The Gang of Five
Beyond the Mysterious Beyond => The Party Room => Ask Me => Topic started by: FlipperBoidSkua on December 24, 2010, 01:51:25 AM
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I am a spazz and proud of it!
After encouragement from Pangaea, I decided to finally put up an Ask Me topic. So any questions you have, I'll be more than happy to always answer! Whooooo!! :smile
General info:
I love animals with an extreme passion. There is no animal I dislike or am indifferent to! Though I'm not as knowledgable as Pangaea, I certainly love dinosaurs and try to learn as much as I can about my favorites. And!.......That's all I'm saying for now! :DD Ask away!
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YES. ANOTHER VICTIM THAT GOT CAUGHT INTO MY EBIL PLAN
Hehe, nice!
What is your favorite color?
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what is your favorite kind of book?
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Rat_lady7:
:lol: Nuuuu! I've been plotted against!!
My fav color is tied between black and red! Though I do enjoy 'peaceful' colors like blue and aqua and such.
Nick22:
Most of the books I read are informative animal books. Fictionwise, I like stories from the point of view from animals, like Raptor Red and Kenneth Oppel's Silverwing series.
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Nick22:
Most of the books I read are informative animal books. Fictionwise, I like stories from the point of view from animals, like Raptor Red and Kenneth Oppel's Silverwing series.
Yikes! More common ground! Those are the exact same kinds of books I most often read! :blink: And the Raptor Red and Silverwing books are some of my favorite xenofiction novels. :wow
Anyway, I'm so glad you started this thread, FBS. :DD Here's my first question. (For some reason, it was the first one that sprung to mind):
Your signature gives me the impression that you're fond of chocolate. :p Do you have a favorite kind of chocolate? (Milk, dark, white, etc.)
EDIT: By the way, if Amy (Rat_lady7) says anything about me being her ebil minion whose job it is to draw in new victims, I deny it. -_- :p
(
[size0]Forgive me, Amy. I couldn't resist. :lol)
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Yikes! More common ground! Those are the exact same kinds of books I most often read! And the Raptor Red and Silverwing books are some of my favorite xenofiction novels.
:blink: Omg....every second I'm getting more convinced that we're long-lost twins or something... Silverwing and Raptor Red are books I've read so many times, I'm probably close to memorizing them. Great to see another person who loves them both too!
Yes, I'm loving the chocolate! I can never have too much. Chocolates are created equally, just some more equal than others! In this case, milk chocolate tops my list, then dark, then white. But I'll be more than happy to eat them all if given the slightest chance!! :D
Double nuuuuu! I've been betrayed! :boohoo :DD
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BWAHAHAHA
Hey, at least I'm nice enough to tell you it was part of an evil plan. :p
And...also.......
MERRYCHRISTMAS!!!
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The spazziness shall triumph over evil!........Or better yet, join your side! :D
MEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYY CHRRRRRRIIIIIIIISSSSSTTTTTTTMMMMMMMAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...to you too!
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The spazziness shall triumph over evil!........Or better yet, join your side! :D
That reminds me… :p As I recall, your favorite characters in LBT (and other movies/series as well, I think) tend to be villains. Who would you consider to be your top ten favorite villainous characters (LBT and otherwise)?
P.S. If you're like me in yet another respect, and have a hard time picking favorites and putting them in order, just an unordered and unnumbered list of however many favorite villains you have is fine too. :)
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What movies are you looking forward to next year?
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P.S. If you're like me in yet another respect, and have a hard time picking favorites and putting them in order, just an unordered and unnumbered list of however many favorite villains you have is fine too.
Yet another thing we have in common! I'm definitely gonna have a hard time with top favorites! My obsessions change a lot and my fav villains changes accordingly. Thus, all of this will be unordered!
In the LBT (Although I don't consider most sharpteeth to be villainous, they'll be added as well):
SIERRA!!! (will always be #1!! The order of the rest changes frequently)
Domeheads from the first movie (they were antagonistic to me and certainly villains in my fanfic! ^^)
Ozzy
Thud (RedClaw and Screech too, but not as much as Thud :p )
Liopleurodon from the 9th movie
Plated Sharptooth from the 5th movie
The original Sharptooth
The Belly Dragger from the 10th movie
And God Pterano from JitteryDragon's poop, just for the heck of it!! :DD
In non LBT (Oh boy, here's the long list....) :
Venom, The Green Goblin, Carnage, The Lizard, and Doc Oc from the Spider-Man franchise
Rattlesnake Jake from Rango
XD001, aka Shadow Lugia, from Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
Arceus from Arceus and the Jewel of Life
Lord Shen from Kung Fu Panda 2
Badrap, Spittor, and Haxx from Extreme Dinosaurs
Cama Zotz and Goth from the Silverwing series (Brutus and Atlas from the cartoon series, which I didn't like as much as the books)
Thumper and Hopper from A Bug's Life
Evil Flippy from Happy Tree Friends
AUTO from WALL-E
Randall Boggs from Monster's Inc
The Anglerfish and Barracuda in Finding Nemo
Nag from Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Kaa from the Jungle Book
Xenomorphs from the Alien movie series
Carnotaurs from Disney's Dinosaur
Leopard Seals from every penguin movie they're featured in
The Skuas from Happy Feet
The wasps from the Ant Bully
Cufflingk from Valiant
Lance (Falconfly), Gill and Butch(Lurkfish), and Zaga(Silverspider); antagonistic more or less in each of their respective episodes of the Future is Wild cartoon that was based on the documentary
Imperfect (1st form) Cell from Dragonball Z
The many Acrocanthosaurs in Raptor Red (though the deinonychus' were cool too)
Jafar's Cobra Form in Aladdin; that snake stuff was awesome!
Every villainous dragon I know of! Any hardcore dragon for that matter...
Jetsam and Flotsam in The Little Mermaid
Shenzi, Ed, and Banzai from the Lion King
Hades, Panic, and the Hydra monster from Hercules
The Demon Sorcerors and El Chupacabra from Jackie Chan Adventures
Komodo Dragon, the various Crocs and Gators, and the Stoat from the Wild Thornberrys
Davy Jones and the Kraken from Pirates of the Caribbean
Cretaceous and the vultures in Ice Age: The Meltdown
Rudy from Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
The Basilisk and Aragog from Harry Potter (I'm not a fan of the series, but regardless how could I not like a giant snake and spider?)
The infamous Freddy Krueger
The Great Animal from the Swan Princess (the actual giant bat creature, not the human form!)
The rogue bear from The Fox and the Hound
Falcon from Stewart Little 2
Imhotep from The Mummy
The Termites in Antz (though not true villains, they were considered enemies)
The 'Mites from the crappy Sci Fi movie Alien Apocalypse
The Martians from War of the Worlds (the book; though I did like the aliens from the most recent movie)
The termites, the slave-makers, and the ant lion from the book Empire of the Ants (again, just antagonistic critters just doing what's natural)
Scroop from Treasure Planet
Viral Cherubimon in Digimon (I like the fourth season one the best)
Diablo from Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Shan Yu from Mulan
Grumpy from Land of the Lost
The witches from Hocus Pocus
The rat and Si and Am from Lady and the Tramp
All the predators of the Jurassic Park movies
The Smokers and Hunters from Left 4 Dead
The Robber Fly from the book Tale of Buster Bumblebee
Bowser and the Koopalings, along with the bad Paratroopas and Hammer Bros. from Mario
I'm sure I'm forgetting some and will add them to the list when I remember...... This isn't even including my numerous OC villains nor the 'predators' of documentaries like:
Dimetrodon from Walking with Monsters; Liopleurodon, Postosuchus, and Allosaurus from Walking with Dinosaurs; and Ambulocetus from Walking with Prehistoric Beasts
The Allosaurus and Nanotyrannus in Jurassic Fight Club (episodes Hunter Becomes Hunted and T-Rex Hunter)
Deathgleaner bat from the Future is Wild (plus the species I've mentioned already)
The Daggerwrist and Skewer from Alien Planet
Dragonfly from Dinosaur Planet: Alpha's Egg
And I bet there's more of those I forgot to mention too. And those are also just the villains/antagonists/predators I'm obsessed with. The list will just never end!! :smile
What movies are you looking forward to next year?
I never paid much attention to what movies will be coming out :D But if its for future movies in general, I'm anxiously waiting for these confirmed movies: Happy Feet 2, Ice Age 4, Jurassic Park 4, and Monsters Inc 2.....though I'm not all too sure how reliable the Jurassic Park confirmation is...
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Wow…That's some list. :o
What are your other fandoms (as in movies, TV shows, book series, etc. of interest) besides LBT? :)
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And there's lots more where that came from! I just can't remember every villain/antagonist I fell in love with throughout my life. :DD
What are your other fandoms (as in movies, TV shows, book series, etc. of interest) besides LBT?
There's lots, but there are major ones that occur most often and that I will never lose love to no matter my obsession. The Silverwing series and Raptor Red are a couple of them! And the Wild Thornberrys, the Ice Age movies, and Happy Feet. Extreme Dinosaurs has always been with me since childhood. Pokemon and Digimon to a lesser extent (I care more for the actual creatures than the human characters or plot-line; and even then, only a very few 'monsters' earn my love). Plus any dinosaur series documentary: Walking with.... series and Jurassic Fight Club (As shown in the previous list, I can and do love certain specific dino individuals). And the Future is Wild, both document and cartoon, is carved deep in my list. Not to mention a giant RP I'm doing with a friend using all the OCs I've ever created.... :blink:
There's a lot more fandom's than that, but these are the most....permanent, so to say.
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Do you like to read books? If so, do you have a favorite genre?
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Huh, I didn't get an e-mail notification of a new post.... Oh well!
Yes, I love reading books!! I think my fav genre is nonfiction books on animals, as those are the ones overtaking my pile of books, which in turn are invading my entire dresser-top and closet....
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what is your favorite series of fiction?
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Huh, I didn't get an e-mail notification of a new post.... Oh well!
That happens, try clicking the subscription link (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?act=Track&f=49&t=8986) again, then try it.:)
Anyway which is your favorite of the Ice Age movies, and did you know a fourth (http://iceage.wikia.com/wiki/Ice_Age:_Continental_Drift) is in the works?
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what is your favorite series of fiction?
Book-wise? SILVERWING SERIES FTW!!! :lol:
That happens, try clicking the subscription link again, then try it.
Anyway which is your favorite of the Ice Age movies, and did you know a fourth is in the works?
Thanks again, Adder! Hopefully it'll work again!
Tie between the second and third. I love all three movies (the first was cute and had so much emotion in it while still being funny!), but the second and third had characters that appeal to me the most: Cretaceous, Maelstrom, and those vultures in the second movie; Rudy, Mama T-Rex, and Buck in the third. I just can't decide which of those I like better.
I heard there was a fourth one; earlier believing it was a rumor, but then seeing signs that it wasn't; now it's on my list of sequels I can't wait to see. I hope Buck and some reptilian characters will be in that one too.
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Can switching to Geico really safe you 15% or more on car insurance?
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Did the little piggy cry "weeweewee" all the way home?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F_G2zp-opg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F_G2zp-opg)
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:lol :lol :lol I've never seen that one before! I only saw the drill sergeant and the woodchuck ones! Thanks for sharing it!!
As for your question....... *epic seriousness!!!* you must not question the talking gecko of cuteness! (I really do find that gecko adorable!) :DD
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It's a classic! :wow And I like the drill sergeant one too. ^_^ I'd love to be that type of a therapist! xD
I defy the epic cuteness that is the Geico gecko! >:D
Have you ever heard of this band?= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otep (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otep)
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I hate that commercial. It gives me a headache.(http://i5.ifrm.com/1019/134/emo/wacko.gif)
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Personally, I'd laugh if I had a therapist like that! Though I doubt he'd be getting
paid by me!
Nuuuu! The gecko of cuteness has been defied! What is this world coming to!? :lol:
Otep? No, but now that I see the words "heavy metal", I'm definitely gonna check it out!
I hate that commercial. It gives me a headache.
I suppose that weeeeeeeee thing can get on one's nerves. I think I feel sorry for the mom and kid now...
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Which LBT fan fictions have you read?
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Hmmm.... *scrolls through FF.Net and stuff*
The Revenge trilogy
Ptyra's story whose title I can't recall at the moment (actually read that one on these forums)
Chomper's Dilemma and The Taste of Revenge from The Friendly Sharptooth
Land Before Time: The Return of Sharptooth
Chomper's Fishing Lessons
A Struthiomimus's Touch
Land Before Time: Pterano's Return
I'll Be With You
Land Before Time: Twilight Valley
My Little Girl
Their Retribution
Vengeance
Journey to the Island
Hunger
A Mother's Passing
Don't Tease Chomper
The Great Valley Adventure Parody
Land Before Time: Time of the Hippies
Superbeast
Land Before Time: A Sharptooth's Tale
The Happy Threehorn (This one was hilarious!)
Tales from a Threehorn
The Big Quarrel
Land Before Time Mockumentary
The Hunt for Ducky's Voice
Plus a few others I can't find and probably have been deleted, which is a shame.
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^ Wow. I haven't even heard of a lot of those. :blink: I've definitely been off FF.net for too long…
Relating to that last question, which LBT fanfictions have you read on this forum so far?
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:lol FF.net's been getting a lot of activity lately, which is a good thing for me!!
