Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-01

Washington, D. O., Sept 2S.-Fash-
ions in pets change these days almost
as frequently as in house furnishings
and clothes. If you want to be in
style this year, you must have some
thing bizarre about the house, such as
a snake or a pelican or a skunk. The
reign of the lap dog seems TO be over,
and the animal dealers. of our big
cities are now hard pressed to supply
and exotic household pets TO take its
place.
Pet raccoons have not yet appeared
IN promenade in Riverside drive, but
a New York animal dealer reports that
already these magnificent little animals
are usurping the place of the apart
ment dog. They are given all the
freedom, comfort and attention of
their predecessors, except that instead
of being led along by Il leash they take
their afternoon constitutional in ex-
elusive quiet on the roof.
That unsocial little animal remotely
related to the raccoon-the skunk
is also being donesticated with sur
prising success by city dwellers. With
its scent bag removed, 1t is said TO
make a charming pet, its disposition
being more amiable than that of most
poodles, while its striking black and
white coat is considered a valuable
asset to interior decoration.
Boa constructors are also becoming
fashionable. Eight OF these formidable
looking reptiles have recently been
sold to private families in New York
who intend to make pets of them, OF
course, they are not the unwieldy, 30
foot boa constructors, such as terrorize
the natives of South America, but are
of modest size, measuring only seven
feet or so. According to the animal
dealers. boa constructors are excellent
pets, as they are exceptionally clean
and absolutely amiable if properly ham
died. There is an Engiishman who
possesses such q pleasant boa con-
striator that he gives it the freedom
of The dining room in his home, where
it is said to enjoy coiling istelf around
the legs of the dining table. So far
as is known. however, all New Workers.
owning such reptiles keep them in
strong glass cases and do not invite
them to dinner. but pass their food to
them through a little door.
Dainty Little Pocket Monkeys
One of the most popular of the new
pets is the marmosette, or pocket
monkey. which measures only from 4
to & inches. weighs only { or s ounces
and can be conveniently carried about
in a pocket or handbag. This little
creature can be taught TO do all man
ner of clever tricks, but it is usually
viciously unfriendly toward everybody
but its master or mistress, and as its
bite is poisonous, it is advisable to
brush its teeth every day.
Gaily colored parrots and ~parrakeets
started the vogue for strange birds as
pets last year. which probably accounts
for the present popularity OF pehcans
Dealers in various cities have recently
reported a growing demand for these
birds. as well as for some Of the Bril-
liant South American birds, like the
Brazilian cardinal and the troupial
Crows and avens are also said to be
replacing canaries in the drawing
room. Crows, when taken young in
life, become very tame and loveable,
and they can often be taught to talk
as amusingly rs a parrot.
1t is also considered much smarter
to keep a wildcat now than IN Angora.
Common cats are out of the question
altogether; they must either be got
rid of or kept out of sight like milady's
gowns of three years ago. If possible
Vie Suputu NtSlI Stuth aNltEltd VI
Mexico or return with n wildcat, so
that ones photograph may appear in
the pictorial supplements. but if this
cannot be arranged, a wildcat should
by all means be secured through 3
dealer. The Margay cat or l~ong-tailed
cat of South America is a good choice,
as it has a striking color scheme, be-
ing grizzly brown or reddish. with
black spots and rings. 1t is also said
to yield gracefully TO do~mestication-
something which is rare among the
wildcat species.
Another picturesque pet from
South America which is being widely
adopted by city dwellers is the coat,
a close relative of our own North
American raccoon 1t has the SAM
beautiful coat, an even bushier tail and
a strangely mobile nose that can be