Random FE Universe Questions!

Two, actually. All can be found here: http://www.rhjunior.com/

Lay eggs? What is this, the dark ages? Avian pretnatal care has advanced far beyond dropping an egg in a twig-ridden nest and constantly sitting on it for months to hatch! Nowadays, when an Avian mother is ready to produce an egg she will do so in a clean medical facility. There the child will be transferred to a state-of-the art incubator, which will accelerate the child's growth and hatching process to within 24-72 hours. Meanwhile, the mother is kept comfortable as she recovers with a soft bed and painkillers.

So is laying an egg harder than giving a life birth?

While not every interspecies couple will have pregnancy complications, it has been on the rise as interspecies relationships have become more common. Risk of these complications increase when the reproductive systems conflict with each other-such as between avians, who produce eggs, and mammals, who give birth to live young. This is why it's very important for interspecies couples to consultant a medical professional before trying to get pregnant, and have frequent visits to a doctor during the pregnancy, to monitor the child's and mother's health.

If that's the case, do the birds have Non-Mammal Mammaries

Mr. Cardinal wrote:So is laying an egg harder than giving a life birth?

Everyone knows that's a debate nobody wins. Even scientific studies have given mixed results, with only one common factor: The joy of reproduction is painful, no matter what species you are. However, sometimes bored soccer Moms will compare their most painful birthing complications with each other while watching the fruits of their labors trip over their cleats.

Mr. Cardinal wrote:If that's the case, do the birds have Non-Mammal Mammaries

Not exactly. While female avians do have chest features which appear similar to mammal mammaries, they do not offer milk for their young like a mammal's would. Biologically, they are more like a male's pectorals- and archeological evidence suggests they looked similar to pectorals in ancient times.

Some scientists theorize the change in Avian mammaries was due to the rise of interacting with other species-adapting mammal diet and genes into the circles of Avian ancestors, which over time modified the hormones of females. Others argue the change was evolutional, as a new means to attract more male suitors. Fascinating articles on these and other theories of Avian mammaries can be found in Playbeak and other girly magazines.

I love reading these questions and your responses; it's interesting to think and learn about all these details that don't come up so much in the comics. And world-building is just plain fun, of course.

Anyway, here's another one for ya: Does the FEverse have an equivalent for tattoos? Like perhaps dyeing markings into the fur or feathers? (Less permanent, I know, but also less painful )

Cutekitty wrote:Does the FEverse have an equivalent for tattoos? Like perhaps dyeing markings into the fur or feathers? (Less permanent, I know, but also less painful )

Dyes are more commonly used to change the color of one's headfur, and needs to be redone every few months when the roots start showing. Tattoos are a different-since the goal is to not just color the surface, but alter the actual color growing from within.

Though there are a variety of methods to obtain a tattoo, they all achieve the same basic goal: injecting enough ink into the roots of the hair so that it saturates the rest of the hair's shaft. This is usually accomplished with sticking an extremely fine needle beneth the skin to penetrate the hair's root, through which enough ink is pumped to saturate the entire hair. Though each hair only takes a few seconds, even the simplest design requires penetrating the roots of at least several dozen hairs, which does cause some pain. For Avians, it's the base of the Calamus (or Quill) beneath the skin which gets injected with ink, so the feather's barbs get saturated.

It's a delicate, precise process-but if done properly, the saturated hairs/feathers will continue to grow the injected colors for years. Of course, after the saturated hairs/feathers have regrown several times, the ink will diminish. Those who enjoy their tattooes will visit professionals on a regular basis for touch-ups when the ink starts fading.

What do the different species call a "haircut?"

Mr. Cardinal wrote:What do the different species call a "haircut?"

'Haircut' is only one of the many verbs used to describe trimming one's fur, usually applied to children's finer headfur. As mammals grow older, the term is usually replaced with 'trim,' 'cut' or 'shave.'

Different species's equivelent of 'haircut' depend on what kind of beauty treatment they're getting. Reptiles will 'buff' or 'polish' their scales, while avians will 'pluck' or 'fan' their feathers.

In addition to their own unique terms, a universal verb all species use is 'style.'

Has there been any problems with flea or tick infestations?

The J.A.M. wrote:Has there been any problems with flea or tick infestations?

Fleas and ticks happen, and it's annoying. Once they're found, about a month follows of using an anti-paricite body wash and super-fine combs to get rid of the infestation.

Some people believe fleas and ticks are a sign of poor hygiene, but this is not true. Even the most well-groomed mammal can still get an infestation, and the pests can be harder to get rid of with longer fur. Because of this, it is recommended not to share brushes, hats, or other headgear with your friends.

The most common cases of flea infestations are found in Elementry schools. Nothing's more frustrating for parents to cope with than when their child comes home with a note explaining an outbreak of fleas in their school. Except perhaps a note explaining an outbreak of pinkeye.