I mostly don't read the fanfics on the forums; I'm mostly focused on finding people's fanart in that section. However, I do click the ones familiar to me (Like the Revenge stories) to see what others are commenting about it (I love reading feedback so much that I'll read the feedback of a story that isn't mine! :smile ). Only story I read that seems to be exclusive to this site was Ptyra's fanfic and only cause I couldn't find it in FF.net. :D But if there's a good story here (that's not present in FF.net) that one thinks would catch my attention (like it has my fav characters, is hilarious, etc), then I'd probably be more than happy to read it. :)
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I can't remember for certain if you said you've read them before (perhaps I'm thinking of someone else), but I highly recommend “The Rise of Storm Tide” and its sequel, “Far Away Home”, by Caustizer. :yes (There are several antagonist and antihero-type characters in those stories that I think you'd like. ;))
Have you read Darkwing, the prequel (by 65 million years :p) to the Silverwing series?
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"The Rise of Storm Tide" and "Far Away Home". I'm definitely gonna take a look at those! Thanks! *is loving the word antagonist and antihero!*
Yup! I have all four books front and center in my book collections. All of them pretty worn from how often I read them *understatement*. Darkwing's in the best condition not because it's my newest, but cause it's hard-covered! :DD Firewing has it in the worst of conditions, falling apart and held together by tape all over. That's what happened when I'm in love with Cama Zotz and wouldn't put the book down....
As for Darkwing itself, I loved it! So much, I named an OC villain of mine Carnassial (surprisingly, the name fits my OC as much as it fit Carnassial himself)! I love the scene with the Diatryma....and of the red-fanged shrews... and EVERYTHING!! I even wrote a fanfic on FF.net concerning Aeolus' death.
I'm hoping the rumors of another book in the series are true....
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I even wrote a fanfic on FF.net concerning Aeolus' death.
Riiiiiight! I forgot; I think I read that once. :slap :P: I don't remember it very well, but it kinda should have been a tip-off that you'd read the book. :oops :p
This brings me to another question: were you at all thinking of the bird character in Darkwing (whose name was Teryx) when you came up with the name for your LBT Archaeopteryx OC, or are the names the same by coincidence? (I'm guessing you primarily based it off his species name; I really like the name, either way. ;))
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Awwww, you read it! I'm happy!! :DD
Nah, I wasn't thinking of Darkwing Teryx when I thought of LBT Teryx's name. I just tried to choose a name from the species thing, and it was either that or Archie, which has already been taken.... It was a little after I named the character did I remember Darkwing's Teryx! :smile After that, I thought it was funny.
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I've posted a couple new sets of photos in my Twin Cities (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=8654&st=20) vacation thread since you last commented. Have you seen them yet? :)
Also, since you seemed to like the photos in that thread so much, I suggested that you might enjoy my Washington, D.C. (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=6279) vacation thread. Have you had a chance to look at that? :angel
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Oooooooooo!!! Must....click.....links!!!!
*clicks Twin Cities links and......*
KOMODO DRAGON!!!! I LOOOOOOOOVE THEM!!!!!!!
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Do you believe you are spiffy? :D
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Depending on the definition! :^.^: I'm too weird to be cool and too messy to be neat! :lol:
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Hehe,
Can you define what you believe is "weird" and "messy"?
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:lol Weird is not following the set ways of society!! FREEDOM!!! :DD I remember a quote somewhere, but I can't recall where it came from:
"Weird is the same as different, which is the same as unique, so weird is good!" :D
Messy....I'm highly disorganized and my room is all cluttered up with stuff!
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Do you own (or have you ever owned) any pets? :)
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Yes!! We love pets!!
In the past:
-A cat named Fluffy
-A pug named Justin
-A Beta Fish named Rainbow
-Several budgerigar birdies (I never could tell them apart at the time...)
-A soft-shelled turtle named Morphius (I called him Morphy)
-A ferret named Spazz (I named her that myself :^.^:)
-2 gerbils named Fuz-Bal and Boba
-A chinchilla named Fudge
-2 sugar gliders named Shoogy and Gliga (my not-so-creative sister named them)
- A bearded dragon named Monster (Mom named him as she's not fond of reptiles)
- A Milksnake named Terror (again from my mom :rolleyes: )
-A rat named Marble
-Various insects, each of which I named and cared for individually
Each of them either lived their life, died in freak accidents, or were given away when we had to move to California with their strict laws on what pets we could have... I miss all of them sooooooo much :( For several, I even wrote stories in honor of them.
Currently:
-A few pet insects (2 mantis' and 5 tiger beetles as well as an antlion)
- My two ratties Caramel and Domino (the latter of which is the newest member of the household to keep Caramel company since Marble died.... :cry)
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Wow. Those are some interesting pets! :wow Sorry about the ones you lost. :( Do you have any photos of them? If you do, there’s a thread (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=834) in the “After Midnight” section where members can post photos of their pets. (I’m long overdue for posting some new photos myself. :blink:)
New question: Do you find that you’re more of a cat person or a dog person?
P.S. I added the following message to my previous post just before you posted your answer, so I’m reposting it here in case you didn’t see it:
Here's another LBT fanfiction I didn't think to recommend to you before: The Cold Time (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=136) by Malte279, who also has another excellent, uncompleted fanfic titled “Old Threehorns” that he has not posted (though it does have an art thread (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=4168)) but will probably be glad to send to you by e-mail. :yes (He started writing them before LBT VIII and X were released, so one thing you might like about the latter is that it's a story about Cera's family that has no Tria or Tricia. ;))
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Man! I'm jealous that you have rattiekins and all of those pets! :wow
If your cat lived with your rats or other exotic pets, did he/she get along with them?
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They are interesting and fun in their own ways. Some I decided to get for the most unlikely reasons, e.g. I got the sugar gliders cuz I saw some lady ranting on how much they suck as pets and I wanted to see for myself (they make wonderful loving pets! I have no idea what that lady was talking about); the antlion I got because of this very short, amusing little video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwqVWUSNIxg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwqVWUSNIxg)
Yeah, I try to comfort myself with the thought that the ones left behind when we had to move (consisting of Morphy, Spazz, Fluffy, the gerbil and sugar glider duo, Fudge, Terror, and my little insects) are being well taken care of and living happily. Especially Fluffy as he's the only one we left in a shelter cause none of our friends wanted a cat. Dad was only making us choose one pet and it was the hardest decision I ever had to make. :cry I decided to take Marble and Caramel as Dad had planned to leave them in a petstore, where I knew they'd most likely be sold as snake food or something and I can't stand that thought!
If I can find some of the old photos, I can post them! I know for a fact we have several of our pets: one of Fluffy rolling on the floor and looking adorable, of Justin playing tug-a-war with my ear (thank goodness he was gentle), of Spazz's first birthday where she's stepping all over her 'cake', Fuz-Bal nom-noming on her favorite cardboard tube, Monster chilling on my shoulder and keeping me company as I do homework, Shoogy and Gliga clinging to my sister's head and face (that was a fun one! :lol ), Fudge in the middle of one of his dust-baths, and Marble and Caramel being the sweethearts they are and trying to help me open my Christmas present. I recently tried to take pics of my buggies as well. One of the tiger beetles accidently slammed head-on into camera and all I gotten was a blur (I dunno how bug photographers do it; these beetles just move too much, too fast!); he's okay after the collision, though I like to imagine some confusion afterward, like "where the heck did this giant flashing box come from?!" :lol My mantis' kept climbing onto the camera whenever they catch sight of it, though the male preferred jumping away from it. All anyone will probably see of my antlion is his hunting pit in our bowl of multi-colored sand (though the swirls he makes are very pretty!).
New question: Do you find that you’re more of a cat person or a dog person?
That's a hard one, I love them both soooo much. Um....probably leaning a bit more to cats. I had more positive experiences with them when I was younger. Almost all the cats I met were playful and friendly, a few keeping their distance. Of course, I met a lot of friendly, playful dogs, but a few actively attacked my sister and one chased me when I was riding my bike (it was my neighbor's dog, which I knew was mean). I never pedaled so fast in my life :blink: .
Ooooo! New fanfic recommendations! I read one story from Malte on FF.net and I liked it! I should check this one out too! And the Threehorn one sounds interesting (I don't like Tria and Tricia at all and thought the movies were better without them). BTW, I forgot to thank you for telling me (unintentionally) of the book Dinosaur Wars! I read one of your posts mentioning it and I decided to check it out myself. I'm not very far in it, but I like what I read so far! :^.^:
Man! I'm jealous that you have rattiekins and all of those pets!
If your cat lived with your rats or other exotic pets, did he/she get along with them?
I love my rattiekins and now I can't possibly think of life without them! They're such sweethearts and the girls I've gotten are typical of female ratties, aka they're just as spazzy and fun-loving as I am! :lol: I'm thinking of getting boys too (certainly not in the same cage as my girls; I don't want Caramel and Domino being moms!!), since they're adorably lazy lap-rats.
Fluffy knew Caramel and Marble and he, being the laid-back little puffball he was, didn't seem to have the slightest predatory interest in them. We had taught him to behave around our smaller pets and he seemed to understand the ratties were off-limits. So when my ratties are on the loose, having fun and getting into mischief, Fluffy just watched and left them alone. Caramel and Marble, having learned that Fluffy's one of the family, loved him and actively seeked him out to try and play with him. Then it's the comical scene of Fluffy trying to escape their attention. I guess he thought he'd get in trouble if he interacted with them or something. I certainly wouldn't recommend leaving them alone together, but if introduced correctly, they should get along with supervision. At least mine did.
Spazz and Fluffy got along just as well. Spazz too would try to play with Fluffy, though Fluffy was less enthusiastic with games. He also seemed annoyed when Spazz would take food from his bowl (even when he's in the middle of eating!) and steal his cat-toys to hide with her other buried treasure (I still miss that little kleptomaniac :DD ! She stole my dad's quarter collection!!). But they seemed to be good friends in that Fluffy sometimes turned the tables and 'ambushed' Spazz for a rough-and-tumble game.
Fluffy and the gliders pretty much ignored each other, though sometimes they would give Fluffy a heart-attack when they unexpectedly try to land on him. :lol
He would sometimes come up to sniff and paw at one of our gerbils, but immediately walked away when he gets their attention and gerbils think he wants to play. He's a spoil-sport!
Reptile-wise: He and Morphy had minimal interaction given that Morphy spends most of his time in his water tank. But sometimes we take him out for some genuine sunlight and he would tuck his head in his shell whenever Fluffy (or anyone for that manner) came close (one notable exception is when he actually charged at Spazz, who bounded off into her little war dance, dooking happily). Fluffy only met Terror once in the initial introduction, but our little snake felt threatened, so we made sure not to stress him out anymore. When Monster was still alive (*snifflies* He was my favorite reptile pet; any who wants a calm, friendly, seemingly-affectionate reptilian pet, I highly recommend the bearded dragon!), he had a few Close Encounters of the Mammalian Kind and he tolerated Fluffy, letting the kitty paw and sniff at him, though he did hiss once or twice when Spazz made a hyper-active approach.
They may seem insignificant, but I like to include my buggies into our family introductions! :D At the time we had Fluffy, we had our usual mantids and tiger beetles as well as a few other species. They only met each other on the introductions, after which we kept them seperated from our other pets. The mantis' each threatened Fluffy with flared wings before deciding that he's just a living bush to be climbed on (that last part freaked Fluffy out!). The tiger beetles (each held so they can't run off and be lost somewhere in the house hold; they're reeeeaaaallllllyyyy hard to catch) actively tried to bite Fluffy with their nasty-looking jaws (brave little buggers). As for our additional insects: our stag beetle ignored him, our assassin bug tried to 'bite' him and actually stalked and pursued him a little, and we kept Fluffy well-away from the ant-farms in case he would knock them down.
Man, thinking of all this makes me cry a bit :cry . The memories live on and I don't think I'll ever forget any of them. Sorry about the long post, I love talking about my pets despite the tears it risks bringing on.
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*reads entire post with rapt interest* Wow. Again you have all my sympathy for the pets you had to part with, and I’m sorry about the sadness the memories bring on, but I loved reading this. Some of the stories you described were so funny! :lol I also envy you; I don’t think my family has ever owned pets that got along with each other. (And I would love to own a bearded dragon someday…)
The insect part didn’t seem insignificant to me. I’m actually very interested and curious about them, like where you got them, what specific species they are (if you know), what you feed them, how you house them; how you care for them in general. (This is a new question. ;))
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Our pets were spazzes! :lol They rubbed off on me, or vice versa! I guess it depends on the personalities on whether they get along or not (any scientist who claims animals have no emotions or personalities has obviously never owned a pet before). We always try to foster good relationships between our animals (treating them whenever they behave), and respect when one of them just doesn't get along with the others (poor Terror was the one being terrified). And of course, keeping certain ones completely away from another that they'll be a danger to (Spazz never knew we had ratties as I've seen those videos on youtube showing how ferrets will viciously attack a rattie even when they've never seen one before). Given Spazz's ADHD personality, we trusted her far less than we trusted Fluffy when it came to predatory instincts. And you should get a beardie, the best lizard one could ask for once it's socialized! Monster and I used to spend hours a day just chillin' on our quiet time together. After the hyperactive-ness of most of my pets and the usually hilarious drama that goes with it, it's good to just end the day relaxing and doing some quiet tasks like reading and writing while the lovable lizard sits on your shoulder or head or tummy if your laying down. :) Then while we were on vacation on a Disney cruise to the Bahamas, tragedy struck the household. The pet-sitter didn't notice that Monster's heating lamp broke and, being a desert dweller and in desperate need of high temps, Monster didn't last too long before......... :cry We found him laying on his basking rock and I thought he was sleeping. Then, when it was time for our evening chilling time, I finally realized he wasn't going to wake up. I couldn't stop crying for weeks... *is tearing up right now as I'm typing this*
I'm sorry. *wipes away tears* Maybe I should move to a less depressing subject... *bucks up and tries to resume my spazzy personality as my buggies certainly brought happiness with their memory*
The insect part didn’t seem insignificant to me. I’m actually very interested and curious about them, like where you got them, what specific species they are (if you know), what you feed them, how you house them; how you care for them in general. (This is a new question. )
*has taken a few minutes break in replying to cheer up and is finally ready to reply with renewed spazziness!! :) * Yay! Someone who finally appreciates insects!! Now.....prepare for a very long and very detailed post containing the wisdom that I gained via my experiences, Fwee-fwee-fwee-fwee-fwee-fweeeeeee (that's my menacing evil laughter :lol )!! Most of my insect pets were either ordered off the internet (as is the case of my more exotic specimens), gotten off the wild, or gifts from friends when they visit some foreign place. And the majority of them live very short lives, though I'm not too sure of the lifespan of some (e.g. the assassin bug, the ant queen, etc.)
