Dragons, guinea pigs and a rat invade fair

The place was crawling with dragons, hamsters, multiple guinea pigs and the odd box turtle and rat. An Addams Family reunion perhaps?

Neither Uncle Fester nor Gomez were among these well-scrubbed families and pets - Thursday was pocket pet day in the poultry/rabbit barn at the Northwest Montana Fair.

A handful of fur, spines or shell, pocket pets come in all shapes, sizes and temperaments. Christina Williams, mom of participant Nicholas, 9, said she has tried out a slew of them.

Then she discovered bearded dragons, the perfect pocket pets for a household with four boys.

Nothing freaks girls out like a 15- to 24-inch long lizard. But the Williams' bearded dragon has other great attributes, too.

"He's fun to hang out with," she said with a laugh. "He's definitely a couch potato."

Nicholas brought his dragon for the pet judging part of the competition. Spike stood quietly, allowing strangers to stroke his surprisingly soft spines.

"He's usually very docile," Williams said. "But if he gets angry, his neck turns jet black (looking like a beard)."

Two other bearded dragons joined Spike for the pocket pet judging, as well as several guinea pigs and hamsters, a rat and a box turtle. The judging started with Jaimie Davis, 8, and Eliza Diegle, 11, competing with guinea pigs in 4-H junior showmanship.

Moms Heidi Diegle and Linda Davis provided moral support from the risers for Eliza with her pet Daisy, and Jaime with Mr. Popcorn.

"I call him Mr. Popcorn because he likes to jump up and down (like popping corn)," Jaimie explained before the competition.

Both girls said they had gussied up their guinea pigs with baths and manicures for the showmanship event. Neatly groomed themselves in 4-H black pants and white shirts, the young women set their pets on the table before Judge Ginny Traeger.

Traeger, a five-time Exhibitor of the Year, said she has put in more years than she can count putting youth and their animals through their paces. She began the guinea pig showing with asking for a display of pig teeth.

Jaime and Eliza both fumbled a bit on the mouth-opening maneuver.

"I learned you're supposed to lift the top of their mouth(s) to look at their teeth instead of the bottom," Eliza said after the judging.

The girls got back on track, deftly flipping Mr. Popcorn and Daisy over for an underside inspection. They also got a grip on their tiny legs for the mandatory toenail check.

During the questioning portion, Jaime knew that Mr. Popcorn was an American guinea pig while Eliza also had the right answer that Daisy was of Peruvian descent. They then described how they cared for their pets and prepared them for show.

Traeger awarded them each a blue ribbon. Eliza got the rosette for best showman.

"She seemed to have a little more knowledge as she should since she was older," the judge said. "They both will probably be very good showmen next year."

Traeger said both girls earned points for maintaining good eye contact and exhibiting confidence talking to an adult. They had also taken good care of their guinea pigs' coats, a particular challenge for Eliza with her long-haired variety.

The judge was also impressed that the two girls took care of their own pets. Traeger said she asks herself that question as she watches a showman interact with a pet.

"Is this an animal the children cared for themselves or is this a mommy/daddy project," she said.

Following the showmanship, Daisy and Mr. Popcorn returned to their cages to join the other pocket pets for the judging where they stand on their own four feet. The hygienic condition of their cages also counts in this contest.

Traeger said youngsters may bring their pets in travel cages rather their elaborate home set ups. But they must have showroom-clean litter and clean sources of food and water.

She then looks at the pets and their interactions with people.

"I look over how well-groomed they are and see how they react to a hand coming in the cage," she said.

When the sawdust settled, Daisy scored again with Best of Show for guinea pigs. Spike took home a red second place, edged out by a charcoal bearded dragon entered by Sierra Wallner.

Although Kyla Ward's Best of Show rat was the only one entered, Traeger said he earned his ribbon as a clean and friendly ambassador of genus ratus. The judge was a rat booster.

"Rats are very friendly and very intelligent," she said.

Hamsters, by contrast, are famous nippers. Traeger said that's because, as nocturnal animals, hamsters get grumpy with their sleep time disturbed by their diurnal human companions.

"At night, they're ready to go running around in their wheels," she said with a laugh.

If the fair had a category for best name, Kayoko Takahashi's box turtle entry "Hard Case" would have won. A 4-H summer Japanese exchange student, Kayoko, 12, borrowed Hard Case for the fair.

But she has her own as a pet at home in Gunma, Japan.

"She's a tortoise expert," Heidi Diegle, Kayoko's host mom, said.

Kayoko was linked with Diegle's 12-year-old daughter Lillian by 4-H and Hippo Family Club in Japan, as part of her English immersion program. She communicated well with Hard Case, who poked his head out of his shell as she cradled him in her hand.

Judge Traeger said she was impressed with all the 2007 pocket pets and their caregivers.

"All the animals are in good shape and in very clean situations," she said. "That's good to see."

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com