Do aquatic species automatically settle near lakes, rivers, or beach fronts? Or if they live inland, would they be instinctively wanting to install a pool in their home?

(otters, beavers, ducks, etc.)

The J.A.M. wrote:Do aquatic species automatically settle near lakes, rivers, or beach fronts? Or if they live inland, would they be instinctively wanting to install a pool in their home?

(otters, beavers, ducks, etc.)

Their ancestors can be traced to cities and towns on the waterfront, but in today's world these species can be found living all over the world. Any any species who lives in a hotter climate (like Vegas) wants a pool in their home. ~

what did the mongols ride? (or were they just horses themselves?)

Come to think of it, what did Hannibal ride on?

Pikachao wrote:what did the mongols ride? (or were they just horses themselves?)

Some of the Mongolic tribes united under Genghis Khan were horses. Others tribes were made up of sheep, goats, camels and yaks.

The J.A.M. wrote:Come to think of it, what did Hannibal ride on?

Hannibal is famous for making a strategic military Alliance with a tribe of warrior Elephants. Whether or not Hannibal himself actually rode the back of a Warrior Elephant into battle is still debated amongst scholars.

BTW. what was G.K. himself???? Why do I come up with the mental image of a large Siberian Tiger???? THE COLONEL

For that matter, what was Hannibal, or just for laughs, Spartacus????

FE equivalents for RW historical figures is a wild exploration. Think Rommel, Ike, FDR, Patton, Hitler[ ] Stalin[ ], Nimitz, Halsey, Churchill, Montgomery, Douglas[Tin Legs] Bader, and on and on. WCJ

Maybe Alexander the Great was a jackal or a fox, though the Bible portrays him as a leopard, and then a goat.

Nebuchadnezzar was portrayed as an Asian lion (with the mane extending to the arms and stomach).

Cyrus the Great was a bear (unsure what species is predominant in the Middle East).

The Romans were............something.....(mix of various species).

Do cold-blooded species exist here? And if they do, do they find it difficult or even life-threatening to function in a winter environment?

Well, we have established that there are reptiles in the FE universe so really, I think the question you're asking is 'Are they ectothermic?'

My guess would be that they are not, instead being endothermic. While they might not maintain the same level of temperature as mammals or avians, a self-regulated temperature would be very important to maintaining an equal level of existence both mentally and physically.

Keep in mind, also, that in the Real World, large reptiles such as alligators and sea turtles are borderline endotherms, simply due to their sheer mass.

THE COLONEL wrote:BTW. what was G.K. himself???? Why do I come up with the mental image of a large Siberian Tiger????

Because he was one.

THE COLONEL wrote:For that matter, what was Hannibal, or just for laughs, Spartacus????

Hannibal, son of Hamilcar Barca, was a brown bear. Hannibal Lector was a canine mutt who looked like a purebred.
The exact species of Spartacus is debated, but general consensus agrees he was Equine.

The J.A.M. wrote:Do cold-blooded species exist here? And if they do, do they find it difficult or even life-threatening to function in a winter environment?

Latrans wrote:Are they ectothermic?

There are reptiles in the FE Universe, and maintaining a healthy weight is essential to maintaining their endothermic capabilities. Those most effected by ectothermic effects are younger reptiles, who are still developing an internal temperature, and reptiles who are underweight. (Most adult cases are found in modeling industries and third world countries.)

I've always thought that former Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León was a mountain lion, but his ancestor, Ponce de León himself, was an African lion.
His successor, Vicente Fox Quesada, would have been a red fox, and his successor, Felipe Calderón Hinojosa would have been a horse (Felipe = Phillip = Phileo-Hippos = "horse lover").

As for our current president, Enrique Peña Nieto, I'm not sure what species he should be....

It's ridiculous I haven't asked this question yet, it's like the first thing I think whenever I read anything furry: can two completely different species have kids together? If so, how does the child's species work?

...or, do different species simply don't find each other attractive and instinctively only seek others of their own species?

Well, I can answer Mr. J.A.M.'s question with this tidbit from page 2 of this thread:

Ellen-Natalie wrote:Even in today's integrated world, many felines prefer to date and marry each other than a different species. However, recent studies have shown that felines in interspecies relationships is on the rise.

And then later on that same page, an answer for Mr. Pikachao's first question, but not the second:

Ellen-Natalie wrote:While not every interspecies couple will have pregnancy complications, it has been on the rise as interspecies relationships have become more common. Risk of these complications increase when the reproductive systems conflict with each other-such as between avians, who produce eggs, and mammals, who give birth to live young. This is why it's very important for interspecies couples to consultant a medical professional before trying to get pregnant, and have frequent visits to a doctor during the pregnancy, to monitor the child's and mother's health.

Another question! Do wooly species (angora goats, sheep, llamas, etc) sheer themselves for the purpose of cloth production?

Do feline species groom themselves by licking?