Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-05-31
HOW TO TRAIN MICE.
SOME SECRETS OF THE METHOD
EMPLOYED BY AN EXPERT

,a.,,.u.,ib,e Patience is Required First
or Au--Judicious Feeding Must he op-
scryed--Theu Ono Must Worry the Lite
tie Creatures.
Ferdinand Sem knows more about
raising white mice probably than any
n,her man IN this country. and Thomas
MOODY knows more about training them
Before an explanation OF how they are
trained Mr. Sem took cunning little
mouse. white as snow. from MS con-
pwket and put it on his shoulder. Inc
mouse looked around for moment,
then ran across Mr. Senn's back ana sat
down contentedly on the other shoulder.
Before setting it ut liberty he held the
mouse loosely in his left hand anu
stroked its head and back with his rlght.
do they never bite YOU!
MIR. Moody answered for him, for Mr.
Moody does the training Never, II
they are properly handled. When u boy
hicks up a white mouse he is very likely
to squeeze him tight to keep nm safe'
then the mouse turns around ana bites.
But take them up so-gently- without
squeezing them at all, and they 40 mol
think of biting. See here
He took the mouse from Mr.. Senns
hand. held its tail between his forefinger
and thumb and held it above his head.
They do not mind that at all, ne
went on They are what we call pre-
hensile-they can support their weight
by the tail When this fellow runs down
a smooth stick you will see him coll ms
t,lil around it for brake. But II
should squeeze his tail a little too hard.
or 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 SC
good for them MS oats-just dry oats
Some breeders bring them up on bread
and milk, but that is not rs good rs oats
On oats they keep cleaner and do better
The dry oats, Of course, makes then
thirsty and then you can give them
little bread and milk. squeezed on
pretty dry. But it is well to have then
thirsty sometimes. when you are train
ing them-and hungry, too, for tina
matter"
do you mean to say that you starv'
them into tricks or drive them to 1t b.
thirst
Not so bad as that" he answered
But if Il mouse is hungry and he is tt
walk over string bridge and he see
some oats on the other side he will &
quicker There are two great secret
about making them do as you wish. Tn
first is patience A boy can soon lear
to train white mouse nearly as well
can if he has the patience. But tn
boy generally tires of it in ten minute
where | keep it up for two hours-o
half u day. if necessary. worry ther
into it.
That's the other secret" he went OF
Worry EN-! Suppose you want a nous
to climb stick, pick up Il little flag tina
you have put there and bring it dowr
You take the mouse when he's hungr
. to begin with, you tie Il grain or two {
, oats to the flagstaff and you put tn
mouse at the foot of the stick. He won
, 20 up, of course Well, when he turn
around to run away you set him bac
again with his nose to the stick. If
runs away fifty times set him back tift,
: one times. That worries him. Boo
him up little: give him Il start Yo
may even have Il little twig and switC
!. him. but gently. He soon sees what yo
want and up he goes. When he fine
the oats he is satisfied and comes dow
, to eat them. Next time he will do
while he will run up and get the fla
whenever you put him at the foot of tt
stick.
} KEEP AT IT.
l Teach the mouse principle, you u
: derstand not merely trick. The pri;
< ciple i'll this case is taking something /
in his mouth. In short time he wi
take up anything you wish, whether
is Il flagstaff or little toy pail-an
thing he can lift.
! Nov. there's walking the tigl
y rope" he continued. That looks har
but it is easy enough You must ha'
, the string fastened to the floor at bo
. ends. say four feet apart, and about
!, foot from each end You brace it mp wi
: Il stick foot or so long-just lol
= enough to tighten the string Use b
. tw,ne at first. for that is easier: grad
ally you can make it smaller, TIL Il
n mouse will walk a druggists strin
n They have sharp claws and a great 81
in their feet You take the mouse VIII,
g he Is hungry and thirsty and put sou
q oats and bread and milk at one end
n the bridge. AT the other end you y
+ the mouse He will try to run aero
o the fioor to the food, but bring him BAG
# Start him little up the inclined plar
., He Is smart and he soon learns that t
. only way to get that food is to cross t
a bridge. Then he crosses, and it is
n trouble to him. Worry him into
q You must not let the mouse tire you O
You must tire the mouse out. Ne
4 York Sun
, Makes War ON Oysters.
Did you ever hear of man who W
victim of the oyster habit The writ