The Mantids: Before we moved, I truely had some interesting species. One was a bizzare Indian Rose Mantis humorously named Twiggy and the other a gorgeous Devil's Flower Mantis named Aithne. I got these pics off the internet and are not pics of my actual pets, but it pretty much shows what they looked like:
Rose Mantis:
(http://www.dannesdjur.com/bilder/gongylus_gongylodes_1.jpg)
Devil's Flower Mantis:
(http://www.smileyland.com/picturethis/images/Devils_Flower_Mantis.jpg)
The others were more common species, like the Chinese Mantis and the Carolina Mantis. The two I have currently are both Giant Asian Mantis' (brother and sister from the same egg case; of course kept in seperate quarters; their siblings I let free in the backyard for 'pest control'). They're each kept in their own good-sized 'Pet Keeper', for the lack of better words. Inside, it's equipped with some vegetation and sticks and I mist it according to individual needs. I feed them feeder crickets (which in turn has no carrots in their diet! Carrot-fed crickets are dangerous for mantids to eat!) and other insects I find in the petstore and the occasional fly that enters our house (I even have a schedule on who gets to eat it, both for the mantis' and my other predatory bugs). For variety, I also give them very-rare 'treats' of jam or honey when I take them out for interaction; they lick it off your hand and will continue licking your now sweet and salty skin; they also enjoy cooked piece of meat, which is also given in great moderation. Handling them is very easy, I dare say they're relatively smart bugs as they seem to be able to tell the difference between my sister (who never has food and they treat as a threat) and myself (who always gives them their food and they willingly climb onto my hand). Sometimes, they were a bit more rebellious and, only if I absolutely HAVE to bother them (like when it's time to clean their homes), I hold my hand vertically over their heads and they usually climb on by instinct. All the mantis' were gotten off the internet.
Tiger Beetles: Most were six-spotted tiger beetles. Again I had exotic varieties before I moved. My forever-traveling friend (well aware of my love for tiger beetles) got me a couple of Green Tiger Beetles from Europe, but my most gorgeous one was a Japanese Tiger Beetle she's given me after returning from another one of her trips (along with the perserved body of the notorious and pwnsome Japanese Giant Hornet!!). That one was a multi-colored beauty!! Again, these images are from the internet, but sums up the whole thing (what I wanna know is how do the photographers keep them still long enough to take pictures?! All my attempts end in blurs!!)
Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle:
(http://www.dpughphoto.com/images/green%20six-spotted%20tiger%20beetle%20penny%27s%20bend%2042007.JPG)
Green Tiger Beetle:
(http://www.arkive.org/media/F4/F4971B34-6484-4CED-B3AC-A124D16DC527/Presentation.Large/Green-tiger-beetle.jpg)
Japanese Tiger Beetle, my most prized beetle for obvious reasons:
(http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/psudochromis/psudochromis0709/psudochromis070900004/1574094-japanese-tiger-beetle-cicindela-japonica-real-colors.jpg)
I'm envious of those who took the pics.....Maybe I should hire a professional to take pics of mine. Currently, all five I have are six-spotted and live in an aquarium together. It's sandy and vegetation is scarce to give them room to run. There's a few burrow-like places for each to take shelter at night. I mist them, though they don't seem to need it too much. They eat feeder crickets and wingless fruit flies, and I also give them ants and moths and flies that stray into our house. In fact, the beetles seem to be more interested in food that puts up a fight; maybe the movement catches their attention more keenly....Anyway, whoever gets the 'treat' depends on behavior (my failed attempt to get instinctual critters to behave :D ); the first one who doesn't try to attack the tweezers gets the treat.....but unfortunately, they don't seem to be as 'trainable' as the mantids, and are nowhere near calm enough. It's a hastle trying to catch them in their own tank and I leave them in a mini-version tank when I need to clean their home. They've bitten me several times, and their jaws are strong enough to draw blood from my finger and it hurts a lot, but I don't hold it against them as I know they're just trying to defend themselves. While they're not big on handling, they're very amusing to watch and I notice that one of mine (which I call Jolt) is very....clumsy. He (or she, it's harder to tell male and female for these beetles than for the mantids) always bumps into things and winds up on his/her back all the time. I know tiger beetles move so fast that they go blind, but this is ridiculous! :lol Luckily, he/she always recovers as if nothing happened and seems to be in very good health, so I just take it as a quirk. :^.^:
My Stag Beetle: I only had one before we moved and he was a monster-sized bugger! Again, my traveling friend got him from Japan, claiming he's one of the notorious bug-fighting champions. I highly doubt that, but whatever. I named him Takeo, as it seemed to be a fitting name in that it means 'strong, valiant male' in Japanese. I'm not sure what species he was but he was very strong and very impressive. Though it doesn't hurt when he 'clamps' my hand with his mandibles, I could actually feel the lifting power (I let him believe my hand's a rival beetle whenever he gets fighty, and I always let him win, probably to make him feel good :lol ). But he's a calm pet, much like my mantids, and didn't seem to care for interaction as he just chills wherever I put him (probably because he's nocturnal and I usually take him out during the day). If I could risk anthropomorphizing (spelling?) him, I'd say he's the strong, silent, 'nothing-fazes-me' type. I kept him in an aquarium as well, though not as big as the one that holds my tiger beetles. I tried to make it as 'forest-floor'-like as I can (since I didn't know his species, I tried to generalize his habitat to the best of my knowledge) and it seemed to fit his needs. I took him out to feed him; his diet consisted of the juice of soft fruits, like melons and over-ripe mangos. I also give him sugared water and honey to mimic sap as best I could. He, along with most of my bugs left behind, was given to a family friend who loves insects and is an entomologist.
My Assassin Bug:
Insert internet image!! :DD
(http://static-wtb.cheshirecat.net/images/wheel_bug_dinosaur.jpg)
His species was a wheel bug, and he lived in a Pet Keeper like my mantis'. I had put in vegetation and flowers and such to imitate a typical backyard garden. I carefully fed him the usual feeder bugs in the petstore and the treats I caught in the house. He's particularly fond of any caterpillars I find outside. I keep contact with him to a very minimal as his bite is very, very painful (my sister is full on scared of him cause he bit her) and his almost two-inch size (rough estimate)made him even more formidable. I took his behavior to be quite aggressive as I'm sure you remember what I said in the Fluffy encounter. On the very rare times I've handled him by bare-hand, I kept a very close watch on his beak to make sure it wasn't moving to bite and I listened for any raspy sound he made when feeling threatened and I was sure never to grab him and let him move at his own free will. I don't recommend this species or any assassin bug species for beginners as they're very touchy and potentially deadly to those who might be allergic. He was taken from the wild as a nymph and I cared for him to full size. Luckily, my entomologist friend was more than willing to risk caring for him as he had several assassin bugs himself.
The Ants: Had four tanks, three of which I dunno what species; one ant farm had black ants; one had red; and the other had brownish looking ants. A typical ant farm and I fed them basically anything and everything! There's not much exciting things to be said other than that the fourth was a slightly 'make-shift' ant farm consisting of my favorite types of ants: the Amazon slave-makers. I couldn't help myself and prepared for the violence and chaos I was going to see during the whole process. Following the instructions of how to build an ant farm (with a few quirks), I bought a fourth experimental ant farm consisting of a very young and very small colony of black ants, then actively searched out the nest of the yellowish-red slave-making ants I frequently watched while walking to school and back (this frequent observation contributed a huge part to my liking of them). I dug up their nest for the queen and took as much warriors, slaves, and young as my containers can hold without killing them (the Amazon warriors and the queen were temporarily kept seperate from the slaves and the young). I then put all the warriors and their queen into the black ant farm. Needless to say, this ended in big confrontation and the deaths of many ants, though more black ants were dying than slave-makers (it was like watching 30 Hornets vs 30,000 bees on youtube, but ant-version). But after a bit, the rest of the black ants seemed to just panic as I watched some wander to a slave-maker, make antennae contact, then run like crazy. :blink: Luckily, the queen followed her instincts and made it safely inside the nest and killed the resident queen (unfortunately, I didn't witness the battle; just the aftermath) and they eventually took over. Once the aggression began dying down after about an hour or two, and the Amazons seemed to realize that they can't escape the ant tank and have no choice but to make home base here with their queenie, I reunited the still-waiting slaves and young kept in the other container with their Amazon colony. This being an experiment, however, I soon learned this species of ant is high-maintance for a bug (for any pet as far as I'm concerned). I felt like a slave myself in that I had to provide new slaves by going off to some ant hill outside and digging them up for eggs and pupae, all the while getting bitten by the residents....It wasn't fun, but it was worth the trouble in keeping the Amazon ants and studying them closer than I could ever establish on my walks. Again, I left them with Bug-man and gave very specific (and probably unneeded as he was the expert) instructions on how to care for them, emphasizing that they must always be provided with slaves or the whole colony will collapse and die. And told him specifically to never give them my other ant farms as those colonies I've bonded with and wished for them to be given a bright future. Hopefully, he listened to me.... If anyone's interested in keeping Amazon ants, I only recommend it if your willing to go through the pains (literally) of providing for them... It's with experiments like this where I hope I can keep people from making mistakes they might regret later. Not to say Amazon ants are a nightmare to keep (you can't even train them!! :^.^:), but I'd certainly think twice about trying to get a new colony of them now.
And speaking of ants, the last bug on the list is practically the only reason I still go out in active search for ants....
My Antlion: I got him off the internet and I'm expecting him to live for three years before going through metamorphosis (spelling?) and being released. For a bit, I kept him in a bowl of sugar while I tried to find suitable fine-grain sand (makes for a good practical joke too when you have visitors and they wonder why sugar is being flung at them :lol ). He took to living in sugar very well before being transferred to the large bowl of multi-colored sand that he now resides in. He doesn't need misting as he gets his water from the food he eats. And food takes the form of ants mostly, though he'd happily take anything he can drag underground and I give him treats just as much as my other buggies. Only cleaning necessary is getting rid of the dead bodies he flings out the pit (antlions don't produce waste and lets three years worth of it accumulate in their body in preparation for adult-changing!!). He's easy to handle as you only need to scoop him out with a spoon or something and he doesn't bite at all. And he walks backwards, which I find cute. He changes hunting pits regularly and makes 'doodle' marks all over the bowl before settling on a new spot and digging. I then treat myself to see what pretty patterns he makes this time!! :D
In the future, I plan on getting yet more different species of insects and my ultimate insect dream is working in entomology and rearing a captive nest of Japanese Giant Hornets (as if that's ever going to happen :rolleyes: , but I can dream, can't I?). There's many more bugs I always wanted to have and I'm currently researching if it's possible to care for robberflies (specifically bearded robberflies and bumblebee robberflies) in captivity.
Those are all the details I can think of giving on my buggies. I hope they're helpful to any who might be considering these types of buggies for pets and I hope your satisfied with the answers I gave you, Pangaea :lol: !
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Are those bugs your pets? I have to admit this picture scared me:
(http://www.arkive.org/media/F4/F4971B34-6484-4CED-B3AC-A124D16DC527/Presentation.Large/Green-tiger-beetle.jpg)
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Those aren't the actual photos of the pets, but they're photos of the species I've kept.
:lol Yeah, they can be scary buggers. I was definitely uneased when I first saw the pic below, as it definitely made tiger beetles look murderous.
(http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m596/FlipperBoidSkua/EVILCARNASSIAL.jpg)
I dunno what it is about the species that draws me to them as pets, but they're just too awesome to ignore. They're pets to watch, not pets to really interact with and I was never too fond of that, but....I dunno, something about them makes me wanna keep them regardless of the "No touchy" rule. *has been put under their spell!!*
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^Woah-don't want to wake up to that staring at me. :wow :crazy
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Ah, dude. Even if I love my buggies, I'd have a heart attack if I woke up one morning to see this a few inches from my face! :blink: That's probably on the list of Nightmare Fuels!
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Augh…Again with me taking forever to respond to our posts! :bang So sorry about that!
Once again, your post was far more comprehensive and informative than I had expected. In fact, it had a lot of information on those insects that I didn’t know. :! Thank you so much! :) (I’ve come up with a few new questions; keep an eye out for them in my response below.)
For variety, I also give them very-rare 'treats' of jam or honey when I take them out for interaction; they lick it off your hand and will continue licking your now sweet and salty skin; they also enjoy cooked piece of meat, which is also given in great moderation. Handling them is very easy, I dare say they're relatively smart bugs as they seem to be able to tell the difference between my sister (who never has food and they treat as a threat) and myself (who always gives them their food and they willingly climb onto my hand).
