Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-01
The HQSkm Letter
By E
J. HASKLN
NEW STYLES IN PETS

twisted, extended, contracted or made
rigid at will. The coat is easily
tanned and becomes devotedly attached
TO its home and master. According
TO one dealer, who owns such an ami
NAL, it is the most interesting and
amusing pet he has ever had, keeping
him, he says, constantly entertained by
its ridiculous antics.
Also the Pocket Mouse
Some people who like pocket pets
have adopted mice, which oddly shaped
little animals are now being imported
from the southwestern states to sup
ply the demand for novelties in the
metropolitan pet markets. The pocket
mouse is f~awn-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 com
pared 10 its diminutive feet, and its
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 un-
fortunate custom, however, if it is
fed in the daytime and food is not left
IN its cage at night.
Women seem TO be losing all Of
straight cockroach diet after the fly
may judge by the heavy demand fer
these creatures at the pet shops.
Waiting mice, especially. have lately
become almost as popular as goldfish.
Nature played a cruel 9ke on these
little rodents, making it Impossible for
them TO travel in a straight line.
They are able to move forward only
in dizzy circles. taking two steps back
ward for every three forward. Even
when eating these mice do not seem
able to cease their ~quivering st. Vitus
dance motion.
IN some cases novel pets can be
trained to be extremely useful. Thus,
one man who kept a Mygale spider for
a pet. trained it to live among the cur
tains of his bed and rid him of flies
and mosquitoes which would otherwise
have disturbed his slumbers.
Chamelions are also to be recon-
mended as attractive household pets
to people who are troubled with cock
reaches. These curious lizards prefer
flies, but they viii gladly accept a
straight cockroadchdiet after the fly
season is over. Although they have a
rather alarming appearance, with
their large google eyes and long,
sticky tongues, they possess a gentle
disposition except where pestiferous
insects are concerned. Moreover, as
everyone knows, these extraordinary
creatures are able to adapt their col
ors to their environments, so that they
would never interfere with the color
scheme of a o
But there are some people who pre-
fer C~ockroaches to chamelions and. in
credible as it nay seem. even these
annoying insects can be trained TO be
affectionate pets. DR.. L. o. Howard
of the United States bureau of ento-
mology has had remarkable success
along this line.
"a croton bug" he writes, "of the
usual. inquisitive form Of mind, inhab-
tied my office desk. and as soon as |
laid down my cigar upon the edge of
the drawer the little fellow invariably
came out of. his hiding place and
worked vigorously at the moist end.
At first. he was after the moisture,
but later the tobacco taste grew and
he became as much addicted to the
habit as the most inveterate tobacco
user. 1t may be worth mentioning
that 1t seemed TO have no deleterious
effect upon his health"