! It looks like a way fun project though. Well, minus the cricket invasion;)
Genny, I gave you a blog award. Come check it out!
OH MY!!!That would drive me nuts!! Hope you’ve found them all!!
We have had crickets in our kitchen off and on all summer… not quite so many… and all before coffee!A sad, but funny story :(!
this is so dang funny!!!!ewwwww
Oh, those suckers multiple faster than bunnies! Are they all chirping at once, too? Better call an exterminator–or, if you’d like, I can loan you my cat, who delights in chasing, capturing and devouring crickets! BTW, I’m having another Great Pop’rs Giveaway, starting tomorrow. Aunt Julie really needs the help of all her Bloggy Pals–she’s planning a rehearsal dinner for 60 people! Hope you drop by soon!
♡ So fun… I'm so not an animal person… :)
Yikes…you’re a good mama, that’s all I can say
Ack! I think the willies part would come in with not knowing how many of the nocturnal little creatures are under and in things and when (if) you’ve gotten them all! So do you let the frogs loose know in a real-live version of “seek and destroy?”
Crickets?In the house?Yuck!!Have I mentioned that I am glad to have a girly-girl who wouldn’t dream of asking to bring a frog home? At least not now anyway. I guess she’s barely 3.I hope you are cricket-free now in your abode! :-)
AHHHH!!!! Crickets?! Frogs?! I’m a total wuss and would be hiding in a hotel :(
There have been summer nights when I’ve searched high and low for the lonely chirping cricket…and then smooshed him so I could get some sleep!
Crickets….. This is a pretty funny story and I laughed while reading it. When you live in Texas you get used to finding them in your house especially in hot July and August…..
ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh…i hate crickets…we had a huge problem with them last summer…we found them everywhere…sink drains, vents, curtins, we even had to go so far as to cover our drinks on our coffee tables cause they would hop in them all the time…yea…i know…yuck…so good luck!
love this story…so vivid…you are such a storyteller!you must check out my blog today…your name is in lights. :-)
What happened to bunnies and puppies??!I love your posts, by the way – they are always so well written.
Oh man. I bet you are still finding them. The worst is that once you think you have them all, you probably hear another somewhere in the house. This cracks me up. I am a sucker for pets so this is a good warning for me. Cracking me up.
I am so glad I found you at CWO…I laughed WAY out loud through the whole post. Especially “Apparently, crickets eat tape.” Oh. My. Word. You are too funny.
I know that every one is freaking out about the crickets, but I have a similar story:) My son just found three little frogs at my daughter’s school and I am wondering where you found that cute bugcricket box to feed the frogs with:)
YIKES! search and DESTROY girl! Crickets EAT-they like fabric-your laundry-esp the bottoms of baskets and hampers and those places where kids pile damp things?-they crawl under and chew chew chew chirp chirp chirp. Make the frogs eat mealworms-they can’t get away!
LOL! I’m still giggling! The tape part with the pic totally got me!
Okay, so I realize I’m a little late getting in on this comment form, but I HAD to share my cricket story from a few days ago: https://legacy-4-my-boys.blogspot.com/2008/07/jeepers-creepers.htmlCould it be a modern-day plague??
Wow, Genny – you really have some great critter stories! I would have absolutely freaked out. Without coffee – you are amazing!