The Dickinson press., 1890-12-06
HORNED TOADS AS PETS.
THE REPuLslvE REPTILES ARE VERY
POPULAR IN THE WEST.

POPULAR IN THE WEST.
They Can Do Tanned and AFFORD Much
Amusement-They Arc Real Interest
Ing observation-disclosures by a Dealer
WHO Sells Many of Them Annually.
"Of all the curious objects for pcts,"
said the curio man, II think that the
horned toad will take the palm"
care they popular as domestic ami
mals?" asked the one to whom this re-
mark was offered.
II guess you'd think so if you knew
how many we sell in the course Of the
year, to say nothing of all those that are
caught on the spot and carried home i'll
triumph by those who fancy such
things"
"Who docs!" asked the reporter.
We'll, children are very fond Of them.
They seem to think that it's no end of
fun to see them run around, eat flies,
aoil burrow themselves deep in the
saDa."
How are they treated when in 'ar-
tivity?"
Pretty much as we treat them, !
suppose. You can see for yourself" said
the curio man, leading tbs way to
side of his crowded store, where in Il
great, round, deep glass tank were half
adozen or more of the funny little fell
lows sprawled out upon their sandy do
main. One seemed asleep, the others
We're moving with more or less degree of
antrlation.
Ose was trying to mount an elevation
furnished by the back Of u comrade,
aA having attained that height the
rogue balanced himself upon his hind
legs and tried to climb up the CLASSY
rides of the tank. But in this he was
not successful, and after slipping back a
most discouraging number of times he
gave it up rs a bad job. Two others
seemed to DO assuming a belligcrent at
titude, to which tho owner at once called
the attention of his visitor.
THEY ARE QUEER PETS.
''Do you see that?' said he. "Some of
those fellows are tho greatest fighters
imaginable. They take a dislike to each
other, and never rest until they have
fought it out to the death. The old one
there is especially vicious.
~These horned toads arc to be found
In sandy wastes. I have heard of their
bang caught out at tho Mission, but Of
thss ! can't speak positively. These hero
came from Arizona, although we have
received them from much nearer home.
"At Redlands the boys catch ever SO
many, and the Chinese eat them. They
just skin off that coat of mail and eat
the inside. Besides, they highly prize
the oil, which is contained in Il little
pouch somewhere within the anatomy
of a horned toad.
1.-The toads are shipped to us by ex-
press i'll boxes, sometimes rs many as
twenty or more i'll tho same box, and by
the time they are released from their
confinement they arc all wound togeth-
er, until they look like q writhing, ami
mated mass Of wriggling legs and
squirming tails.
"As soon as they seem to consider it u
safe thing to do they unlock their travel
ing grip and begin to look about. Then
sell them. They bring from four to
six bits. How long do they live?: Oh,
Idon't know. l have known them to
live three or six months in perfect
health, and with every prospect of con-
tinuing in that state, when they were
brought to an untimely end by being
stepped Oh. If there is one thing above
another that Il horned toad cannot stand
it's being stepped OH. 1t seemst to flatten
him out, as it were"
aren't you becoming very facetious?"
asked the reporter.
"Not at all; that is the usual fate of Il
pet horned toad. You see, they are
great travellers and like to keep running
about. Nearly everybody who has a
horned toad thinks it is so cute to see
him try to climb up out of his box, and
the first thing you know he has sue
ceeded in getting out Of his box and is
running about on his own hook"
HOW TO KEEP THEM.
Can they be tanned? Do they seem to
know III human being above another?"
were the next questions.
"Those who buy them maintain that
they do. Why, 1 sold one to a lady who
lived at the Palace hotel, and she al
lowed him the freedom of her apartments
when she went out, and she told me that
on her return he would run to meet her,
no matter where he had hidden himself.
He was finally stepped IN. Another, a
dear old lady, said that her %grandchil-
dren made fun of her, and declared she
thought the horned toad scratched his
toes on the floor in response to her CHR
rup, but she said he really did not 20
quite so far as that, although he was
very knowing.
"What do they live on? Oh, OH flies
and insects. Ihave known them, though,
to go for a month without eating any
thing. There is this that must be re-
membered if you wish to keep your toad
alive-giye him plenty of sun. The best
house for him is a fish globe filed with
deep bed of nice clean sand. Set this
in the sun, and throw in some live flies
now and then, and Mr.. Toad will thrive.
If he wants the flies he'll catch then
and devour them quicker than a wink.
If he doesn't do SO you may know it's be.
cause he's not hungry.
"And l must mo forget either to tell
you that while they are perfectly harm.
less they get themselves into towering
RACES. 1t makes them mad to be tickled
under the chin. They like to be smoothly
stroked down the back. If you poke
him on the side he will bend way down
as if in response to your touch."-Sa1
Francisco Call.
A Brain Disturber.
A Neosha county farmer sent tli.
mixed order to a Chanute merchant
"Send mi a sack of -four, five pounds o.
COTE and n pound Of tee. My wifi,
gave birth to q big baby boy last night
o1uo Ero Mound, of . ,4o.,l, COO.