That is so cool! :wow I never knew mantises ate anything besides insects and other small animals! (Maybe they acquire a sweet tooth from eating pollinating insects with stomachs full of nectar.) The image for the flower mantis isn’t showing up, but I searched for a picture of the species online, and wow! I agree, that’s one awesome-looking mantis! :wow I’ve been crazy about mantises for a long time; now your post has made me want to own one! :DD
Tiger beetles are another kind of insect I love. In my opinion, they’re both some of the coolest and most terrifying-looking insects out there. :lol I think I first found out about them when I watched a nature documentary series on insects called Alien Empire when I was between eight and twelve; it took a less-than two-minute-long clip of a single tiger beetle stalking and tearing apart a moth for me to discover my new favorite bug. :p I think it was the narrator’s statement that, for its size, the tiger beetle is “more fearsome than a tiger, and faster than a cheetah” that hooked me. (Back then, I considered it the epitome of awesomeness for a creature to be compared to a big cat; :smile I thought tiger sharks were far cooler than great whites. :p) Weirdly, though, I’ve never done a lot of research on tiger beetles like I have with a lot of creatures I’m interested in. By the way, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture of a Japanese tiger beetle before; it’s gorgeous! :wow My reactions to your stories about your experiences with them were :blink: to the part about their jaws being able to draw blood, and :lol to the part about Jolt.
The stag beetle sounds like an awesome pet. :smile It would be so neat to hold a giant beetle like that, especially getting to feel the lifting power of their jaws like you described. About how big would you say he was?
I recognized the wheel bug right away; I got to see some when I visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom in November. Didn’t know you could be allergic to them; I’ll remember that. :blink:
That experiment you did with the slavemaker ants sounds fascinating! I’m amazed by how committed you were to the task; you actually dug up a nest of those ants for the queen?! :o Did you get a lot of bites and/or stings in the process? I’m also curious as to how you found and identified the wild slavemakers in the first place; did you know what they were right away? I’ve heard about slavemaker ants; the workers are so adapted for killing and raiding other ants that they can’t even feed themselves! :blink: As far as ants go, I’m not so much interested by a specific species as I am by the diversity of lifestyles the different species have developed, the slavemaker ants being one example.
I don’t remember when or where I first learned about antlions, but they’re yet another insect I’ve always found interesting. And I was never aware why the larvae are sometimes called doodlebugs until now! That’s hilarious to think about; a creature that is basically a miniature real-life version of the sarlacc from Star Wars has incidental artistic talents. :lol What do you give the antlion for treats? (Did he develop a taste for sweets too as a result of living in that bowl of sugar? :p)
By the way, congratulations! You spelled both “anthropomorphizing” and “metamorphosis” correctly in your post! :smile
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Wazzup! :P:
Okay, this is a pretty somple one but, why do you like bugs so much? I just find them to be really creepy. But why do you seem to like them so much? Considering the fact that your writing a story (It's awesome! by the way!) revolving around bugs. So, why exactly do you like them?
Another one, what's your favorite type of bug? You seem to have a lot of pet bugs, so I want to know, which type of bug do you like the best? Or do you like them all the same?
Those pictures of bugs you have are scary! I'd scream very loudly if I saw one hovering over my face. then I'd probably pass out. Those are my questions. :)
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I'm soooooo multi-tasking while writing this response! Whooooooooo!!!
It's not a problem! I know there's a lot in life to do and that this topic probably isn't high on your priority lists; I just feel honored that you have it on the list to begin with!! :D
Once again, your post was far more comprehensive and informative than I had expected. In fact, it had a lot of information on those insects that I didn’t know. Thank you so much! (I’ve come up with a few new questions; keep an eye out for them in my response below.)
I like helping and, seeing the very helpful and descriptive replies you always give for me, you deserve to have a descriptive reply back!! Plus, I wanted to put down every bit of pet buggy info I knew in case you or anyone else might want to get bug-owning a shot!
That is so cool! I never knew mantises ate anything besides insects and other small animals! (Maybe they acquire a sweet tooth from eating pollinating insects with stomachs full of nectar.) The image for the flower mantis isn’t showing up, but I searched for a picture of the species online, and wow! I agree, that’s one awesome-looking mantis! I’ve been crazy about mantises for a long time; now your post has made me want to own one!
At first, I didn't know that either! Then when I just got done eating some jam-and-butter toast (mmmmmmm), I went to handle one of my Carolina mantis'. After a bit, I saw him leaning over while clinging to my arm; at first I thought he was about to bite and was ready for the 'Eep!' of pain. Then I noticed, 'Hey, nothing's hurting....Whaddup wit dat?'. Then I realized he was licking some little patch of jam residue from my arm (I'm a messy eater and clumsy at spreading jam, or butter for that matter). I was surprised at that, then became ambitious with spazziness and made offers of jam to my other mantids as an experiment to see if they'll try it or not. Turned out to be a big hit and I tried other sweet sticky stuff, most of which were met with equal success. Heck, it was an event worthy to be written in my journal! Your probably onto something with the theory of the sweet tooth developing from eating nectar-feeding insects as it certainly sounds reasonable to me!
Man, that image always goes out in particular, I don't know why. Oh well... And yeah, Aithne was gorgeous and was the most prized (and expensive) mantis I've owned (I still love you though, Twiggy!). She also had a good temperament (unlike one of my Chinese Mantises....), and became the first and only of my mantises brave enough to try one of my favorite syrups: lychee!!!! Anywho, I always loved mantis', I lovingly call them Ninja Bugs. In fact, that inspired a name for one of my Carolina mantis' (not the one that discovered the joys of sweets. His name was Churro), who was called......................Samurai. Surprisingly, lots of people never saw that coming :rolleyes: :lol: !! They're very good bug pets that you can actually take out for interaction without the fear of getting hurt for once!! Although they can bite if threatened enough, they rarely ever resort to that.
I think I first found out about them when I watched a nature documentary series on insects called Alien Empire when I was between eight and twelve; it took a less-than two-minute-long clip of a single tiger beetle stalking and tearing apart a moth for me to discover my new favorite bug.
Aw man, I wanna see that!! The only documentary I know who gave tiger beetles any credit was Animal Planet's The Most Extreme: Speed episode. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that tiger beetles got the #1 spot on the list, beating the cheetah and the peregrine falcon by a long shot (Apparently, if it was the size of a human, it can go more than 300mph!!! No wonder Jolt has problems!! :DD ).
By the way, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture of a Japanese tiger beetle before; it’s gorgeous! My reactions to your stories about your experiences with them were to the part about their jaws being able to draw blood, and to the part about Jolt.
I know, right! I'm sure he/she (and the majority of the other lost insects left behind) is probably deceased by now, and before we left for California, Bug Dude promised to send me the preserved exoskeleton of that beetle......I have yet to get it :anger ....
Yup, their bites= not fun, but like one zoologist said (I can't remember his name, Nigel something....) : "To a real biologist, every animal bite is seen as a badge of courage" or something like that... I definitely take that to heart everytime I'm bitten or clawed or something from my pets, or any other animal. About Jolt, he (I'm just gonna assume he's male! :) ) is the only beetle in that tank with a name and the second Named tiger beetle I had (the Japanese one was named Migoto for good reason). I have no distinguishing features to tell the beetles of the same species apart physically, though currently I am thinking of putting a drop of different colored paint to dry on the back of my current beetles' thorax, then they can finally have names for themselves! Only reason Jolt gets a name is because of his lovable klutz behavior. It's hard not to notice him in the crowd!
The stag beetle sounds like an awesome pet. It would be so neat to hold a giant beetle like that, especially getting to feel the lifting power of their jaws like you described. About how big would you say he was?
Counting the mandibles, Takeo was about the size to sit in the palm of my hand, maybe three inches long. Not bad for a bug!! He was a good pet (he enjoyed lychee syrup more than the mantids did, that's for sure *happily drinks some lychee syrup; I'm just crazy like that*!!) and I wouldn't hesitate to get another stag beetle if the opportunity is presented. I held good memories of him.
In fact, my most memorable moment with Takeo is when I told one of our friends' teen son, Demetri, about him and how the stag beetle qualifies as one of the strongest critters on the planet (beaten only by the rhino beetle). He was being sarcastic about it, so I asked if he wanted to 'wrestle' Takeo. He happily agreed and I got Takeo out onto the 'Fighting perch', which was basically our couch's arm-rest..... The whole human household came over to see this. After telling Demetri the 'rules' of beetle battle (pretend one of your hand's the beetle challenger, some fingers gripping the arm-rest and the other fingers trying to lift the opponent; first one to be lifted clean off the arm-rest loses!!), it began. As soon as hand-to-mandible contact was made with Demetri making the first move, Takeo easily lifted the rival hand off the arm-rest. This got a good laugh. Demetri claimed he wasn't ready and wanted to try again. But Takeo has lost interest and just stood there like he always does as Demetri's "attacking" fingers tried to get him off the arm-rest. But, lemme tell you, this beetle has strong sharp claws you can feel (it's very uncomfortable trying to pry him off you) and if he doesn't wanna move, he's not gonna move. Finally, Demetri just cheated and used his other hand to yank Takeo off the arm-rest. But still, beetle beats human. Classic. This ended up being a great story to talk about and Demetri gladly laughed along with it. He was a good friend. :)
I recognized the wheel bug right away; I got to see some when I visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom in November. Didn’t know you could be allergic to them; I’ll remember that.
It's advice to be remembered very well; people has actually died from being bitten by assassins. Personally, the closest I got to a bite was from a tiny relative of the assassin (my closest guess was a kind of sheild bug) with a thin little beak and that hurt enough as it was. I frequently compare that to the wheel bug's robust beak and larger size :blink: . Judging from the very loud yell from my sister and the resulting phobia for this pet (she refuses to let me get another assassin bug to replace the one that did the actual biting *pouts*), I don't think I'd wanna get bitten myself....
That experiment you did with the slavemaker ants sounds fascinating! I’m amazed by how committed you were to the task; you actually dug up a nest of those ants for the queen?! Did you get a lot of bites and/or stings in the process? I’m also curious as to how you found and identified the wild slavemakers in the first place; did you know what they were right away?
Yes I did and yes, I got bitten many a time from both the slaves and the Amazons (if there's anything those slave-makers' mandibles are good for, it's biting and biting hard). I tend to get very commited to something I really, absolutely, positively want without an ounce of doubt, almost to the point of being single-minded about it.... Luckily, Amazons avoid ants that can sting, so I didn't have to go through that extra-pain. Thank goodness; I've been stung many times with my "reckless" (so my teachers put it :rolleyes: ) interactions with wasps, ants, and bees, but the pain never gets better. I'm just glad I'm not allergic or my ultimate bug dream will never be a reality... But anyway, that 'avoiding-stinging-ants' fact wasn't much of a comfort when getting both the Amazon colony and of getting their potential slaves regularly for maintainance; while digging, I tried my best to ignore the pain before my body would automatically and suddenly jerk away for a moment to recover, only for me to go right on back to my mission like some suicidal honey badger!! I probably looked like an idiot to the other people nearby. :oops
Nah, I didn't know for certain what kind of ant they were on first sight. I just noticed them as generic ants in 'line formation' across the sidewalk on my way to school and I took a moment to see what they were up too, which wasn't really unusual for me to do. They were in the middle of a raid apparently as I saw the ants going in opposite directions and I noticed in general that the ones with pupae and stuff were going one way and the ones without them were going another. I decided to go see where the 'non-pupae' ones were going and eventually found the colony they were attacking and plundering. I remember my mind racing through what I learned on ants and it didn't take long for me to have a hunch. I suspected they were slave-makers, but I wasn't positive on that. I couldn't continue to observe more about this as I sped to school. During lunch (which I spend in the library regardless), I checked out every book I could about ants to specifically hunt for info for slave making *that was my single-mindedness coming out and I wasn't going to stop until I find out if those ants were what I thought they were :smile *!!! One general book of insects in particular had an entire chapter dedicated to Amazon ants and I realized: The ants I found were a kind of slave-maker; the description and behavior matched perfectly!! I immediately got hooked to the concept of ants enslaving other ants and it reached obsession mode fast! I researched everything and read anything that had to do with slave-makers (the fiction book Empire of the Ants had a good scene with slave-makers attacking one of the main character's colony). I watched that Amazon colony every time I caught them on a raid across the sidewalk. Eventually, the idea sprouted: "Hey, you have lots of bug pets and have ant-farm experience... What's stopping you from getting these Amazons to join the family?!" I just couldn't resist the opportunity!!
I don’t remember when or where I first learned about antlions, but they’re yet another insect I’ve always found interesting. And I was never aware why the larvae are sometimes called doodlebugs until now! That’s hilarious to think about; a creature that is basically a miniature real-life version of the sarlacc from Star Wars has incidental artistic talents. What do you give the antlion for treats? (Did he develop a taste for sweets too as a result of living in that bowl of sugar? )
:lol My sister frequently says how the bug should open his own museum and my mom teasingly says how the antlion draws better than I do! I don't think I'll argue!!
I couldn't give him human food as treats due to his method of feeding (draining the body through hollow mandibles and throwing out the body; I for once can't think of a human treat to fit that need very well) and his tiny size. His version of treats: earwigs, spiders, and the like. Big enough for a feast! I always imagine him to be very happy with that.
Oh! You heard that scientists discovered that doodlebugs make bigger and deeper hunting pits during the full moon? And I saw that when there is a full moon, my antlion really does make his pits larger than usual! I wonder why they do this or how this little indoor bug who's subjected with unnatural lighting to mess with his bio clock :DD knew when a full moon would be out...
By the way, congratulations! You spelled both “anthropomorphizing” and “metamorphosis” correctly in your post!
Yayz!! And that's without a dictionary!! Wo0t!!!!!!! I say we celebrate by drinking milk of the chocolate variety!
Wazzup!
