Pint-sized pals get their day at the fair
<p>Aidan Mannion, 3, of Chicago checks out the winning rabbits before the start of the judging for the Pocket Pals on Thursday morning at the Northwest Montana Fair in Kalispell. In the background are his mother and sister, Karin and Alina Mannion.</p>
<p>Bryce Erbelding, 12, of Kalispell, shows off Onyx, her red-tail boa, before the judging of the Pocket Pals on Thursday morning at the Northwest Montana Fair in Kalispell.</p>
<p>Bryce Erbelding, 12, of Kalispell, removes dirt from her tortoise Harry, before the judging of the Pocket Pals on Thursday morning at the Northwest Montana Fair in Kalispell.</p>
The Northwest Montana Fair isn’t all about farm livestock. The little guys get a lot of love, too.
About a dozen youngsters brought their pet hamsters, rats, chinchillas, guinea pigs, turtles and snakes to the fair on Thursday to show in the Pocket Pals exhibit.
“I just really like snakes,” said 12-year-old Bryce Erbelding of Kalispell, holding her young red-tailed boa, Onyx. “They don’t get as much attention as a dog or cat and they deserve it, I think. Their bad rap needs to be looked at again.”
The colorful and boldly patterned boa had plenty of onlookers willing to take a turn petting him. He was well-behaved, as usual.
“Onyx is the sweetest snake I’ve ever owned. He’s really tolerant,” Erbelding said, adding that he’s not slimy and he’s never bitten or struck at anyone.
Onyx fits the definition of a Pocket Pal. He’s traveled with Erbelding to the movies, Walmart and Target, the pet store, and now to the fair.
The boa keeps Erbelding busy and might not be a Pocket Pal for much longer. He eats two mice a week and keeps outgrowing his cage.
Nine inches long and as big around as a pencil a year ago, Onyx is now nearly three feet long and as big around as a 50-cent piece.
The boa could grow to be as much as 16 feet long, Erbelding said. She hopes to see him hit at least 10 feet.
She’s taken to mowing lawns, walking dogs and shoveling snow to keep her snake fed and housed.
She’s also trying to buy a female companion this winter for her Russian tortoise, Harry, who was also in the exhibit.
Factor in all her other pets — three baby turtles, a crested gecko, fish, two crabs, a horse and a dog — and small animals take up a large part of Erbelding’s time.
“I love animals,” she said.
Ten-year-old Stephen Williamson of Columbia Falls brought out two chinchillas he’s had for two years. The gray one is named Zeo and the white one Snowball.
“They just look cool, like a giant fluffy rat,” Williamson said of his two pets.
Jorden Jensen, 11, Kila, entered his American guinea pig, Blackie.
“I really want to breed her to see if I can get babies so everyone can have a guinea pig. They make great pets,” he said.
Jensen said he has a number of other pets at home.
Those include a corn snake, two dogs, a lot of chickens, nine horses, two frilled lizards, a chameleon, three mountain horned dragons, two White’s tree frogs, 15 rabbits, two cows and a turkey.
As part of the Pocket Pals exhibit, entrants had to tell judges about their little animals.
Jensen said guinea pigs once were kept by British royalty, with servants carrying them around on black silk pillows. “She’s my pet of royalty,” he said.
Sixteen-year-old Brittany Bosley brought her pet rat, Moxie. Her sister Kimberly Luttrell entered her pet rat Minnie and her two chinchillas, Chili and Pepper.
Moxie is an energetic rat with a three-story cage at home. The cage sits next to the cat food, a healthy treat, and Moxie is always busy coming up with new ways to earn or sneak a snack.
“I have a lot of rabbits and just wanted something different to play with at home,” Brittany said about Moxie. She’s had him for about five months.
Jennifer Bosley, their mom, said the two sisters had planned to bring more of their animals, but ran out of time.
“They have 25 rabbits between the two of them here at the fair and 28 more at home, plus cats and dogs,” she said.
Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.