Cricket Legs

Our home is a transient stopover for animals. Some stay for a short while (not that we're bad pet owners but some just have a shorter natural lifespan), and some stay for years and become infused as a part of the family.

Our newest member is Arnold, an anole.Even though this is considered a cheap pet, I've realized that like any pet, it's not the amount of money you pay upfront, it's the upkeep of said pet that is pricey. Arnold eats crickets and at 10 crickets/ $1, he's averaging about $3/ month. If you tack on gas to get the crickets and time spent driving to purchase these insects, it's starting to get to me. On top of that, to cut down on insect purching trips, I've been buying them 30 at a time. There is a separate container to keep these crickets while they are awaiting to be inserted into the food chain. Alas, the "food" also must be fed to be kept alive.  Fortunately, a few Cheerios, a lettuce leaf and a soggy paper towel ball is all they need as they wait unknowingly happily chirping away  at night.

My latest dental article is about crickets as food. Not so much for Arnold, but for people. Many countries outside the USA are already accepting insects as a food choice. Americans, in general are a lot more squeamish about things like this. Read and enjoy!

Did You Have Crickets For Lunch?

As a dentist, there are courses and lectures that can help improve dental skills and knowledge.  One of the skills I’ve developed after years of being a dentist does not have to do with dentistry at all. I’ve learned to identify leftover foods in patient’s mouths. I know, it’s an interesting but yucky skill. Broccoli is the easiest!

As much as my patients think they have clean teeth after lunch, it’s still a great idea to rinse with water and try to get all the food pieces out. Sugarless gum is also a good way to clean your teeth after a meal. It also freshens your breath and neutralizes the acidic saliva. 

Last month I was at a museum store with my kids and they were selling roasted crickets. “Look at that!” I said to them. “Let’s try a box!” We bought a box and ate it in the car. It just tasted a little dry, crunchy but not bad at all. Not what I expected! Scientists have said that in the future, insects will become more and more acceptable and available as food. The only bad part was after we ate the crickets, bits of cricket legs were all stuck in our teeth. I did not have any sugarless gum but thank goodness I always have floss in my bag. We checked each other with big wide smiles saying, “Do you see any more legs in there?”