Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-10-19
A COMMON HOUSE RAT.
is QUICK TO LEARN AND is AN
AMUSING PET.
Flying Squirrels. Mice, Ailigators, Cham
eleons, Turtles and Horned Lizards
Can 30 Tanned and Trained to DO
Tricks-Pets In Families.

| fellows whose teeth are so trouble
some and require so much looking
after. There are the squirrels, t(
begin with. Every one is frolicsome
neat, easy to take care of, and alto
gether bewitching. A squirrel Of
any sort likes warm bed, out of the
reach of mcddlesome children, plenty
Of nuts to eat, and liberty-fOr, like
everybody else he hates a cage.
The gray squirrel is the most elegan,
of the tribe (unless we EXCEPT the
black, who is not so often seen, and
he is intelligent and affectionate.
The red squirrel is one of the most
lively of wonderfully active family,
and is exceedingly inventive in
pranks. The chipmunk. though
risky enough, is said to be the least
interesting of his race, and the flying
squirrel is rather quiet for one of his
kind, and entertaining only at night
AS limited above, all rodents re-
quire watching, for their teeth grow
rapidly, and something to gnaw is q
necessity OF their existence. This,
indeed, is one reason why captivity
in cage is so distasteful to them
it is impossible to secure sufficient
exercise for their teeth. The whole
family is said TO be unusually fond of
music some of them become so alb
sorbed in listening 10 the notes of an
instrument, or even to whistling.
that they lose consciousness of dan
ger, and may be caught without
trouble. | would not advise. how
ever, that ones hand be employed to
seize squirrel, for he might come
to his senses and use his teeth.
Another rodent, the rat, is not
popular with petitioners in general,
but persons who have overcome the
repugnance which our race feels for
his--Frank auckland, of England, for
instance--insist that he Is, above all
other little animals, amusing and en-
pertaining. He is full Of gambols as
kitten and scrupulously neat in the
care of his person, washing and
brushing his fur as carefully as cat.
Though not over-dainty in feeding
when he is wild and has to live by
his wits, he is particular and notional
to the last degree when ho is cared
for and able to choose The rat is
peculiarly amenable to instruction,
readily learns to perform tricks of
all sorts, and, what may seem most
singular in one against whom every
mans hand is raised, he become. !,
warmly attached to the friend who
cares for him.
A winsome pet is the common
brown mouse; and now fancy hear
the most vigorous protests from my
readers, who. though they do not
shrek and take refuge on chairs and
tables like Howells feminine charac-
ters, still have strong feeling of
distaste to him, writes Olive Thorne
Miller IN Harper's Bazaar. Nothing
can be imagined more dainty, grace
full and altogether captivating than
the tricks and manners of this hum
BILE resident within our walls. Once
allay the poor little creatures fears
of his big. clumsy human prosecutors,
and his delightsome qualities are APP
parent. Frisky in movement, droll
in conceits and eccentric in action,
he is never-ending source of en-
tertainment. Moreover. he is as
teachable as the rat, absolutely neat
in his ways and most loving to his
friends.
A singing mouse, which is not SC
great Il rarity as one would suppose
| In, f,,c lnt ia
times made over one, has an added
attraction as pet The singing is
no doubt similar to thay of the mar
moset, and resembles the canary
song good deal smothered.
All these little creatures should be
tanned and attached to people by
their affections, and not kept as pris
oners in a cage. In the former case
they display their peculiar charac
| teristics, and take perfect care of their
| coat, while in the latter they require
constant watching and attention, and
show no individuality whatever. II
is not a pet that is kept in a cage, il
is a prisoner, and prisoner in hi.
unnatural and unhappy life can never
afford much pleasure
Whatever beast is kept it should
have its own quarters, in which it i:
at home and free from intrusion, anC
to which it can retire when i
chooses. The home should he KEEP
clean and sweet by frequent changes
of bedding and the use of soap ant
water. No one has right to keel
an animal IN confinement who find
it too much trouble to attend to it
health and comfort. 1t should b.
regularly fed On food that is mos
healthful for it, and what is quite a
essential to its happiness and conse
quently to its health, it should b
talked to and noticed as much a
anybody. ] am certain many an
mails ana birds suffer and die in on
homes from pure loneliness and fror
being regarded by their huma
neighbors as creatures of an alto
gether different nature. Wherea
the truth is, if one will but cultivat
their acquaintance, he will be as
tonished to see how the dullest an
most STUPID will wake out OF its N
parent torpor and show understand
ing and character.
! know a family very fond of peti
in which the creatures show mos
extraordinary individuality. Thei
cats do things no cat was ever know
to do; their parrots and other bird
show what we call human nature i
a wonderful deg ee, and their dog
almo:t talk. The reason is plair
! the animal or bird Is made one of tn
family, it is talked to and petted a
: , well as cared for, its intelligence dc
velops and the beast becomes yer
like the human being. Watche
, with loving eyes, the actions Of tn
pet are understood and responded t.
J and one is surprised to see almost
common language established b,
tween the two races 1t is woi
derful and beautiful study, and tina
family has more pleasure and re;
companion-hip with its pets than an
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