The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-16
NI1IIIfs Eagle
HORNED T0ADS AS PETS.
THE REPULsIvE REPTILES ARE VERY
POPULAR IN THE WEST.


They Can Be Tanned and Aford Much
Amusement-They Are Real Interest
ing Observation-Disclosures by a Dealer
Who Sells Many of Them Annually.
"Of all the curious objects for pets, !"
said the curio man, Il think that the
horned toad viii take the palm"
Are they popular as domestic ami
mails" asked the one to whom this re-
mark was offered
Il 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 in
triumph by those who fancy such
things"
who does?" 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,
and burrow themselves deep in the
sand"
How are they treated when in cap
tivity?"
Pretty much as we treat them,
suppose. You can see for yourself, said
the curio man, leading the way to one
side of his crowded store, where in a
great, round, deep glass tank were half
a dozen or more of the funny little fell
lows sprawled out upon their sandy do
main One seemed asleep, the others
were moving with more or less degree of
animation.
One was trying to mount an elevation
furnished by the back of "a comrade,
and having attained that height the
rogue balanced himself upon his hind
legs and tried to climb up the CLASSY
sides of the tank. But in this he was
not successful, and after slipping back a
most discouraging number of times he
gave it up as bad job. Two others
seemed to be assuming belligerent at
titude, to which the owner at once called
the attention of his visitor
THEY ARE QUEER PETS.
do you see that?' said he. Some of
those fellows are the greatest fighters
imaginable. They take 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 are to be found
in sandy wastes have heard of their
being caught out at the Mission, but Of
that can't speak positively. These here
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 little
pouch somewhere within the anatomy
of horned toad.
The toads are shipped to us by ex-
press in boxes, sometimes as many as
twenty or more in the same box, and by
the time they are released from their
confinement they are all wound togeth-
er, until they look like a writing, ami
mated mass of wriggling legs and
squirming tails.
''As soon as they seem to consider it a
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 liveT Oh,
don't know. have known them to
live three or six months in perfect
health, and with every prospect of con-
tinuing in that state, when they We're
brought to an untimely end by being
stepped on. If there is one thing above
another that horned toad cannot stand
it's being stepped on. 1t seems TO f1atten
him out, as il were"
Aren't you becoming very facetious?"
asked the reporter.
Not at all; that is the usual fate OF a
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 ont of his box and is
running about on his own hook"
HOW TO KEEP THEM
Can they be tanned? Do they seem to
know one human being above another"
were the next questions.
Those who buy them maintain that
they do. Why, 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 on. Another,
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 10 her CHR
rup, but she said he really did not go
quite so far as that, although he was
very knowing.
What do they live on? Oh, on flies
and insects. Ihave known them, though,
20 go for a month without eating any
thing There is this that must be re-
membered if you wish to keep your toad
Rlive-give him plenty of sun The best
house for him EilAa FISH globe filled with
deep bed of nice clean sand. Set this
In the sun, and throw in some live flies
now and then, and Mr.. Toadiwin thrive.
If he wants the flies he'll catch then
and devour them quicker than wink
If he doesn't do so you may know its be-
cause he's not hungry.
And 1 must not forget either to tel