Random FE Universe Questions!

Do the dog-people and cat-people ever fight with each other?

Mr. Cardinal wrote:Do the dog-people and cat-people ever fight with each other?

No more so than any other two species. There was some boring war in France a few hundred years ago, but nobody really cares about it.

Seeing a post here reminded me of a question I thought of while I was at work. Do cats have the ability to purr? And if so, are there any social moors or taboos about it?

Latrans wrote:Seeing a post here reminded me of a question I thought of while I was at work. Do cats have the ability to purr? And if so, are there any social moors or taboos about it?

Cats do have the ability to purr, but they're taught from a young age there's an appropriate time and a place for it. Loud purring can be disruptive and cause confusion in others, especially in a community with several different species. Though there is a variety of subtle emotions which can invoke purring, most non-feline species assume purring is only a sign of happiness. This can cause communication problems, such as when your feline friend is purring out of distress during an argument.

Because there are so many subtle nuances to feline speech, sounds and body language, most felines feel more comfortable among their own species. 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. Those studying this new trend theorize it may have to do with the rise of social media and interacting online, but no solid evidence has been presented supporting this.

Would shedding season be a problem every spring, when all species discard their winter fur coats?

Also, would some rabbits and ermines need two IDs, one for their summer coat and one for their winter coat?

The J.A.M. wrote:Would shedding season be a problem every spring, when all species discard their winter fur coats?

Also, would some rabbits and ermines need two IDs, one for their summer coat and one for their winter coat?

Shedding is a natural part of life. But with good grooming skills and the right beauty products, you can defy nature and be free from the embarrassment that comes from unexpected shedding. At least, that's the campaign slogan for 'UnNatural' brand shampoo and beauty products.

While citizens can obtain multiple copies of their ID with updated photos, it also costs extra money. So most just keep the one they got. Besides, eventually people will stop noticing you have a different coat of fur than your photo, and start noticing how much younger you were when it was taken.

Do birds with flight capabilities need a license to fly? Are they restricted to specific flight paths?

The J.A.M. wrote:Do birds with flight capabilities need a license to fly? Are they restricted to specific flight paths?

Only if they're pilots, as with any other species.

Some scientists have theorized that avian ancesters once could fly-modern avian bones have a different density than that of mammals, and archeologist findings suggest that difference was even more apparent thousands of years ago.

However, nowadays the only places you'll see an avian fly is in movies and comic books.

Ellen-Natalie wrote:
No more so than any other two species. There was some boring war in France a few hundred years ago, but nobody really cares about it.

This makes me curious about any historical changes from our world. I'm assuming that FE's history is very similar to real life history, but are there any major changes in historical events in the FE universe? (I was thinking like major wars being won by different people because of bird people that can fly, but I guess that's been kind of answered already)

I would also imagine that bathroom drains and pool filters would have to be of industrial grade to handle all the loose fur.

And keyboards would need something to cover the gaps between the keys.

From an engineering standpoint, I suspect that there would really be only minor changes. Pools, for example, would probably have a different set of filters than we're used to, with an emphasis on ease of replacement and/or clearing. Keyboards probably wouldn't have a cover in lieu of an integrated sealed design. The concept of not sealing electronics against foreign matter (like fur) may not even occur to people in FE simply because it wouldn't make any sense.

Now if only we already built electronics like that...

Pikachao wrote:This makes me curious about any historical changes from our world. I'm assuming that FE's history is very similar to real life history, but are there any major changes in historical events in the FE universe? (I was thinking like major wars being won by different people because of bird people that can fly, but I guess that's been kind of answered already)

There's a lot of unique wars to be found in FE's history, but the source of their conflicts share the same things you would expect: disagreement in government operations, religous outcrys, territorial disputes, and conflicts from different species learning how to coexist with each other.

These battles shaped the world into what it is today-a world in which American students sleep through their history class.

Ms. Natalie, if I haven't said it already, I love your responses to these questions. They make me chuckle quite often.

Another question (or two)! Do avians lay eggs? If so, does this pose complications with reproduction involving live-birth species?

What does the fossil record look like? Were there anthro-dinos? Are the current species a result of convergent (several markedly different origins growing closer) or divergent (common ancestor that branches out) evolution?

As always, please don't hesitate to pull out Bellisario's Maxim if I'm being a bit too prying. I adore getting into the details of stuff like this, but don't mind reciting the MST3K Mantra if need be.

Do Arctic species find it difficult to interact with other species?



How about aquatic species?

GldnClaw wrote:Are there certain Holidays for each species? If so,what would they be based around

Most known holidays originate from religions, culture, and countries shared by multiple species. However, there are aspects of growing up and coming of age that are celebrated among families-such as when a cervine's adult horns grow in, a canine starts growing their fangs, or an avian begins molting away their baby feathers.

Latrans wrote:Do avians lay eggs? If so, does this pose complications with reproduction involving live-birth species?

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.

Some mothers-to-be insist that the modern miracles of medicine rob you of the bonding that comes from laying and keeping your egg warm yourself. These mothers choose to produce their eggs at home, using a midwife's help to lay and keep the egg warm until the egg finally hatches. However, with the rise of modern medicine, the skills of the midwife have been slowly dying out. In a recent study, a significant number of Avian mothers expressed that they initially wanted a natural home birth, but couldn't find a qualified midwife in their area.

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.

Latrans wrote:What does the fossil record look like? Were there anthro-dinos? Are the current species a result of convergent (several markedly different origins growing closer) or divergent (common ancestor that branches out) evolution?

Many fossils of ancient creatures can be found today, in all parts of the world. The oldest known fossils has been dated to be over billions of years old. Whether these fossils are the remains of savage beasts or civilized cultures is still debated in academic circles. So are the theories of whether these ancient beings were the beginnings of a convergent species or the alternate results of a divergent one. Any young person interested in studying fossils also needs the capacity to defend their findings to skeptical colleagues.

The J.A.M. wrote:Do Arctic species find it difficult to interact with other species?

Not really. Although Arctic species originated from colder countries, over time many have immigrated to warmer countries in hopes of building better lives for themselves and their families. Some stereotypes have been created from others' perception of their different food, language and culture-but overall Arctic species are well integrated into the global population.

The J.A.M. wrote:How about aquatic species?

There has yet to be any evidence of advanced aquatic civilizations found, though it has been a popular topic for fantasy books and films. The most well-known legend concerning aquatic civilizations is the lost city of Atlantis.

Also, J.A.M.-what comic is that?

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.)