The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-05
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC }. HAsKIN. Director.
Washington, ID. @.
NEW sTYIEs IN PETS.
Washington. ID. G.

ions in pets change these days almost
las 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
an ever-increasing demand for wierd
and exotic household pets to take its
place,
Pet raccoons have not yet appeared
on 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 OF
their predecessors, except that instead
of being led along by a leash they
take their afternoon constitutional in
I exclusive quiet on the roof.
That unsocial little animal remotely
related to the raccoon-the skunk
is also being domesticated with sur
prising success by city jewellers. With
it's scent bag removed, it is said to
make a charming pet, its disposition
being more amiable than that of most
poodles, while it's striking black and
white coat is considered a valuable
asset to interior decoration.
1 Boa constructors are also becoming
fashionable. Eight of these formid-
lable-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. Ac-
cording to the animal dealers, boa
constructors are excellent pets, as they
lare exceptionally clean and absolutely
amiable If properly handled. There
is an Eng1ishman who possesses such
a pleasant boa constructor that he
tgives it the freedom 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 keep them in
strong glass cases and do not invite
them to dinner, but pass their food
ito them thru 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
four to six inches, weighs only seven
or eight ounces, and can be convent
emily carried about in pocket or
handbag. This little creature can be
taught to do all manner of clever
tricks but it is usually viciously I'M
friendly toward everybody but its mas
ter or mistress, and as its bite is
poisonous, it is advisable to brush its
teeth every day.
Il Gaily colored parrots and par
rakeets started the vogue for strange
birds as pets last year, which probably
Iaccounts for the present popularity OF
IpeHcans. Dealers in various cities
have recently reported a growing de-
mand for these birds, as well as for
some of the brilliant South American
birds, like the Brazilian cardinal and
the troupial. Crows and ravens are
also said to be replacing canaries lin
the drawing room. Crows when taken
tyoung in life become very tame and
loVable, and they can often be taught
to talk as amusingly as a parrot.
1t is also considered much smarter
to keep a wildcat now than an Angora.
1 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
one should visit South America or
Mexico and return with wildcat, SO
that ones photograph may appear in
the pictorial supplement-, but il this
cannot be arranged a wildcat should
by all means be secured thru a dealer.
The Margay cat or long-tailed cat of
South America is a good choice, as it
has a striking color scheme, being
grizzly brown or reddish with BLACK
spots and rings. 1t is also said to
yield gracefully to domestication-
; something which is rare among the
wildcat species.
Another picturesque pet from South
America which is being widely adopted
by city jewellers is the coat, a close
} relative to our own North American
raccoon. 1t has the same beautiful
coat, an even bushier tail and a
strangely mobile nose that can be
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 animal, 1t is
the most interesting and amusing pet
he has ever had, keeping him. he says,
! contantly entertained by its ridiculous
antics.
) Also the Pocket Mouse.
: Some people who like pocket pets
have adopted pocket mice, which
/ oddly 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
) small body, it's hind legs so enormous
to it's diminutive feet, and its tufted
tail SO UNEXPECTEDLY long that it has
?, very droll appearance. 1t issaid to be an
| affectionate and agreeable companion,
except for it's habits which cause it
to be very active at night and to sleep
during the day. 1t can be induced to
= change this unfortunate custom, how
ever, if it is fed in the daytime and
r food IS not left in its cage at night.
Women seem to be losing all of
: their traditional fear of mice, If one
' may judge by the heavy demand for
; these creatures at the pet shop. Waltz
: ing mice, especially have lately be-
come almost as popular as goldfish.
I Nature played a cruel joke on these
! little rodents, making it impossible
' for them to travel in a straight line.
1 They are able to move forward only
in dizzy circles, taking two steps back
q 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
I for a pet. trained it to live among the