The Lamar register., 1892-06-18
= rs r~1
HOW WHITE MICE ARE TRAINED.
rvs secrets OF sAs MssAea Eapaey.a
~ - AzpsRt Trainer. ~ ~

| rve sssrsts OF the MssAed Bnpaoyed
| ~ - AEpsrs Trainer. ~
Ferdinand Sem knows more about
raising vhite mioe probably than any
other man In this country. according
70 the New York Sun. aud Thomas
Moody knows more about training
! shem- Before an explanation OF how
hey are trained. Mr. Sem took a
summing little mouse. white as snow
rom his coat pocket and put it on his
| shoulder. The mouse looked around
'or moment then ran across Mr..
Senn's back. and sat down contentedly
on the other shoulder. Before setting
It at liberty he held the mouse CLOSELY
IN his left hand and stroked its head
and back with his right
do they never bite your'
Mr.. Moody answered for him. for
Mr.. MOODY does the training: Never.
they are properly handled. When
boy picks up n white mouse he Is
Tery likely TO squeeze him tight to
Keep him snfe; then tho mouse turns
around and bites But take them up
-gently-without squeezing them
At ALL and they do not think of Bit
ng. See here"
He took the mouse from Mr.. Senu's
land, held its tail between his fore
inger and thumb, and held it abovo
ais head.
''They do not mind that at all" he
vent on They are what we call pre-
lensible-thcy can support their
weight by the tail. When this fellow
-uus down smooth stick you will see
him coil his tail around it for brake
But II i should squeeze his tail Il
little too hard or accidently press my
iharp nails against it. he would twist
around and bite me-" ....
What do you feed them on
,hecse?i
Hardly" he replied. mo feed is
so good for them rs outs--just dry
pats. somo breeders bring them up
on bread and milk. but that is not as
good Us oats On oats they keep clean
err and do better The dry oats OF
course mako them thirsty. and then
you can give them little bread and
milk. squeezed out pretty dry. But it
Is well 10 have them thirsty some
tines when you are training them
aud hungry. too for that matter?"
DO you mean to say that you starve
them into triclzs or drive them to it
By thirst"
Not so bad as that" he answered.
'i3ut II mouse is hungry, and he is
to walk over string bridge, and he,
secs some oats on the other side he-
will go quicker There are two great
secrets about making them do as you
wish The first is patience A boy
can soon learn to train n white mouse
nearly as well as l can If he has tho
PATIENCE But the boy generally tires
OF it in ten minutes where l keep it
up for two hours-or half day, II
necessary. i worry them into it"
That's the other secret" he went
on. Worry 'eml Suppose you
want mouse to climb n stick. pick
upn little flag that you have put
thsro and bring 1t down. You takc
tho mouse when he's hungry. to be-
gin with; you ito grain or two of
oats to tho flagstaff. and you put tho
mouse at the foot OF the stick. He,
won't go up. of course. Well when
he turns around to run away you set
him back asnin with his nose to the
stick II he runs away fifty times set
him back ffty-one times That wor-
ries hum. Boost him up little; give
him O start, You may even have q
littla twig and switch him, but gently.
He soon sees what you want and up
be goes Next time he will do IL
without half the trouble and after
awhile he will run up and get the flag
4. III NJ ba -
the stick Teach the mouse prin-
ciple you understand not merely
trick. The principle In this case is
taking something up in his mouth In
short time he will take up anything
YOU wish. whether 1t is a flagstaff or
little toy pail-anything he can lift
Now. there's walking the tight
rope he continued. That looks
hard. but it is easy enough. You
must have the string fastened to the
floor at both ends. say four feet apart
md about u foot from each end you
brace it up with stick foot or so
long-iust long enough TO tighten the
string. Use big twine at first for
that is easier; gradually you can make
IL smaller till the mouse will walk
druggists string. They have sharp
claws and great grip in their feet
You take the mouse when he is
hungry and thirsty. and put some oats
and bread and milk at one end of the
bridge. At the other end you put the
mouse. He win try to run across the
aoor to the food. but bring him back.
Start him little up the inclined
blame. He is smart and he soon learns
that the only way to get that food is
10 cross the bridge. Then he crosses
and it is no trouble to him. Worry
him into it You must not let tho
mouse tire you out-you must tire the
mouse out. "