I am looking into the possibility of using some small animals in some of my routines.
Some issues: A topit is a little rough and most animals wouldn't appreciate being chucked up a topit. Any slight of hand is out of the question because the animal would be moving and difficult to manipulate. I want to produce things like mice, butterflies, tarantulas, scorpions from my seemingly empty hands but cannot work out a consistent method. Could anyone suggest anything, maybe a topit would work and has anyone tried it suucessfully, or is there another way, I've heard of Rocco producing butterflies from his hands and seen scorpions and tarantulas being produced on TV so there must be a way. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

The Now You See It, Now You Don't, gimmick that comes with a book and video has a really interesting idea in the book. Making up a "harness" for insects. The harness would be attached to the insect, or animal, in which you would perform the killer move. This is just an idea.

Is this for adults or children?

Never under estimate the utility of the Silk Cabby!

Bob
The Amazed Wiz

Play around with it and design a gimmick.
I do a torn and restored newspaper and then produce a snake from the newspaper light up the newspaper and produce another snake from a dove pan. (then I feed one of my doves to the snake LOL not really) The snakes are about a foot and a half in lenght. The newspaper is gimmicked.
I imagine you could do the same with maybe scorpions (even exactly what I do) and you need about 5 mins to prep it.
If you want to I'll PM it to you but it is so simple it cannot be original so I don't even know who did it first. Not me.

I used to work a little with the white mice, but I must warn you they are very quick and seldom stay still. After practicing with them a number of times I figured the surprise of producing one wasn't worth the risk of one getting away from me in someones house.
I don't think the parties would be rolling in after that fiasco.

I have the same problem with my squirrel. it just runs. Luckily I got it to respond to its name>?>?
Each animal is unique but for mice I suggest what I do with the squirrel.
Get a leash made that fits around the body like a harnass.
Tie the end to something in your prop then they are easy to keep under control and catch if they do run away.

Sounds like a good idea, but do you think that a mouse would chew through it? Has the squirrel?

I don't think I would produce spiders and scorpions at a childrens show.
Stick with cute cuddly animals.

They do chew thru it but you shouldnt leave it on long enough for it to chew thru.
How long is the show? Use nylon rather than leather I don't know if it lasts longer or if they dislike the taste.

I don't think a squrrel would stay in a harness without making a lot of noise and a fuss.

Training and rewards mate.
It doesn't want to but eventually the carrot or sunflower seeds start paying of.
I don't leave it in the harnass all the time. A few minutes a day.
I will use it on stage with music so the sound is almost irrelevant so is the fuss.
It is the fastest little bugger I 've seen ever though but it is getting there slowly.LOL
The best pet I've ever had though except for when the bladder goes.