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Pokie-Poke Special user Bensalem, PA 883 Posts |
I normally don't do this kind of magic so I still have a lot to learn, but as I am doing more birthday parties...
I have just gotten 3 mice, thay are calm(for mice) and friendly. Has anyone used them. I was thinking a small dove pan. Will this work? Under no circumstance should the mice be in danger, I got them as pets, putting them to work was an after thought. But thay are So Cute! I think the kids will love them.
www.pokie-poke.com
The Adventure cont... |
jamesl New user 2 Posts |
I am thinking of purchasing some mice as well. Do you have any ideas for their involvement in a children's show and how many to get? Also what sex should I look for?
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N14 New user Netherlands 78 Posts |
Hi Pokie and James,
I own two snakes and a cat. You can not find canned snake food in the pet store. So I feed them rats and mice. I know this sounds cruel, but that's just what snakes eat. And of course I would like to see them alive and healthy in a few years from now. Why am I posting here? As mice and rats being dinner to my pets, I still like them a lot. I also have quite some experience in keeping little mammals at home. I treat them well and buy them toys and nice food. I don't think that they should be treated badly just because they are going to die anyway. Here are just some tips I can give you. + Mice and rats eat everything. Put them for an hour in a little box and they might have eaten a (little) hole in it. They can be real Houdinis. A plastic cage might be broken in short notice. It really depends on the character of the little animal. So be careful with your magic props. + Every mouse/rat has a different personality. Some are very active while others hardly move. Some are very curious while the other is afraid of everything. Etc. But in a dark box (like a high hat, dove pan) they are first restless, but after a short time they will remain calm and stop moving. + Most of the mice and rats drop droppings when they are scared. Keep them in your high hat for a while and people will think you have brown dandruff. + They also pee a lot, especially mice. They pee to warn their fellow mice-buddies for danger. And of course also just because they have to. The urine of mice is worse than the one from rats. Rats really smell less. + Female mice/rats are in general more quiet than the males. But be careful when you buy a female. She might be pregnant. They multiply very fast. + Mice and rats like company from each other, but they can also really fight. If you keep more than a few mice or rats, and one becomes the underdog, (most often the weakest, sometimes because of sickness) he or she might be missing one morning. Like I told before, mice and rats eat everything. + Mice and rats are smart. They learn. Once they found a way out they'll keep on finding it. But this makes them also very suitable for training. Award them when they do something right and punish them when they do it wrong. Pavlov. ---- Just one suggestion. Maybe you can make the mouse find the card, previous selected by a spectator, by the use of smell or taste. Every time he takes a piece of paper with a certain smell and taste (like lemon for example), you reward him with something he really likes. If he picks a normal card, without the smell, you punish him. Performing the trick you just put a drop of lemon on the card you want the mouse to find. I hope all the info is a little useful. Good luck, |
jamesl New user 2 Posts |
Just got my mice today (2 females). They're really cute, although one is more friendly than the other.
James |
David Todd Inner circle 2328 Posts |
Here's an idea that I would like to try with trained mice:
Use the Empire Magic (Loftus) version of the "Rigid Rope" to do a mini-version of the famous Hindu Rope Trick. Show the rope hanging loosely, then cause it to go rigid. The mouse would then climb up the rope and vanish in a flash or a puff of smoke (FISM Flash , UltraSmoke, or some such device), then reappear in a basket previously shown empty. I'm stuck on exactly how to do the vanish of the mouse from the end of the rope. I think I would need to have the mice first, train them to climb the rope and once comfortable with this part of the routine work out a vanish. Off the top of my head I'm thinking that once the mouse initially climbs up the "hypnotized" Rigid Rope that I would take the mouse in hand and do some mumbo-jumbo about hypnotizing the mouse and then replace the now "hypnotized" mouse on the Rigid Rope. (of course, in the process switching out the real mouse for a dummy). That's sort of lame, but I'm trying to picture how to vanish a live mouse off the end of the Rigid Rope. Just a vague notion at this point. Any ideas ? |
Dr. JK Inner circle Sandusky, OH 1191 Posts |
Train him to jump into your topit? Sorry, I couldn't resist!
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Mr Phil Regular user Tilton, New Hampshire 160 Posts |
Or you could sew a snap in it's tail and use a real strong reel. Oh then maybe it would tickle to much.
Woosh!!!! He Hee Heeee!!! Sorry but Joe started it!!!
Mr. Phil & Co.
Quality Family Entertainment, Guaranteed!
(603) 286-3029
WWW.mrphilandco.com
Snail Mail to: P.O. Box 31
Tilton, NH 03276
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Michael Peterson Inner circle is where I'm trapped, because of my 4071 Posts |
You guys need help
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Stevenleeaugust New user 67 Posts |
N14
May I please encourage you to never ever feed live mice to your snakes. My wife has a full care page on snakes at http://www.snakebabe.com/gencare.shtml I hope it will give you a new out look on snake feeding Regards, Steve |
james_magic Regular user Australia 124 Posts |
I have been using an idea for my "Judy the mouse" that I got from a dove book.
It's the effect where you place a dove (in your case a mouse) into a box with a cage style front (bars)and put a bit of wood or metal or whatever in front to cover the mouse, then push a spike throught the cage, and when you lift up the front the mouse has gone. I heard that mice eat wood so maybe if you're good with metal? Hope it helped, James |
Ron Giesecke Special user Redding, Ca. 947 Posts |
I've used a mouse for the end of my cups and balls routine, and while nice.. .it's a lot of trouble for minimalist guys like myself.
