We have a new pet in our midst.

But it’s not furry, fuzzy, feathery, or scaley! He’s a cricket.

I’ve never had a pet cricket. I’m not a big fan of caging any animals at this point in my life. I’ve worked with so many creatures across various animal care fields that I will NEVER have a hampster of gerbil again. And as much as I love rats… no. Not again.

Maybe backyard bunnies in a big hutch. I love bunnies. But my kids are animal people like me. Our dog and our flock of chickens keep them busy, but they are in love with the world and all its wonderful creatures. And I adore them for it.

So, last week, when I opened up the sandbox and we found a pail full of crickets, I thought it was funny that one cricket wouldn’t leave us. Insects aren’t incredibly emotional, but like all beings, some just have a unique spirit that speaks to us.

This little guy just wanted to be held. He wouldn’t leave my seven-year-old son’s hands, and when I picked him up, then he wouldn’t leave mine. We got him some food and water. We encouraged him to escape with his friends, but he chose to remain.

We got a jar for him and put some food in it to just observe him for a while. My son asked, “Can we keep him?”

And I thought… Why not? I was thinking of what kind of larger enclosure we could put together for him when my five-year-old boy decided to climb up a stack of pickle buckets by the house and fall right on the dryer vent, cracking his head open.

Needless to say, I had to put pressure on the wound to stop all the blood from flowing and pack the kids up for the E.R. And… the cricket came with us. He was a welcome friend for the kids, and the doctor liked him, too. When asked what his cricket’s name was, my seven-year-old said, “Crickety,” and Crickety he now is.

Crickety has moved into a larger home. A fishbowl full of dirt and grass, and a little water bowl pond. A few roly polies snuck in when we scooped in the dirt, and Crickety now sunbathes with us and listens while my son reads to him.

There’s a belief that crickets are good luck, and I think it’s true. Even though my youngest boy had to get a few staples in his head, he handled it really well, and so did the rest of us. I think meeting Crickety right before a tough time made it easier on everyone.

And now he’s the best fed, most well-loved cricket on the planet. He even came to show-and-tell at our homeschooling co-op.

It’s strange because my latest writing release is featured in the new Chicken Soup for the Soul book about pets.

I’ve had a lot of pets, and my previous chinchilla orphan is featured in the current book, but I can’t help but wonder if maybe someday they’ll have a collection about weird pets or unexpected friends. Crickety is both, and I’m so happy to have him in our lives.