Okay, this is a pretty somple one but, why do you like bugs so much? I just find them to be really creepy. But why do you seem to like them so much? Considering the fact that your writing a story (It's awesome! by the way!) revolving around bugs. So, why exactly do you like them?
Another one, what's your favorite type of bug? You seem to have a lot of pet bugs, so I want to know, which type of bug do you like the best? Or do you like them all the same?
Those pictures of bugs you have are scary! I'd scream very loudly if I saw one hovering over my face. then I'd probably pass out. Those are my questions.
WAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPP!!!!!!! :P:
Thank you for the story compliment!! Now, for the evilness that is the unnecessarily long response....
:lol Not just "a" story....... I have tons of stories for insects! Practically all my work (fanfiction or not) have to do with animals in some way, shape, or form. My original stories, lots and lots of them are for insects in particular!!
Favorite bugs are hard to pick, but if I have to go for my top three, it'll be the mantids, the tiger beetles, and the Japanese Giant Hornet. In no particular order, of course!! Robberflies, Amazon ants, antlions, and assassin bugs are close to that list as well!! Notice most of these I've kept as pets!! They were pets for a reason :D !!!
The scary photos? You mean the creepy tiger beetle close-up where it looks like it's about to tear you apart and eat you? How's that scary? :lol Honestly, yeah, that's quite a spooky picture even for me.
Why do I like buggies? They're just so different and unique. They're amongst the oldest creatures on the planet and are still thriving. They're natural survivors that will no doubt continue to live on well after man-kind's gone and extinct (our extinction's inevitable, people; we're not immune to it!). I find their lifestyles very similar to the other animals we're used to, just on a smaller scale! And something about their general insect body design, I just love it! Doesn't help that A Bug's Life and The Ant Bully are a couple of my fav movies. But I think it's my history with them that helped the most.
I quite practically grew up with bugs, but not as pets. When I was very young, we lived in our grandparents house that was infested by none other than......cockroaches. So I was already used to the 'grossest of the gross' bugs early on and I have no fear or disgust of them because of it. I have memories of being the only kid in my class to pet and hold a Madagascan hissing cockroach and I once watched the progress of a tiny nest of yellowjackets under a step of our slide (that is, until dad got rid of them...).
The most hostile action I took against them was when mom gave me the job of killing the flies that entered our house. I quickly discovered that I was very good at that and then it became something like a sport. The 'malice' wasn't personal to bugs at all; I just thought it was 'good' to chase down the buggers, kill them, and win mom's praise for it. That changed when I swatted one particular fly and it fell in the sink full of water. I watched it struggle for a moment and began to feel incredibly sorry for it and the misfortune I put it in. I dunno why, but seeing it struggle for life like that tugged my heartstrings and I scooped it out of the water. I took it back outside into the sun where it dried and groomed itself on my hand before flying off. I guess that was the event that sparked my true love for bugs. It started with just reading about flies in general to learn more about the little buggie I saved from drowning, then other bugs began to interest me as I flipped through the books. And it dawned on me: I never fully appreciated bugs for what they are.
And now, years later, I'm planning to major in entomology, have written many stories of bug OCs, has kept and is still keeping them as pets, and watching them in the wild for the relaxing fun of it.
I think it's too late for me to dislike/fear bugs. :^.^:
*checks time* Wow!! :blink: I spent hours typing this post.......AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! *falls asleep instantly and randomly!*
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It's not a problem! I know there's a lot in life to do and that this topic probably isn't high on your priority lists; I just feel honored that you have it on the list to begin with!! :D
I like helping and, seeing the very helpful and descriptive replies you always give for me, you deserve to have a descriptive reply back!! Plus, I wanted to put down every bit of pet buggy info I knew in case you or anyone else might want to get bug-owning a shot!
Thank you for being so understanding. :) And I want you to know how much I appreciate the time, effort, consideration, and detail you put into your posts. :yes
I think I first found out about them when I watched a nature documentary series on insects called Alien Empire when I was between eight and twelve; it took a less-than two-minute-long clip of a single tiger beetle stalking and tearing apart a moth for me to discover my new favorite bug.
Aw man, I wanna see that!! The only documentary I know who gave tiger beetles any credit was Animal Planet's The Most Extreme: Speed episode. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that tiger beetles got the #1 spot on the list, beating the cheetah and the peregrine falcon by a long shot (Apparently, if it was the size of a human, it can go more than 300mph!!! No wonder Jolt has problems!! :DD ).
I'd sure like to help you with that. It's definitely one of the best insect documentaries I've ever seen, and I think you'd really enjoy it. I checked YouTube to see if anyone had uploaded the series, but the only part I could find that was in English was a five-minute segment on ant agriculture (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wUepGvRk3o). (Makes me wish I knew how to convert and upload video. <_<) There are a few used VHS copies on Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Empire-Box-Set-VHS/dp/0783585276), but obviously you'd need a VCR to watch them.
I don't think it had anything on tiger beetles, but another insect-themed documentary I'd highly recommend is Life in the Undergrowth with David Attenborough (pretty much anything by him is outstanding); it has some of the most spectacular camera work you've ever seen of insects close up (exactly the kind of photography you were raving about in your post). The series Life (one version of which is also narrated by Attenborough) also has an excellent episode on insects, with one particularly memorable segment on Darwin's beetles (pretty much the most souped-up-looking stag beetles you could imagine; their jaws are literally longer than their bodies! :blink:) battling at the top of a tree over a mate. I know that Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel aired shortened versions of both of these series, so there's a chance you've already seen them, but I should tell you that if you can afford it, it's well worth it to buy the full series on DVD or Blu-ray. :yes
Yup, their bites= not fun, but like one zoologist said (I can't remember his name, Nigel something....) : "To a real biologist, every animal bite is seen as a badge of courage" or something like that... I definitely take that to heart everytime I'm bitten or clawed or something from my pets, or any other animal.
I believe Nigel Marven is the zoologist you're talking about. ;) And this talk of animal bites gave me an idea for a new question (a bit of an odd one, I'll admit): what would you say is the worst bite or other injury you've ever received from an animal? (By that I mean the worst single injury, as opposed to, say, your worst run-in with a beehive or anthill in which you were stung/bitten the most times.)
About Jolt, he (I'm just gonna assume he's male! :) ) is the only beetle in that tank with a name and the second Named tiger beetle I had (the Japanese one was named Migoto for good reason). I have no distinguishing features to tell the beetles of the same species apart physically, though currently I am thinking of putting a drop of different colored paint to dry on the back of my current beetles' thorax, then they can finally have names for themselves!
I did something similar to that in my last year of college, when Vertebrate/Invertebrate Biology professor had a tank of four crayfish that we wanted to be able to tell apart; I painted their each of their carapaces with a differently colored spot of non-toxic waterproof nail polish, the advantage of which was that it would neither hurt the crayfish nor wash off (provided it was allowed to dry first). I of course got pinched several times, :lol but I didn't mind. That would probably be a good option for your tiger beetles, too (I’m sure their safety and well-being is your foremost concern).
The stag beetle sounds like an awesome pet. It would be so neat to hold a giant beetle like that, especially getting to feel the lifting power of their jaws like you described. About how big would you say he was?
Counting the mandibles, Takeo was about the size to sit in the palm of my hand, maybe three inches long. Not bad for a bug!! He was a good pet (he enjoyed lychee syrup more than the mantids did, that's for sure *happily drinks some lychee syrup; I'm just crazy like that*!!) and I wouldn't hesitate to get another stag beetle if the opportunity is presented. I held good memories of him.
Well, that's it, then. Stag beetles are now also on the list of critters I'd like to own given the opportunity. :smile
I tried my best to ignore the pain before my body would automatically and suddenly jerk away for a moment to recover, only for me to go right on back to my mission like some suicidal honey badger!!
I love that analogy! :lol Again I admire your devotion to the job of caring for the slavemaker ants. I’m also impressed by your story of how you identified them in the first place. Observation, research, fieldwork, experimentation, dedication…sounds like you’ve got all the skills to be a scientist. :D You’d definitely make a good entomologist. :yes
Oh! You heard that scientists discovered that doodlebugs make bigger and deeper hunting pits during the full moon? And I saw that when there is a full moon, my antlion really does make his pits larger than usual! I wonder why they do this or how this little indoor bug who's subjected with unnatural lighting to mess with his bio clock :DD knew when a full moon would be out...
I hadn’t heard about that… Not sure why that would be; perhaps some of the insects they feed on are more active during the full moon?
I don’t remember when or where I first learned about antlions, but they’re yet another insect I’ve always found interesting. And I was never aware why the larvae are sometimes called doodlebugs until now! That’s hilarious to think about; a creature that is basically a miniature real-life version of the sarlacc from Star Wars has incidental artistic talents. What do you give the antlion for treats? (Did he develop a taste for sweets too as a result of living in that bowl of sugar? )
:lol My sister frequently says how the bug should open his own museum and my mom teasingly says how the antlion draws better than I do! I don't think I'll argue!!
Okay, that I don’t find funny. <_< Granted, I haven’t seen your antlion’s “artwork”, but as far as I’m concerned, his doodles and your drawings can’t be compared in terms of artistic quality, because they’re completely separate kinds of artwork, regardless of whether you anthropomorphize or not. Your antlion’s “doodles” (which areómore likely than notócomparable to a bird’s song or a flower’s aroma in being aesthetically pleasing to the human senses, but not intended by nature for that purpose) would probably be considered abstract artwork; your specialty is character artwork. Different artists, different styles, different skills. I think it’s fair to consider you both great artists in your own ways. :yes :P:
Speaking of artwork, I finally got around to reviewing the latest picture in your LBT fanart thread, in case you hadn't noticed already. ;)
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Hi, how are things? :)
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Thank you for being so understanding. And I want you to know how much I appreciate the time, effort, consideration, and detail you put into your posts.
Your welcome!! Posting replies is fun!! And it feel good to know that the posts are actually read in their entirety!! So thank you for reading!! :D
I believe Nigel Marven is the zoologist you're talking about. And this talk of animal bites gave me an idea for a new question (a bit of an odd one, I'll admit): what would you say is the worst bite or other injury you've ever received from an animal? (By that I mean the worst single injury, as opposed to, say, your worst run-in with a beehive or anthill in which you were stung/bitten the most times.)
There ya go!! I always had a hard time remembering folks by name, especially the last names. I dunno, it's just a brain quirk or something ^^!!
Hmmmm, worst bite.......... The bites of the tiger beetles have a hefty spot for the worst bites, for sure. And I've been nipped and nabbed and mouthed on by many of our pets. Terror's bitten me once and it bled, but it wasn't too bad. The hardest play-bite from Spazz hurt, but didn't break the skin. Justin and Fluffy had great inhibited bites that didn't hurt much at all. So did the gliders and the rodents. But I think the worst I've gotten was from my friend's huge lop-earred bunny. It was hardly tamed, they kept it in a cage practically all day with no training and minimal interaction. But when my family paid a visit, one of the kids wanted to show us the bunny and dragged it out, insisting that I hold it. I did, about to put it back into its cage cuz it looked freaked out by all the attention and I don't like it when animals feel scared. It gave me a good bite and didn't let go until I put it back in the cage. It hurt a lot, I had to resist the very strong instinct to drop the bunny; it's teeth drew blood, and it was a naturally larger and harder bite than those I was used to. But compared to my sister, I have very few experiences of serious bites from larger animals. I'm not sure if I want that to change or not :lol
I did something similar to that in my last year of college, when Vertebrate/Invertebrate Biology professor had a tank of four crayfish that we wanted to be able to tell apart; I painted their each of their carapaces with a differently colored spot of non-toxic waterproof nail polish, the advantage of which was that it would neither hurt the crayfish nor wash off (provided it was allowed to dry first). I of course got pinched several times, but I didn't mind. That would probably be a good option for your tiger beetles, too (I’m sure their safety and well-being is your foremost concern).
Nail polish, Hmmmm......that's certainly more accessible than paint. :! I'm think I'm gonna do it with that instead; I'm tired of waiting for us to go to some place that would have paint. Thanks for the idea!!! :) I'll probably have it done tonight when my mom's home so I can have her permission (unlike most girls, I care not for the polish and the make-up and the.....eh....to actually have my own set). And yeah, I have no doubt I'll be bitten by them and I'm ready for it!! And most certainly their safety will by priority during the process! I certainly feel that they need just as much care and respect as I would give my ratties; being bugs certainly shouldn't mean they deserve to be treated worse than my vertebrate pets!! :yes
Well, that's it, then. Stag beetles are now also on the list of critters I'd like to own given the opportunity.
They're very satisfying bugs to own!! :)
I love that analogy! Again I admire your devotion to the job of caring for the slavemaker ants. I’m also impressed by your story of how you identified them in the first place. Observation, research, fieldwork, experimentation, dedication…sounds like you’ve got all the skills to be a scientist. You’d definitely make a good entomologist.
*glittery eyed!!* That.....That's one of the nicest things someone's ever said to me.... Thanks!! *hugs*
Okay, that I don’t find funny. Granted, I haven’t seen your antlion’s “artwork”, but as far as I’m concerned, his doodles and your drawings can’t be compared in terms of artistic quality, because they’re completely separate kinds of artwork, regardless of whether you anthropomorphize or not. Your antlion’s “doodles” (which areómore likely than notócomparable to a bird’s song or a flower’s aroma in being aesthetically pleasing to the human senses, but not intended by nature for that purpose) would probably be considered abstract artwork; your specialty is character artwork. Different artists, different styles, different skills. I think it’s fair to consider you both great artists in your own ways.
:yes That makes perfect sense!! And thank you for not insulting my antlion's doodles either. :D Intentional or not, they should still be appreciated. And you certainly have a way of making me feel good about my art. I'm giving ya a lot of hugs today!! *hugz!!*
Hi, how are things?
