The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-02
BY FREDERICK }. HAsKIN


Fashions in pets change these days
almost as frequently as in house fur
ishings 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 skunk
The reign of the lap dog seems to be
over, and the animal dealers of our
big cities are now hard pressed to sup
ply an ever-inCreasing demand for
wierd and exotic household pets to
take its place.
Pet raccoons have not yet appeared
on the promenade in Riverside Drive
but a New York animal dealer reports
that already these magnificent little
animals are usurping the place of the
apartment dog. They are given all
the freedom, comfort and attention Oh
their predecessors, except that instead
of being led along by leash they take
their afternoon constitutional IN eX-
elusive quiet on the roof,
That unsocial little animal remote
" related to the racoon-the skunk
is also being domesticated with sur
prising success by city jewellers. WITH
its scent bag removed, it Is said 10
make a charming pet, its disposition
being more amiable than that OF most
poodles, while its striking black and
white coat is considered valuable as
set 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. vi
course, they are not the unWleldly'
30-foot boa constructors, such as ter
rorize 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 exceptional
" clean and absolutely amiable if prop
erly handled. There is an Engllshman
who possesses such a pleasant boa
constructor that he gives it the free
dom of the dining room in his home,
where it is said to enjoy coiling itself
around the legs of the dining table
So far as is known, however, all New
Workers owning such reptiles keeI
them in strong glass cases and do not
invite them to dinner, but pass their
food to theTl through a little door.
Dainty Little
Pocket Monkeys.
One of the most popular of the new
pets is the marmosette, or pocket mon
key, which measures from four to six
inches, weighs only seven or eight
ounces. and can be conveniently car
ried about in a pocket or handbag. This
little creature can be taught to do al
manner of clever tricks, but it is usu
ally yiciousIy unfriendly toward every
body but its master or mistress, and al
its bite is poisonous it is advisable K
brush it's teeth every day.
GaiIy colored parrots and parrakeett
started the vogue for strange birds a
pets last year, which probably account
for the present popularity of pelicans
Dealers in various cities have recent
" reported a growing demand TO
these birds, as we'll as for some of tn
brilliant South American birds, Xix
the Brazilian cardinal and the troupia
Crows and ravens are also said to b
replacing canaries in the DRAWN
room. Crows when taken young i
life become very tame and lovablC
and they can often be taught to tai
as amusingly as a parrot.
It is also considered much smarte
to keep a wildcat now than an Angor'
Common cats are out of the questio
altogether; they must either be e
rid of or kept out of sight like milady
gowns of three years ago. If possibl
one should visit South America {
Mexico and return with a wildcat, 9
that ones photograph may appear
the pictorial supplements, but if tn
cannot be arranged a wildcat shoul
by all means be secured through
dealer. The MaTgay cat or Long-taile
cat of South America is a good choic
. as it has a striking color scheme, b
ing grizzly brown or reddish wit
black spots and rings. It is also sal
I to yield gracefully to domestication-
something is rare among the wilde;
Z species.
Another picturesque pet from Sou
America which is being widely adoptt
by city jewellers is the coat, clio:
relative of our own North America
: raccoon. 1t has the same beautif
coat, an even bushier tail and a stTan
Iynobile nose that can be twisted, e
8 tended. contracted or made rigid
s will. The coat is easily tanned and b
+, comes devotedly attached to its hon
and master According to one deale
who owns such an animal. it is II
most interesting and amusing pet
has ever had, keeping him, he say