The Pet Book Foreword to Children 
Another important thing for you to bear in mind 
is that our common wild animals and birds, caught 
when young and reared in a cage, are quite unfitted 
to care for themselves when they are liberated. 
It is therefore far better to let the little creatures 
have their liberty as soon as they are old enough to 
move about freely, and keep their companionship 
by feeding them daily. 
Gentleness and kindness are the two means at 
your command for gaining the love and confidence 
of your pets; and there is no happiness quite so 
heart-satisfying, as that which comes from feeling 
that some little dependent creature looks up to 
you with faith that you are the most beneficent 
being in the whole world. 
One delightful entertainment in connection with’ 
pets is the keeping of a note-book in which is recorded. 
accounts of their cunning actions and clever tricks. 
Such a note-book will ever afterwards be a source 
of pleasure and interest, and many of the observa- 
tions recounted in it may prove of real importance 
scientifically. Such a book may be illustrated also 
if you are clever with your pencil or brush. On 
page 80 is given extracts from one of my own note- 
books devoted to a baby-squirrel. This will suggest 
some idea as to methods of recording animal be- 
havior. 
Study your pets as individuals, for you will find 
that the lower animals differ one from another as 
much as do people. Find by experiment what 
your individual pet likes best, and gratify its tastes. 
If possible, give a variety of food by changing the 
dietary somewhat from day to day; keep the cages 
clean and wholesome, and always provide plenty 
of fresh water. Do by your pets as you yourself 
would be done by, for the Golden Rule works quite 
as well with the lower creatures as with people. 
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