Both bad and good. My mom and I had an arguement yesterday and it was pretty bad; made me cry and put me in a bad mood almost all day. Caramel's still showing signs of aging and I've been trying to make her more comfortable, with Domino trying to help. But my little ratty's holding on and that helped in improving my mood considerably. :) Currently, she's napping on the pillow beside me while Domino's exploring the room.
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There ya go!! I always had a hard time remembering folks by name, especially the last names. I dunno, it's just a brain quirk or something ^^!!
I have a hard time remembering the names of people I meet in real life (classmates, for instance), unless I know them really well and/or interact with them regularly. I have an easier time memorizing the names of people who I see a lot on TV or in movies. And yet I can memorize things like Razanandrongobe sakalavae “humu-humu-nuku-nuku-apua'a”, Propalaeohoplophorus septentrionalis, and “Pedalternorotandomovens Centroculatus Articulosus” with relatively little difficulty. :confused :P:
Hmmmm, worst bite.......... The bites of the tiger beetles have a hefty spot for the worst bites, for sure. And I've been nipped and nabbed and mouthed on by many of our pets. Terror's bitten me once and it bled, but it wasn't too bad. The hardest play-bite from Spazz hurt, but didn't break the skin. Justin and Fluffy had great inhibited bites that didn't hurt much at all. So did the gliders and the rodents. But I think the worst I've gotten was from my friend's huge lop-earred bunny. It was hardly tamed, they kept it in a cage practically all day with no training and minimal interaction. But when my family paid a visit, one of the kids wanted to show us the bunny and dragged it out, insisting that I hold it. I did, about to put it back into its cage cuz it looked freaked out by all the attention and I don't like it when animals feel scared. It gave me a good bite and didn't let go until I put it back in the cage. It hurt a lot, I had to resist the very strong instinct to drop the bunny; it's teeth drew blood, and it was a naturally larger and harder bite than those I was used to.
Ah, yes…beware the bite of the bunny…they shouldn't be underestimated. :blink:
But compared to my sister, I have very few experiences of serious bites from larger animals.
Wow…besides the assassin bug bite, what has she gone through?
I love that analogy! Again I admire your devotion to the job of caring for the slavemaker ants. I’m also impressed by your story of how you identified them in the first place. Observation, research, fieldwork, experimentation, dedication…sounds like you’ve got all the skills to be a scientist. You’d definitely make a good entomologist.
*glittery eyed!!* That.....That's one of the nicest things someone's ever said to me.... Thanks!! *hugs*
You're welcome. I really do think that. :yes *hugs back*
And thank you for not insulting my antlion's doodles either. :D Intentional or not, they should still be appreciated. And you certainly have a way of making me feel good about my art. I'm giving ya a lot of hugs today!! *hugz!!*
Again, you're very welcome (on both accounts). *and again, hugz back* :smile
EDIT: I almost forgot: if you haven't already marked the tiger beetles, you could save yourself some biting by marking just four of them; the fifth would be identifiable because he/she has no mark. (Tiger beetles don't continue to molt as adults, do they?) As an added benefit you'll have one tiger beetle whose natural colors are still visible in their entirety.
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I have a hard time remembering the names of people I meet in real life (classmates, for instance), unless I know them really well and/or interact with them regularly. I have an easier time memorizing the names of people who I see a lot on TV or in movies.
I'm horrible at remembering the names of both real life people and tv people. Yet, I can easily remember the names of all my pets and all my plush toys. Weird how that works. Yours is even more astounding!! All those especially long scientific names!! Awesome!! The most successful time I could pronounce difficult names was in third or fourth grade and I fluently read the words Parasaurolophus and Micropachycephalosaurus from a book. My teacher was amazed :D
Ah, yes…beware the bite of the bunny…they shouldn't be underestimated.
No, they should not!! Cute things can bite, people!!
Wow…besides the assassin bug bite, what has she gone through?
She's been slashed and bitten by several cats, attacked at least four times by dogs, been chased and bitten by a canada goose, a swan, a turkey, and a rooster, been bitten by a friend's African Grey Parrot, bitten by a guinea pig, and bitten by a classroom boa constrictor. She's been stung by a bee and a few yellowjackets and has countless bites from ants (I feel her pain there!). And that ain't even counting our pets, which adds quite a few more bites to the list. Spazz bit her a few times before learning the art of inhibited bites, Fudge bit her when she was trying to give him a bath (I told her countless times to NEVER bathe a chinchilla, so she had that one coming to her), Terror bit her, Marble bit her (again, I told her NEVER to pick a rat up by the tail, but again she didn't listen), the tiger beetles bit her, the assassin bug bit her, Fluffy bit her, etc etc. My sister's like an attack-magnet for animals. I feel sorry for her. :( I'm just surprise she still keeps it together around animals.
I almost forgot: if you haven't already marked the tiger beetles, you could save yourself some biting by marking just four of them; the fifth would be identifiable because he/she has no mark. (Tiger beetles don't continue to molt as adults, do they?) As an added benefit you'll have one tiger beetle whose natural colors are still visible in their entirety.
Wow, I read this in time then! :DD You saved me from an extra bite!! I'm about to give the beetles their honorary names and identities after posting this!! I'm so excited!!! Squee!! And nah, they don't molt as adults (thank goodness, or I'll be doing this a lot!). It's all done when they're larvae!! :^.^: I already got the colors ready and the names to go with them. Here's what I got:
Blue- This will be named Speedy
Red- This one.... Blur
Gold- This be Dart!!
Black- This one shall be named Snail (an ironic name for such a fast critter!!)
And Jolt shall be the special one without paint and in all his natural beauty!!
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I'm horrible at remembering the names of both real life people and tv people. Yet, I can easily remember the names of all my pets and all my plush toys. Weird how that works. Yours is even more astounding!! All those especially long scientific names!! Awesome!!
Well, technically only two of those examples were scientific names (a Jurassic archosaur and a glyptodont, respectively). The humu-humu-nuku-nuku-apua'a is the Hawaiian name for the reef triggerfish (genus Rhinecanthus) (I first read it in an alphabet book of sea creatures as a little kid and loved the name so much that I've remembered it ever since), and the Pedalternorotandomovens (http://forgetomori.com/2009/science/pedalternorotandomovens-centroculatus-articulosus/) Centroculatus (http://www.moillusions.com/2008/03/mceschers-curl-up-animal-constructed.html) Articulosus (http://www.worldofescher.com/gallery/jpgs/P24L.jpg) (also called the “Rolpens”, “Wentelteefje”, or “Curl-Up” :p) is a fictional creature created by M.C. Escher to inhabit the worlds in his artwork.
She's been slashed and bitten by several cats, attacked at least four times by dogs, been chased and bitten by a canada goose, a swan, a turkey, and a rooster, been bitten by a friend's African Grey Parrot, bitten by a guinea pig, and bitten by a classroom boa constrictor. She's been stung by a bee and a few yellowjackets and has countless bites from ants (I feel her pain there!). And that ain't even counting our pets, which adds quite a few more bites to the list. Spazz bit her a few times before learning the art of inhibited bites, Fudge bit her when she was trying to give him a bath (I told her countless times to NEVER bathe a chinchilla, so she had that one coming to her), Terror bit her, Marble bit her (again, I told her NEVER to pick a rat up by the tail, but again she didn't listen), the tiger beetles bit her, the assassin bug bit her, Fluffy bit her, etc etc. My sister's like an attack-magnet for animals. I feel sorry for her. :( I'm just surprise she still keeps it together around animals.
Ouch, ouch, ouch, and more ouch. :blink: I sympathize as well.
I almost forgot: if you haven't already marked the tiger beetles, you could save yourself some biting by marking just four of them; the fifth would be identifiable because he/she has no mark. (Tiger beetles don't continue to molt as adults, do they?) As an added benefit you'll have one tiger beetle whose natural colors are still visible in their entirety.
Wow, I read this in time then! :DD You saved me from an extra bite!! I'm about to give the beetles their honorary names and identities after posting this!! I'm so excited!!! Squee!! And nah, they don't molt as adults (thank goodness, or I'll be doing this a lot!). It's all done when they're larvae!! :^.^: I already got the colors ready and the names to go with them. Here's what I got:
Blue- This will be named Speedy
Red- This one.... Blur
Gold- This be Dart!!
Black- This one shall be named Snail (an ironic name for such a fast critter!!)
And Jolt shall be the special one without paint and in all his natural beauty!!
Great! :smile
New question: Have you ever tried to design your own far-future descendents of modern species, like the creatures in The Future is Wild?
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Kinda!! I have two of them, to be specific!!
One's a kind of ocean flish that lives like an albatross, complete with very long narrow wings for fast long-distance gliding!! The second is a flightless, nocturnal flutterbird (I call it a Kiwer bird!!) that eats small bugs and fruit that fell from trees during the day. :D
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Cool! :D Have you ever drawn them?
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Yes, I have two old drawings for both of them!! They aren't inked or colored though. I can probably submit them later to my Future is Wild fanart thread if your interested! :D
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Yes, I have two old drawings for both of them!! They aren't inked or colored though. I can probably submit them later to my Future is Wild fanart thread if your interested! :D
I'd love to see them! :DD
Speaking of future creatures, have you ever seen the book After Man: A Zoology of the Future by Dougal Dixon? It was sort of a precursor to The Future Is Wild (which Dixon was also a part of), speculating on what animals might evolve 50 million years after humans go extinct.
There are over 100 future species described and illustrated in the book, although disappointingly for the biodiversity enthusiast, most of them are mammals, with a couple of dozen birds, four reptiles, and a single amphibian. (A single insect and fishóvirtually indistinguishable from a modern butterfly and pufferfishóappear in an evolutionary timeline chart in the introduction.) Annoyingly the author handwaves his near-exemption of the other 99% of life on Earth with the statement that the most profound evolutionary changes have taken place in the “higher” animals. :rolleyes Nonetheless, it’s a great book, and I highly recommend it if you haven’t seen it yet. :yes It contains what is quite possibly my favorite future creature of all time…
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(http://www.sivatherium.narod.ru/library/Dixon/pics_10/p0104_2e.gif)
(http://www.sivatherium.narod.ru/library/Dixon/pics_10/p0104_3.gif)
Meet the nightstalker, Manambulus perhorridus. It's a giant flightless predatory bat that evolved on an island chain that was colonized by bats before any birds got there. It walks on its front limbs, with its hind legs functioning as hands (the logic being that modern bats chiefly use their wings to haul themselves around when climbing and crawling, and their feet for grasping). Completely blind, it hunts exclusively by echolocation, running through the forest at night in packs and tearing apart prey with claws and teeth. Basically a fusion of nightmare fuel and concentrated chiropteran awesomeness. :smile
Turns out somebody uploaded all the pages of the book here (http://www.sivatherium.narod.ru/library/Dixon/main_en.htm), so you can check it out for yourself. :D
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I've seen the book once or twice, but never really looked through it.
Annoyingly the author handwaves his near-exemption of the other 99% of life on Earth with the statement that the most profound evolutionary changes have taken place in the “higher” animals.
Why do I have the feeling this is going to be one egotistical book :lol ?
:blink: :blink: :blink: It looks awesome!! The torso reminds me of a kiwi bird and the group attack reminds me of raptors!! :D And the animal they're attacking looks like a cross between a deer and a bunny!!
I'm very curious about something: Flightlessness is very possible as there are many flightless birds, but why isn't it quadrapedal like the deathgleaner or the present-day vampire bat, the latter of which is known for being extremely agile on the ground? Surely they can still kill prey effectively with it's claws and teeth, perhaps by leaping on it. :)
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All right. If you had your own little universe, what would it be like? Who would be in it? Would you bring anyone back form the dead? And what would your house look like?
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Why do I have the feeling this is going to be one egotistical book :lol ?
Maybe not so much egotistical as mammalocentric. :p I should mention that the book is 30 years old, and the author has some kind of old-fashioned ideas about the natural world.
It looks awesome!! The torso reminds me of a kiwi bird and the group attack reminds me of raptors!! :D And the animal they're attacking looks like a cross between a deer and a bunny!!
That's because that's basically what it is. :p It's a rabbuck, a descendant of rabbits that evolved to replace deer and other hoofed mammals.
And I never noticed the night stalker's resemblance to a kiwi. :wow Given how much I love kiwi birds, I find that very cool. :DD That reminds me: did you ever get to see the pictures I took of a kiwi in my Washington, D.C. vacation photo thread? (That in turn reminds me: did you see the new pictures of sleepy mohawked pigs in my Twin Cities photo thread? :smile)
I'm very curious about something: Flightlessness is very possible as there are many flightless birds, but why isn't it quadrapedal like the deathgleaner or the present-day vampire bat, the latter of which is known for being extremely agile on the ground? Surely they can still kill prey effectively with it's claws and teeth, perhaps by leaping on it. :)
Well, the thing with bats is that their hind legs aren't much good for walking. They're actually rotated so that the knees and feet face backwards, making it easier for them to get into a hanging position. Even vampire bats and other bats that are adept on the ground mainly use their wings to support themselves and power their movements. For example, when one of these bats takes flight, it catapults itself into the air with its wings, rather than pushing off with its legs like a bird. Even when a bat falls into water, it swims using its wings (most bats are actually fairly good swimmers; the book even has a bat that has evolved into a seal-like creature whose wings have become flippers). When birds evolve flightlessness, the pattern tends to be that their legs grow larger and stronger so that they can run quickly on the ground, while their wings, having no grasping function and no longer needed for propulsion, become smaller and weaker. (The kiwi is an excellent example of this.) So if a bat were to become flightless, it's likely that it would continue to support itself on its strongest set of limbs. The hind legs, however, are still capable of performing nonlocomotory functions such as grasping, and since they aren't as important for supporting the bat's weight, it is fairly “convenient” in evolutionary terms for the bat to become bipedal, supporting itself exclusively on its front limbs so that the hind limbs are free for other purposes. Even today, bats use their feet for several functions besides hanging: they groom themselves with their foot claws; insect-eating bats use their leg and tail membranes to scoop insects out of the air; bats that catch fish do so by “trawling” the water with their feet; female bats even use their leg and tail membranes as a sort of safety net for their pups when giving birth. A quadrupedal flightless bat would have a much harder time doing any of these things. Even the more I think about it, the more it makes sense that a flightless bat's wings would become legs and its feet would become hands.