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Jason Purdy Regular user 140 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-05-06 10:55, Pokie-Poke wrote: Pokie-Poke, I think you would be fine with a sm. Dove pan. But here are a few other ideas… I used mice in an act once. It was one of the most rewarding experiences in my magic career. I was at the office, the phone rings. It’s a little boy on the other end. He told me that he was from Chesterfield school, and he was calling on behalf of his fourth grade class. I had preformed for this school 2 or 3 times before, but this was different. The class was doing a project on governments. They had a state, and a senate. A “bill” had to be passed (It was pretty involved, especially for a 4th grade class. I was way over my head.) Anyway, they had decided on two ideas for the class. One was to raise money, and purchase two mice and a cage etc. The other idea was to hire me! Well they raised $50.00 and then decided that they wanted a magic show. So this kid calls, tells me the story, and says he has $50.00. He asked if that would be enough money to have me come to their class and do a show. I was touched. It was a heck of a lot less than my going rates, but I thought the whole thing was a neat idea. Besides, I won out over mice! I accepted his offer. At some point in the next few weeks I was thinking about that phone call. I remembered how I could hear the teacher “coaching” the boy during our phone conversation. I was moved so much, that I decided I’d give that class a show that they would not soon forget. I went out and purchased two mice. I named them Thurston and Kellar. I hadn’t had a small rodent since when I was a child. (I once had hamsters.) So I already had a cage. I purchased a good supply of food and toys for my new friends. I spent sometime handling them they were fun. I knew I could not just give then to the class and say, “here you go”. I needed to present them in a magical way. A cleverly simple but effective way, and so I did. The day of the show came. I was saddened by the thought of giving the mice away, but excited in anticipation of the reaction of the class. (Please keep in mind they decided to hire me rather than get the mice.) I was performing; we were all having such a fun time… Then it happened. While I was performing a color changing silk effect suddenly from the folds of the silk a little mouse appeared. For just a moment the room was silent. Then all at once the kids went awaaaaaa…. Then they freaked out! They were so excited! Especially when I explained that sometimes this happens when I perform that trick. I told them that if I kept every mouse that accidentally appeared, I’d be like the pied piper. I asked if they would like to keep him for me. Did they ever! I did a few more effects and it happened again. I was about to perform a card trick. I took out my deck of cards. When I slowly opened the flap, a little nose poked out and started to wiggle around. I dumped the little guy out onto my hand. The kids freaked out with excitement! I received a better reaction from those two mice, than I have ever received for any other live stock production! I told the kids they had better keep him or her too. I said we will name them Thurston and Kellar after two great MAGICIANS Howard Thurston and Harry Kellar. I then told the class that their teacher was going to assign them a project. They were to research and find information about Thurston and Kellar and I would get a copy of their report! A week or so later I got a nice thank you note from the class. There were lots of drawings of me, me producing doves and mice etc. Also included was a note from the teacher apologizing that they have not been able to find any information about the magicians! Well I just thought that would be a fun project for the class but I am sure they had fun trying. Now…. Here is what I did: I worked with the mice. I got them used to being handled. I practiced putting Kellar into an empty card case, and worked with Thurston so he would allow me to hold him in a closed fist. For the show, right before show time, I placed Kellar into his box and had Thurston in a glass. I couldn’t have them escape, which is why I didn’t name them Houdini! To make Thurston appear from the silk was easy. I secretly loaded him into my hand while going behind my table for my magic wand. (I tipped the glass dumping him into my fist.) As I was displaying the silk, I loaded him into it. And that was it. For Kellar (in the box), it was all build up… I was talking about this great card trick. I told them they needed to watch really closely. And when they were watching, I slowly opened up the flap and Kellar made his own grand appearance! It was a fun day! It felt great giving the kids the mice. They were so excited to get the best of both worlds. I had not worked with mice before of since, but I reflect upon it often. Besides my 36 doves keep me plenty busy! I hope this may inspire you with your mice. I think almost any thing is possible with them! Even something as simple as having one inside a card box… No one was expecting it, and it happened on an offbeat. It was great! And I hope you see the hidden moral here. “Always over deliver”. Give the client more than what they were expecting. This one tip is worth everything. ~Jason Purdy http://www.jasonpurdy.com |
Ron Giesecke Special user Redding, Ca. 947 Posts |
Jason,
Great story! Thanks, and that is what I call thinking in economy! --Ron |
Cameron New user Toledo Ohio 32 Posts |
Jason I just have to say that story rocked. I loved it I want to read it for the first time again.
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james_magic Regular user Australia 124 Posts |
I have rats and mice. I wouldn't mind using them for magic either. They are all very tame. Does anyone have any ideas with a rat for a stage production? My mouse would be easier to manipulate, but I think its way too small for stage.
James |
Vibono Magic Special user Växjö,Sweden 647 Posts |
Danish magician Heinz Saxburger does an act using mice. He produces them from a silk and from the "air", he does a mice in lightbulb trick and the vanishing mice cage.
Vibono Mirage
Magic entertainer and Balloon artist |
Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Many years ago before IBM was giving gold medals, a magician/comedian did a act where he had a mouse crawl out of the top of his top hat he was wearing and ran around the brim while he told jokes. He won that year. No magic but they thought it was entertaining.
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muzicman Special user LaCenter, Wa 989 Posts |
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knmagic Elite user 436 Posts |
Muzicman,
Can't see the picture you posted Jason, Great story, Thanks |
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