The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-02
New Styles in Pets
Fashions Change Frequently House Furnishings and
Clothes, Says Investigator of Domestcated Animals.

constantly entertained by its ridiculous
antics.
Some people who like pocket pets
have adopted pocket mice, which odd
ly shaped little animals are now being
imported from the southwestern
states to supply the demand for novel.
ties in the metropolitan pet markets.
The pocket mouse is fawn colored
above and white below, with fine, silky
fur and large, lustrous eyes. But its
head is so large in proportion to its
small body, its hind legs so enormous
compared to is diminutive feet, and
it's tufted tail so Unexpectedly long that
it has a very droll appearance. 1t is
said to be an affectionate and agree
able companion, except for its habits
which cause it to be very active at
night and to sleep during the day. 1t
can be induced to change this unfor-
| tunate custom, however, if it is fed
in the daytime and food is not left il
its cage at night.
Women seem to be losing all their
traditional fear of mice, if one may
judge by the heavy demand for these
| creatures at the pet shops. Waiting
mice, especially have lately become
| almost as popular as goldfish. Ma
/ ture played a cruel joke on these lit
/ tie rodents, making it impossible for
/ them to travel in a straight line. They
! are able to move forward only in dir
/ zy circles, taking two steps backward
| for every three forward. Even when
eating these mice do not seem able II
/ cease their quivering st. Vitus dance
motion.
In some cases novel pets can be
trained to be extremely useful Thus,
one man who kept Mygale spider for
a pet, trained it to live among the cur.
talns OF his bed and rid him of flies
and mosquitoes which would other
wise have disturbed his sumbers.
i Chamelions are also to be recon-
mended as attractive household pets
to people who are troubled with cock
reaches. These curious lizards pre-
Ter lies, but they will gladly accept
a straight cOckroach diet after the fly
season is over. Although they have
a rather alarming appearance witt
their large google eyes and long, STICKY
tongues, they possess a gentle disposi
} lion except where pestiferous insect:
are concerned. Moreover, as everyone
hIlO"Ss E1eSS6 extraordinary creatures
are able to adapt their colors to thei1
environments, so that they woulC
never interfere with the color schem
of a room.
But there are some people who pre-
! fer cockroaches to chamelions and
mcrediable as it may seem, even thes,
annoying insects can be trained to b
affecuonate pets. DR.. L. o. Howar
of the United States Bureau of Entc
mology, has had remarkable. success
along this line.
"A croton bug" he writes. "of tn
usual, inquisitive forms of mind. il
habited my desk, and as soon as I lai
: down my cigar upon the edge of tn
: drawer he little fellow invariabl
came out of his hiding place and worl
. ed vigorously OF the moist end. A
:. first, he was after the moisture, BIT
later the tobacco taste grew and he b,
came as much addicted to the hab
), as the most inveterate tobacco use
/, 1t may be worth mentioning that
seemed to have no deleterious effeC
: upon his health"