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Kyoki_Sanitys_Eclipse Inner circle 1513 Posts |
I know that rats are very intelligent animals and can be trained to do many things. They could easily be taught to pick a card. I was wondering if anyone uses them in their shows
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Rook Special user I went to the Magic Cafe and all I got were these lousy 834 Posts |
I've trained rats, but not in my shows (I used to work in a neuroscience lab). You might, however, enjoy this:
http://www.cirquedusewershow.com/
Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.
-Roald Dahl |
Kyoki_Sanitys_Eclipse Inner circle 1513 Posts |
Thanks for sharing. That was interesting
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top_illusionist Regular user USA 146 Posts |
Unless your style is dark, I find rats to be in poor taste in any magic act. A hamster would be a better option. I had a friend who would perform with two rats in his show until the day one of them got loose in his show and bit a girl in the audience.
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damien666 Special user canada 513 Posts |
As someone who has owned pet rats; I can attest to their amazing-ness as pets.
I would say that a pet hamster is far more likely to bite than most domestic rats. If you get a rat very young; they will look at you as their mother.. Mine used to excitedly lick my face when I came home.. they really are just like little dogs However - there is a downside to rats.. the main thing being their very short life expectancy. Most are lucky to make it past the 2 - 3 year range. They can also get depressed if left alone.. they need a lot of attention (they love riding on your shoulder!) Females are better pets than males.. for shows; I would also recommend females if for no other reason than The males have hilariously massive.. umm - sacks. Haha... for real though. Another thing is that almost every rat develops either tumours or a serious respiratory disease called mycoplasma.. which makes it appear As though they are bleeding from the nose and eyes.. but they are wonderful pets!! |
Conus Special user 657 Posts |
I saw a couple of kids perform next to an outdoor Café in the street in Mendoza, Argentina. They carried a pigeon and a rat in a knapsack and did tricks for the crowd. When finished, they opened the knapsack and the animals calmly walked back inside.
They were pretty entertaining and got quite a few tips. |
Peter Loughran V.I.P. Ontario, Canada 2683 Posts |
I’ve used Rats before.
Really easily trained, friendly and well behaved. I think they get a bad rep. Domesticated rats can make great pets and magic assistants. Here is my Electronic Flash Box using a rat: https://youtu.be/a8Y0ED8E8e4 P.
Brand New: - SNAKE BITE ILLUSION
www.masterofillusions.ca Follow me on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/peter.loughran.9 Check out my new movie: www.plasterrockmovie.com www.globaluniversal.com Also visit: www.l2fireworks.com |
Rook Special user I went to the Magic Cafe and all I got were these lousy 834 Posts |
Nicely done! I would love to work with rats, but I'm highly allergic to them. One of the reasons I'm no longer in neuroscience
Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.
-Roald Dahl |
Peter Loughran V.I.P. Ontario, Canada 2683 Posts |
Thanks Rook.
I am highly allergic to most cats, so I get where you are coming from.
Brand New: - SNAKE BITE ILLUSION
www.masterofillusions.ca Follow me on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/peter.loughran.9 Check out my new movie: www.plasterrockmovie.com www.globaluniversal.com Also visit: www.l2fireworks.com |
jimgerrish Inner circle East Orange, NJ 3209 Posts |
In the Wizards' Journal #18, Spellbinder describes an act ("The Big Cheese") that he used to do with mice. He used puppet mice in the act, which were very realistic, and when he ended the trick, he put them into a little cage which switched them for live mice that the kids in the audience loved to visit after the show and feed bits of cheese. I don't think anyone ever caught on to the fact that he was using mouse puppets.
Jim Gerrish
magicnook@yahoo.com https://www.magicnook.com Home of The Wizards' Journals: https://magicnook.com/wizardsTOC.htm |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4848 Posts |
Years ago I booked Tom Yurasits for an SAM banquet and he used a large rat in the act. It wasn't received well partly because food was still being served and the other was one of the attendees was deathly afraid of it and it caused quite a disruption. I guess using a rat all depends on the venue
Where the magic begins
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Rook Special user I went to the Magic Cafe and all I got were these lousy 834 Posts |
Quote:
On Aug 18, 2018, Dave Scribner wrote: Yep, it's for that reason that I always check with the venue beforehand (I often use a snake, which gets similar reactions). When the woman with a bird phobia in the front row reacted strongly to my close-up dove production, it took me by surprise, however.
Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.
-Roald Dahl |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
I was working the "parlor" in the MAGIC CASTLE, a "few" years ago. (Old Jay Marshall line: "Yes, I've worked the Castle! --and, when I can afford it, I'll work it again!)
I had a dove routine, then. It was a fun routine with two doves produced, with lots of "schtick". (The two doves "did" 8 minutes!) When the first dove was produced, a man in the second row, screamed, and ducked. I thought he was having a heart attack. He had a bird phobia. I don't remember, whether he left the room! It was 40 years ago!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
I tried using a rat before in my show. I do not like the constant cleaning.
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Rook Special user I went to the Magic Cafe and all I got were these lousy 834 Posts |
Quote:
Yep, since my little experience, I've spoken to a number of people who have or know someone who has a bird phobia. They each blamed Alfred Hitchcock. Similarly,I suspect that Willard has done no favors for rats.
Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.
-Roald Dahl |
Kyoki_Sanitys_Eclipse Inner circle 1513 Posts |
Thanks for all the responses. I had forgot to check back on this thread. At the time I was planning on using the rat on the streets
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Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
I have used a hamster!
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UneasierQuill New user 17 Posts |
Rats get a raw deal by a million percent. They basically only make it into horror movies and live in the sewers so people think they're gross and dirty. Relatively clean, as far as animals go. They're constantly bathing themselves and really only get dirty or odorous if their humans don't do a good job at maintaining their living space. Pick up a rat and pet it - the moment you put it down it will bath itself to get rid of your dirt on it.
I never used them in a show, but did some training with our rats just to put their intelligence to use, avoid boredom, bond, etc. A couple of really basic video samples that most rats can learn in a day or two of short training sessions. Learning to come when called, and a basket pull up (which is a good trick to chain together with other tricks). On a best gender, I'll put my 2 cents in. I think male rats make better pets. Females almost always develop cancerous tumors - often numerous tumors. Like all cancer, it shortens their lives. A good veterinarian can remove these, but I've found that sometimes they'll regrow or replace the mass within a few days. I've had it happen on a female rat overnight. Eventually, it become a measure of quality of life in that the tumor surgery is a burden. Unfortunate really - wonderful companions. Cancer ducks in all forms. Males, as mentioned above, had an exaggerated set of jewels. I've always had our males neutered. Like most pets, it increases their lifespan, reduces or eliminates "marking" and seems to generally increase their quality of life. I've never had aggressive rates, even housed in a colony. Part of this may be socialization, but a lot if likely the benefits of neutering a pet. I've never had a male develop cancer. |
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