Oo-kee…here's a question I've been meaning to ask you for a while: What do you imagine the personalities of the LBT V Giganotosaurus and the LBT XII Spinosaurus to be?
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All right. If you had your own little universe, what would it be like? Who would be in it? Would you bring anyone back form the dead? And what would your house look like?
That's a difficult one........
It would rain chocolate whenever I want!! At night, when you look up at the sky, you can see lots of stars and galaxies and even planets, and sometimes the Aurora Borealis (spelling?) will flicker across. I would bring back all my lost pets so we can live happily once more!! And all the animals that's been thoughtlessly wiped out by human-kind will be alive again (why stop there? Why not bring back creatures like dinosaurs!! :^.^: )!! My family would be nicer to me and actually show that they love me just as much as they love my little sister. And all the really great people would be there, the ones that I care for and the ones who care for me, like my long-lost best friend and my RP e-mail pal!! And my universe would include you, Pangaea, Rat_lady7, The Friendly Sharptooth, and the other people who's been nice to me on here and all the things needed to make every one of you happy in turn!! And my fanfics and original stories will be published and I'll have my dream of working with animals! And......everything I've every been obsessed with would be real!!! Oi....Just imagine the chaos with that idea! :lol
That's because that's basically what it is. It's a rabbuck, a descendant of rabbits that evolved to replace deer and other hoofed mammals.
Wow!! I never thought my comment would be so accurate! Awesome!!!! :D
Reading everything about the evidence supporting future evolution of bats, it makes perfect sense now. :yes I guess I just found it weird to have a creature who walks with its front legs as I don't recall anything evolving to have such a unige way of transportation. But now that you've explained it, it's very clear to me. Thanks!!
And I never noticed the night stalker's resemblance to a kiwi. Given how much I love kiwi birds, I find that very cool. That reminds me: did you ever get to see the pictures I took of a kiwi in my Washington, D.C. vacation photo thread? (That in turn reminds me: did you see the new pictures of sleepy mohawked pigs in my Twin Cities photo thread? )
Kiwi's are awesome and adorable with their long beaks and almost non-existant wings!! :DD You ever seen this cute little video regarding a Kiwi? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdUUx5FdySs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdUUx5FdySs)
Kiwi photos!!! I must go see!!! :lol Mohawked piggies! I just have to see that!!
Oo-kee…here's a question I've been meaning to ask you for a while: What do you imagine the personalities of the LBT V Giganotosaurus and the LBT XII Spinosaurus to be?
Giganotosaurus- I imagined him being a highly-confident predator, proud of his skills and size. Vengeful, of course, and he can be quite nasty in that respect. Determined and clever, always finding a solution to all sorts of problems that are presented to him. Maybe a bit impulsive with his attacks, which can lead to accidents (eating flowers or biting his own tail, for instance :lol ). That's what I can pick up from the movie, and will probably flesh him out a bit more when he comes into the RP.
Spinosaurus- I gave this character to Redtooth101, but I had his personality planned out before that. He would've been a proud and relatively-calm carnivore, but his determination occasionally outweighs his common sense. A bit single-minded in the pursuit of a target, he will never give up easily and will continue the chase until physically incapable of doing so though fatigue or through getting his sail caught between two rocks :p . He's not as aggressive or clever as the Giganoto, but his persistence alone's enough to get him through the tough life of the Mysterious Beyond.
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Reading everything about the evidence supporting future evolution of bats, it makes perfect sense now. :yes I guess I just found it weird to have a creature who walks with its front legs as I don't recall anything evolving to have such a unige way of transportation. But now that you've explained it, it's very clear to me. Thanks!!
You're welcome. Yep, I've been obsessed with the idea of flightless bats (especially giant predatory flightless bats :p) ever since I first found out about the night stalker. Interestingly, there's a species of bat in New Zealand (the lesser short-tailed bat, Mystacina tuberculata; there used to be a greater short-tailed bat as well, but it's extinct now :cry) that, while capable of flight, spends most of its time on the ground, eating fruit, nectar, carrion, and invertebrates. (Here are two videos. (http://www.arkive.org/lesser-short-tailed-bat/mystacina-tuberculata/video-00.html)) My favorite episode of the documentary series The Life Of Mammals had an entire segment at the end devoted to these bats, showing a group of them ganging up on a weta (a sort of giant flightless cricket that a lone bat would normally have difficulty tackling), tearing it apart, and squabbling over the remains. (Sound familiar? *shifts eyes a few posts up*) I should mention that they appear to be completely quadrupedal, so the body plan of the night stalker isn't necessarily the one that flightless batsóif they ever evolveówill adopt as my post might have suggested, but it's nonetheless plausible.
Kiwi's are awesome and adorable with their long beaks and almost non-existant wings!! :DD You ever seen this cute little video regarding a Kiwi? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdUUx5FdySs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdUUx5FdySs)
Yeah, I’ve seen that video before, though I find it sad. Poor kiwi. :cry
I have my own kiwi video to share: a kiwi on a treadmill (http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/new-zealands-piwi-the-kiwi-broke-both-legs-but-is-walking-again-after-treadmill-rehab/story-e6freon6-1225902029948). :lol He’s not trying to lose weight; :p what happened was that both his legs were broken, so wildlife rehabilitators gave him treadmill therapy to help rebuild his leg muscles. Yes, it's as cute as it sounds. :D
Giganotosaurus- I imagined him being a highly-confident predator, proud of his skills and size. Vengeful, of course, and he can be quite nasty in that respect. Determined and clever, always finding a solution to all sorts of problems that are presented to him. Maybe a bit impulsive with his attacks, which can lead to accidents (eating flowers or biting his own tail, for instance :lol ). That's what I can pick up from the movie, and will probably flesh him out a bit more when he comes into the RP.
Spinosaurus- I gave this character to Redtooth101, but I had his personality planned out before that. He would've been a proud and relatively-calm carnivore, but his determination occasionally outweighs his common sense. A bit single-minded in the pursuit of a target, he will never give up easily and will continue the chase until physically incapable of doing so though fatigue or through getting his sail caught between two rocks :p . He's not as aggressive or clever as the Giganoto, but his persistence alone's enough to get him through the tough life of the Mysterious Beyond.
Wow. I like those bios. :smile I'm eager to see how you handle the Giganotosaurus in the RP.
Speaking of which, how large do you imagine your Therizinosaurus dinosona as being? (8-foot arms with 3-foot claws are the only reference we have for the real dinosaur's size, but it's estimated to have been at least 30 feet long, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was more than that.) I ask because I think it would help in the RP scenes where my characters are interacting with yours (which are likely to be quite frequent :lol) to have an idea of how they compare in terms of scale. If both our dinosonas were the same size as their real-life counterparts, my character would be about as long as one of your character's claws, which might be a bit too much of a size difference, depending on what kind of interactions you were planning on. (Shaking hands is probably out of the question in any case. :p)
P.S. You've seen my dinosona picture and profile (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=6357&view=findpost&p=9141505), right? For reference, I see him as being about as tall as Chomper (maybe taller when standing upright), or half again as large as Guido.
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Yeah, I’ve seen that video before, though I find it sad. Poor kiwi.
Yes, but at least he had his dream, so it wasn't in vain! :(
(Here are two videos.)
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I have my own kiwi video to share: a kiwi on a treadmill. He’s not trying to lose weight; what happened was that both his legs were broken, so wildlife rehabilitators gave him treadmill therapy to help rebuild his leg muscles. Yes, it's as cute as it sounds.
AWWWWWW, both the batties and the kiwi was sooooooo cute!! The batties are so fuzzy; they're walking balls of fluff!!! I love the one that's eating what looks like a large beetle larva. That's quite a mouthful for the little fella!!
And the kiwi!! Piwi the kiwi, what an adorable name! He's probably thinking 'Why is the ground moving?! :blink: ' And the story about him was also cute! I hope he's done okay with his recovery and has returned to the wild!!
Wow. I like those bios. I'm eager to see how you handle the Giganotosaurus in the RP.
Aww, thank you!! Bios are so much fun to write!! And I'm eager to bring him in as well!! Must be part of the reason I was bugging Rat_lady7 about it :D !!
Speaking of which, how large do you imagine your Therizinosaurus dinosona as being? (8-foot arms with 3-foot claws are the only reference we have for the real dinosaur's size, but it's estimated to have been at least 30 feet long, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was more than that.) I ask because I think it would help in the RP scenes where my characters are interacting with yours (which are likely to be quite frequent ) to have an idea of how they compare in terms of scale. If both our dinosonas were the same size as their real-life counterparts, my character would be about as long as one of your character's claws, which might be a bit too much of a size difference, depending on what kind of interactions you were planning on. (Shaking hands is probably out of the question in any case. )
Based on IsisMasshiro's pic which I got my dinosona design from, an adult male LBT Therizinosaurus looks to be the same size as an adult T-Rex (the same character, which I named Zin, is equal in size with Red Claw in my future fanfic :D ). Myself being a young adult female, I imagine being a bit smaller. Though how much smaller, I'm not all too sure as sexual dimorphism in this dinosaur is a bit unclear to me.... :smile
And ironically, earlier when we first met in the RP, I was thinking about offering a claw to shake, but realized that that'll probably freak Guido out. So now it's a deleted scene :lol: .
P.S. You've seen my dinosona picture and profile, right? For reference, I see him as being about as tall as Chomper (maybe taller when standing upright), or half again as large as Guido.
Yup! I've seen it and I love your red coloring!! The combo with the yellow is very nice!! Your physical form's awesome, you certainly do look more adult! And I love your bio as well!! Reading it, I see yet more things in common, it's awesome!!
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Why do you like Shenzi, Banzai and Ed (from TLK)?
Also, out of curiosity, why do you dub yourself the 'Spaz(z)' of the forum?
What is the most interesting pet that you wish you could have?
How do you feel about Sharks? Do you have a favourite type of shark? Do you believe/feel that the stigma that is attached to the sharks (I refer to fear), is completely illogical in the sense that humans are the ones who are killing more numbers of sharks than they 'kill' humans?
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Why do you like Shenzi, Banzai and Ed (from TLK)?
Besides the fact that I found them hilarious, spotted hyenas are one of my fav critters in Africa, so it's really not a surprise that I would favor those three over the other characters. :D
Also, out of curiosity, why do you dub yourself the 'Spaz(z)' of the forum?
Cuz it's fun and random!! :DD But I'm certainly not the only spazz on the forum!!
What is the most interesting pet that you wish you could have?
That list would be very long, but I'll shorten it considerably to the most desired ones...... I wanna pair of fennec foxes and a large parrot (probably a Scarlet macaw or an African grey); on the more common end, I'm fond of siamese cats and want some of my own. I also want a whole number of bugs and other arthropods, but most'll prove to be impossible to contain.
How do you feel about Sharks? Do you have a favourite type of shark? Do you believe/feel that the stigma that is attached to the sharks (I refer to fear), is completely illogical in the sense that humans are the ones who are killing more numbers of sharks than they 'kill' humans?
I love sharks and my favorite will have to be the thresher shark, though the mako and the blue is tied a close second, and the whale shark and black-tipped reef shark a third. And yes, I do think it's unnecessary to be frightened of sharks. You're much more likely to be killed by a falling coconut than you are at being killed by a shark. I blame hollywood, as they're almost always responsible for giving all sorts of misunderstood critters a bad reputation. If anything, sharks have a lot more reason to be more scared of humans than vice versa.
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AWWWWWW, both the batties and the kiwi was sooooooo cute!! The batties are so fuzzy; they're walking balls of fluff!!! I love the one that's eating what looks like a large beetle larva. That's quite a mouthful for the little fella!!
My thoughts exactly. :smile Walking balls of fluff with big appetites. :lol (That description could also apply to the kiwi, actually.)
Based on IsisMasshiro's pic which I got my dinosona design from, an adult male LBT Therizinosaurus looks to be the same size as an adult T-Rex (the same character, which I named Zin, is equal in size with Red Claw in my future fanfic :D ). Myself being a young adult female, I imagine being a bit smaller. Though how much smaller, I'm not all too sure as sexual dimorphism in this dinosaur is a bit unclear to me.... :smile
That's what I was thinking, too. And I don't know if anyone knows about sexual dimorphism in therizinosaurs. :unsure: (Therizinosaurus itself, as far as I know, is only known from a single specimen.) You can probably be flexible with your character's size, though, since many dinosaurs are known to have reached maturity long before they were full-sized.
And ironically, earlier when we first met in the RP, I was thinking about offering a claw to shake, but realized that that'll probably freak Guido out. So now it's a deleted scene :lol: .
To add to the irony, I was considering having my character almost extend a hand to shake when he first met your dinosona, but decide against it. :lol So…it's a “never-created” scene. :p (Not that we couldn't still use a Therizinosaurus hand-shaking gag at some point in the RP… :smile)
P.S. You've seen my dinosona picture and profile, right? For reference, I see him as being about as tall as Chomper (maybe taller when standing upright), or half again as large as Guido.
