The Worthington advance., 1900-09-21

SQUIRRELS AS PETS.
How to Bay and How to Give the N.
terestinE Animals . Home That
.E II Not q Cage. ~.
! "A more entertaining and interesting
pet than Q squirrel it would be hard
TO find, and less troublesome and
prettier pet in the animal kingdom
there is not. Contrary to general
opinion, the sqirrel is the least expen.
siye of all pets. To q coarse-grained
individual there may be pleasure in
keeping q squirrel IN one Of those lit
tie prison cages where they are pes.
tered with deas, cannot breed, AID
generally end up by becoming para
lyzed in their hind quarters; but not
90 with persons who are sensitive.
Pleasure comes only to them through
seeing their pets enjoy existence and
not in the mere possession of them.
says writer in Forest and Stream.
+. That the large black, fox and silver
gray squirrels can be kept around the
house and grounds in much the same
manner as a pigeon I have proved to
my entire satisfaction. This can be
managed in the following way: ()
Have your squirrels paired properly
male and female that are not related.
To be sure of this, never rely upon a
dealers word, but buy one animal
from one dealer and the other from
another. This is most important, for
animals will not breed that are out of
the same nest, and are very likely to
leave, hunting for mate. (2) Pro.
cure box, say about three cubic feet,
place smaller box inside of this, in
which is some manila for bedding.
Close the box up with boards, all but
small opening, in which you can
just put your hand. (4) Place a very
liberal supply of mixed nuts and sum
flower seeds, but not roasted peanuts.
Hoist the whole affair into some lofty
tree or the corner of the barn. If the
barn is of brick, then q wooden pole
or two must lead to it. Secure firmly.
(6) Place your squirrels and some
water vessel in the opening and cover
with inch-mesh wire netting. Water
daily. (7) After few days, say
three or four, you can take off the
netting and allow them out an hour
or two before sundown. Sprinkle the
ground Immediately beneath the nest
with nuts, and place the water in a
position where cats cannot molest
them. (s) From this time on never
disturb the nest. Every-t:me the squir-
rels are frightened they will run to
their nest; let them be at peace there.
Dogs are not cunnig enough to watch
squirrel, and the large varieties are
not molested by cats. You will OBJ
serve your pets will leave their box
very cautiously at first, the tree will
be thoroughly explored, and the least
noise will send them rushing back to
their retreat.
Squirrels mate in the fall of the
year, when the hickory nut shells.
They have their young in the early
part of March. These are born naked
and blind, and number from one to
five, according to the amount of food
on hand. Squirrels never hibernate
in the true sense of the word, for they
will come out on the coolest day in
the year and eat some snow-in fact,
they are out 365 days q year. Even
the chipmunk and the flying squirrels
will not hibernate as the ground hog
does, but pop their little noses out for
| q breath of air and bite of snow.
In buying squirrels always examine
their teeth and see that they are not
curved into tusks; also see that their
coat is glossy, and be sure that they
are not suffering from partial paraly.
sis. A squirrel is one of the most ac-
tive creatures in the world, and if it
cannot run up and down a tree four
times while cat is going up once,
then there is something wrong with
it's system. Extremely violent move
ments while in a cage are generally
an indication of good health. To ship
a squirrel long distance successfully
always place in with it the hardest
nuts procurable for food, such as ex.
ira thick-shelled black walnuts' OF
butter nuts, together with some moist
food, such as artichokes. Provide
straw and not hay to hide in, and line
the inside of the box with one-inch
mesh netting. If going a very long
distance, such as to England, then
place water bottle in place of the
artichokes, with a notice on the out
side of the box: "Give us drink"
North America is the home of thu
squirrel, although there is single
variety in Great Britain. The British
representative is a common small ami
NAL, not nearly so interesting as ou1
little red squirrel. It extends through
out Europe, and is the same variety
that is found in such immense mum
bers in India. There is another variety
in the vicinity of Lapland-quite Z
handsome animal with tufted ears ant
bushy tail. This animal is migratory
and in migrations will, often cove1
an acre of water, swimming acroS.
small lakes and rivers in it's efforts tt
get to a good nut-bearing district. 4:
a fur-bearing animal there are few
skins as handsome as that OF the Rus
sian squirrel. This fur is as beauti
full as the ermine, and resembles Il
with the exception that it has a mar
row strip of Sray down the center o.
the back. should think that with .
little trouble, or rather pleasure, i
could be bred pure white. As far al