The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-02-11
HOW TO TRAIN MICE.
SOME SECRETS OF THE METHOD.
EMPLOYED BY AN EXPERT

!.
tie Creatures.
Ferdinand Sem knows more abon+
raising white mice probably than anv
otner man IN this country, and Thomas
MOODY knows more about training Them
befcre an explanation of how thew are
trained, Mr.. Sem took a cunning little
meuse' White as snow, from his coat
pocket and put it ON his shoulder. The
mouse looked around for a moment.
then ran across Mr.. Senn's back and sat
soWn contentedly on the other shoulder.
before setting it at liberty he held the
mouse loosely in his left hand and
stroked its head and back with his right,
do they never bite your"
Mr. Moody answered for him, for MIR.
moody does the training: IN ever. if
tney are properly handled. When a bow
PICKS up white mouse he is very likely
70 squeeze him tight to keep him safe;
tnen the mouse turns around and bites
DuC take them up so-gently-withou
squeezing them at all, and they do not
tnlnk OF biting. See here"
he took the mouse from Mr.. Senn's
nand, held its tail between his foretinger
ana thumb and held it above his head.
They do not mind that at all" he
Went on. "They are what we call pre-
Sne-they can support their weight
~ the tai When this fellow runs down
smooth stick you will see him coil his
Iall around it for brake. But if |
shouid squeeze his tail little too hard,
VI accidentally press my sharp nails
Against it. he would twist around and
bite me-"
HUNGER AND WORRY.
What do you feed them on-cheese:"
"Hardly!' he replied mo food is SO
good for them as oats-just dry oats
Some breeders bring them up on bread
and milk, but that is not as good as oats
On oats they keep cleaner and do better
Inc dry oats. of course, makes them
THIRSTY, and then you can give them
little bread and milk, squeezed out
pretty dry. But it is well to have them
tnlrsty sometimes, when you are train
ing them%and hungry, too. for that
matter"
iDo you mean to say that you starve
tnem into tricks or drive them to it by
shirst!"
Not SO bad as that" he answered.
but If mouse is hungry and he is to
walk over string bridge and he sees
'oSae oats on the other side he will 90
quicker. There are two great secrets
about making. them do as you wish. The
nrst Is patience. A boy can soon learn
% train white mouse nearly as well as
can it he has the patience. But the
ssEgenerally tires of it in ten minutes
where l keep it up for two hours-or
nalf day. II necessary. worry them
into it."
That's the other secret, he went on
Worry EN-! Suppose you want mouse
to climb stick, pick up a little flag that
you have put there and bring it down.
You take the mouse when he's hungry
to begin with; you tie a grain or two of
lSAts to the flagstaff and you put the
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
again with his nose to the stick. If he
runs away fifty times set him back fifty
one times. That. worries him. Boost
him up little; give him start. You
pay even have little twig and switch
him, but gently. He soon sees what you
want and up he goes. When he finds
the oats he is satisfied and comes down
to eat them. Next time he will do it
without half the trouble, and after a
while he will run up and get the flag
whenever you put him at the foot of the
stick.
KEEP AT 1T
Teach the mouse principle, you I'M
derstand; not merely trick. The prin-
riple in this case is taking something up
in his mouth. In short time he will
take up anything you wish, whether it
is a flagstaff or little toy pail-any
thing he can lift. #kE8
Nov, 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, and about a
foot from each end you brace it up with
stick a foot or so long-just long
enough to tighten the string. Use big
Irvine at first, for that is easier; gradu-
ally you can make it 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 will try to run across
the floor to the food, but bring him back.
Start him little up the inclined plane.
He is smart and he soon learns that the
only way to get that food is to cross the
bridge. Then he crosses, and it is no
trouble to him. Worry him into it.
You must not let the mouse tire you out
you must tire the mouse out. New
York Sun
Makes War on Oysters.