Yup! I've seen it and I love your red coloring!! The combo with the yellow is very nice!! Your physical form's awesome, you certainly do look more adult! And I love your bio as well!! Reading it, I see yet more things in common, it's awesome!!
Thank you very much! :DD I think the same of the picture and profile of your dinosona. :smile
That reminds me…have you seen my art thread yet? (I'd love it if you posted some comments. :yes)
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You can probably be flexible with your character's size, though, since many dinosaurs are known to have reached maturity long before they were full-sized.
Yeah, maybe I'm like 2/3 his size or something.
To add to the irony, I was considering having my character almost extend a hand to shake when he first met your dinosona, but decide against it. So…it's a “never-created” scene. (Not that we couldn't still use a Therizinosaurus hand-shaking gag at some point in the RP… )
We both had the same idea and we both decided against it....Stop being my clone :lol
Ooooooo, I love gags!!
That reminds me…have you seen my art thread yet? (I'd love it if you posted some comments. )
I'll be right on it fast than a spazz on chocolate!! Whoooooo!!!
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You can probably be flexible with your character's size, though, since many dinosaurs are known to have reached maturity long before they were full-sized.
Yeah, maybe I'm like 2/3 his size or something.
I'm still not sure how that would compare to my character, but it sounds reasonable to me.
We both had the same idea and we both decided against it....Stop being my clone :lol
Ah, I'm not spazzy enough to be your clone. :p
That reminds me…have you seen my art thread yet? (I'd love it if you posted some comments. )
I'll be right on it fast than a spazz on chocolate!! Whoooooo!!!
Thanks! :smile
Have you ever watched Primeval? It's a British TV series about mysteriously appearing space-time portals that allow creatures from the past and future to enter the present day. Most of the creatures are rather scientifically inaccurate, but the show uses some very interesting ones. (One of them is even a giant flightless predatory bat from the future, though it looks nothing like a nightstalker, or a deathgleaner, or any kind of bat, really.)
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I haven't seen the actual show, but I've seen a clip where the future bat thing is fighting some prehistoric creature (and lost :p ). It was a while ago and the clip was unwillingly removed from my youtube favorites, but I remember thinking: "That thing doesn't look remotely like a bat..." But it was an awesome fight regardless of that fact!
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Which bat species that you know of are, in your opinion, the funniest-looking? :p (I imagine the epauletted bat you posted a picture of in the “Caption This!” section would be one of them. :P:)
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I imagine the epauletted bat you posted a picture of in the “Caption This!” section would be one of them.
That's the funniest picture of a batty I've ever seen and it was adorable! :D Chapin's free-tailed bats are funny too with their little rockin' hair-do!!!
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Hi hi!
Alrighty, down to business...this is a rather random one but, what does FTW mean? I'm actually completely in the dark about this. :blink:
And why do you like the Domeheads from the first movie so much? Had to ask this one. Not that there's anything wrong with it, there's just some things you want to know. -_-
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Chapin's free-tailed bats are funny too with their little rockin' hair-do!!!
Yeah, those guys are adorable. :lol Speaking of creatures with mohawks, did you ever get a chance to see the Visayan warty pig photos in my “Twin Cities” thread?
(Also, I got around to posting in the RP again, just so you know. Sorry about the wait.)
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Alrighty, down to business...this is a rather random one but, what does FTW mean? I'm actually completely in the dark about this.
It means 'For the Win'!! Just another way of saying how awesome something is!!
And why do you like the Domeheads from the first movie so much? Had to ask this one. Not that there's anything wrong with it, there's just some things you want to know.
:lol I posted my reasoning on the two threads: 10 Fav Characters and 10 Fav LBT Villains in the Character Discussion category! But I'll sum it up here too!! :D They're aggressive, violent, psychopathic (three traits I love in an antagonist), mysterious in their motives, and they left a big impression on my sister and I despite their minor roles. But even with this, for a long time, I've paid little mind to them and now I can't remember what it was that got me to love them as much as I do now.
Yeah, those guys are adorable. Speaking of creatures with mohawks, did you ever get a chance to see the Visayan warty pig photos in my “Twin Cities” thread?
Yes they are!! And yup, yup, yup!! Just left a comment too! Sorry for the wait, in turn!!
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Yeah, those guys are adorable. Speaking of creatures with mohawks, did you ever get a chance to see the Visayan warty pig photos in my “Twin Cities” thread?
Yes they are!! And yup, yup, yup!! Just left a comment too! Sorry for the wait, in turn!!
Thanks! I just put some new pictures up, by the way. ;)
Are there any movies or episodes in the LBT series that you have not seen?
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Thanks! I just put some new pictures up, by the way.
Must........see..... :lol
Are there any movies or episodes in the LBT series that you have not seen?
I only never seen the 13th movie. Many people say that's a good thing. I tried watching it on youtube, but the quality annoyed me even before the Yellowbellies showed up (and I usually have a high tolerance for poor quality) and I gave up on it. :( I'm hesitant to actually buy it with all the bad stuff I've been hearing.
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Here’s a random one (partially inspired by a question I remember Mirumoto_Kenjiro asking people) that I just had to get out of my head: If you had a cream pie, a bucket of water, a bottle of seltzer, a bunch of bananas, and a large rubber band, were in a room with someone you had a grudge against, with a guarantee of no legal repercussions for whatever you did, what would you do? :p
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Ooooo, a thinker!! Lemme unlock my previous hostile personality for this one!! :lol
I'd stuff the every piece of cream pie in his mouth until he almost chokes, shove his head into the bucket until he almost drowns, and then spray him in the eyes with the selzer (which I'm gonna assume is filled with something other than soda, like a torturous liquid of some sort, preferably a type of acid), shove a bunch of bananas into every possible opening in his body, especially his ear (Charlie the Unicorn fans may wanna sing a certain song right now), and then strangle him with the rubber band almost to the point of unconsciousness. That's not including the physical beatings and injuries he'll get from me..... Then, after his merciless torture in which my evil laughter will scar him to the point of his own insanity, he can be free to live in fear of my wrath and will think twice before he dares to hurt me again!! :anger :anger :anger :anger
Back to my nicer self, I hope that answers the questions to your liking!! :DD
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Uh…wow. I knew you had a dark side; didn't know it had such a mean streak. :blink: (I'll make sure never to get you angry! :p)
New question, umm…are there any kinds of bugs that you would definitely not want to have as pets?
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Yes, my old self was very mean. Anyway, you're perfectly safe! :D My dark side is gone and the only remnant of it is my eternal grudge list, which in turn is rendered harmless by my current, happy self!! :D
Hmmm, there isn't a bug I wouldn't want as a pet. Even the difficult ones, like the assassins and the Amazons, were satifying pets for me. I guess the only bugs I'll refrain myself from keeping are the adult insects that needs lots of flying space, like dragonflies, damselflies, mayflies, lacewings, and stuff. I know keeping them would be like torturing them and that's why I plan on releasing my antlion when he grows up (that'll be a bittersweet moment for me :( ). Their larvae would be a different matter, though.
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Wow. So you'd even be willing to keep a nest of Japanese giant hornets? Or bullet ants? (Have you heard of those? They're large, primitive ants from South America that grow to about an inch long, and are considered to have the most painful venom of any insect; supposedly, getting stung by one feels like being shot with a gun.)
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Yup!! Keeping a nest of Japanese Giant Hornets is my ultimate bug dream!! And yes, I've heard of bullet ants and I won't hesitate to have an antfarm of them (will I ever learn? :rolleyes: Probably not :lol: ).......I think it would be an honor for me to be stung by it, to see just how painful it would be and if their reputation is well-earned. :DD
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Good to know I'm not the only one with an inexplicable, self-preservation-defying curiosity for what a bullet ant sting would feel like. :p :lol
On that note, ever heard of the Schmidt Sting Pain Index? It's a scale developed by an entomologist named Justin O. Schmidt to rate the painfulness of insect stings. I have to say, his descriptions of what some of the stings feel like are enough to make me reconsider the prospect of finding out for myself. :unsure: (I wonder where the Japanese giant hornet would rank… :unsure:) There's an overview of the scale on here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidt_Sting_Pain_Index) on Wikipedia; here's (http://scienceray.com/biology/zoology/the-schmidt-sting-pain-index-how-much-could-you-take/) an article found with more comprehensive information on the species; and then there's this article (http://discovermagazine.com/2003/jun/featstung/) (by one of my favorite science writers) on the subject of insect stings.
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Yay to suicidal ambitions!! :lol
Yeah, I heard of the index. According to one entomologist who specializes in giant hornets, being stung by one felt like a "hot nail being driven through my leg" and their venom's strong enough to destroy human tissue (you can die even if you're not allergic). To me, that sounds a lot worse than the stings I've gotten, so I think the giant hornet should have a hefty spot on that list.
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Yikes. :blink: I definitely agree with you there.
As long as we're on the subject of stinging animals, have you ever had any experiences with stingrays? (Not necessarily sting-related; just in general. :p)
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I only met stingrays twice in person and both were very memorable for me. Both times were in an aquarium place and you can put your hand on the surface of a small pool and the stingrays would swim over and run their backs across your hand. The first encounter, I was a little girl and I was nervous on touching one. I can't remember what it was that got me nervous.... Anyway, I would jerk my hand away whenever the rays got near. I didn't get to pet them that day and I was ashamed of that for a long time. Then, years later, we made another visit to the same place and I had a chance to redeem myself. This time, I wasn't nervous or anything and I petted the stingrays!! I felt very proud of myself that day! :DD
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what countries have you visited?
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The Phillipines, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and The Bahamas. Not many places.
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^ Wow…you're a heck of a lot more well-traveled than me, at least. :! I've never been west of Minnesota, and the closest I've ever come to leaving the United States was on my two visits to Block Island, RI.
Thanks for sharing the ray story, too! :smile
Do you have any other interesting or amusing stories involving animal encounters at zoos and aquariums? :)
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4 places i have never visited FBS
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4 places i have never visited FBS
Thanks. I didn't really have a choice in the matter for Puerto Rico and the Phillipines. We have family there. Not saying I regretted it; it was a fun experience. I spent some time playfully searching for a king cobra in the Phillipines and the legendary chupacabra in Puerto Rico, both hunts failing miserably, to say the least.
^ Wow…you're a heck of a lot more well-traveled than me, at least. I've never been west of Minnesota, and the closest I've ever come to leaving the United States was on my two visits to Block Island, RI.
My family loves to travel. Currently, they're planning a trip to Europe but I unfortunately can't go cuz I have college.
Never been to Minnesota, though we passed by Rhode Island sometimes when we're on our way to New York.
Thanks for sharing the ray story, too!
Welcome.
Do you have any other interesting or amusing stories involving animal encounters at zoos and aquariums?
-My sister and I playfully chasing my cousin to try and make her pet a starfish (she hates touching animals) while in Sea World.
- A Class trip. It wasn't really a zoo, but there's this place in Richmond, VA dedicated to the native americans and they had turkeys running loose. One of the turkeys chased my long-time most hated bully. It was funny, to say the least.
-A Summer camp trip into a cave. It was beautiful and I saw my first ever bat, sleeping on the wall. Throughout the rest of the trip, I keep making bat squeaks and it freaked out the other kids before they angrily told me to stop. I didn't.
-That time I petted and held a Madagascan hissing cockroach while on another class trip.
That's what I could remember so far.
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Puerto rico is part of the Us. We considering going there for a vacation last summer but ended up picking Jamaica instead.
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Do you have any other interesting or amusing stories involving animal encounters at zoos and aquariums?
-My sister and I playfully chasing my cousin to try and make her pet a starfish (she hates touching animals) while in Sea World.
- A Class trip. It wasn't really a zoo, but there's this place in Richmond, VA dedicated to the native americans and they had turkeys running loose. One of the turkeys chased my long-time most hated bully. It was funny, to say the least.
-A Summer camp trip into a cave. It was beautiful and I saw my first ever bat, sleeping on the wall. Throughout the rest of the trip, I keep making bat squeaks and it freaked out the other kids before they angrily told me to stop. I didn't.
-That time I petted and held a Madagascan hissing cockroach while on another class trip.
That's what I could remember so far.
Great stories! :D Thanks!
Speaking of zoos, would you rather that I wait for you to comment on my most recent batch of Minnesota Zoo photos in my “Twin Cities” thread, or should I just go ahead and post the next bunch and you comment on both posts afterwards?
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Great stories! Thanks!
No probs!! Welcome!! :D
And don't let me hold yas back, buddy!! Put up the pics, I'll try again to take a look and I'll comment (if my computer doesn't act stupid again, that is <_< )!!
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Have you ever watched Darkwing Duck? If so who is your fave charrie? (I might have a feeling on who would be your fave...lulz.)
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Unfortunately, I haven't seen it. I hear plenty of talk about it, but never really had enough interest to watch it myself. Sorry. :(
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Put up the pics, I'll try again to take a look and I'll comment (if my computer doesn't act stupid again, that is <_< )!!
All right, I've just made a new post (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=8654&st=20)! Can't wait for your comments! :smile (They really are a huge pleasure to read and I very much look forward to them. :yes)
Sorry about your computer freezing up. :( (Do you suppose the video I posted had something to do with it? :unsure:) Did it cause you to lose a post you had been typing? If so, that's a shame; I know how much work you put into your posts. :( I know I made this suggestion before, but maybe you could type some of your longer posts on a Word document, so you can save them incrementally as you're working on them and prevent losing everything if your computer screws up.
Okay, new question: besides the slavemaker ants (whose story you shared already), where did you originally get all of your insect pets? :)
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Sorry about your computer freezing up. (Do you suppose the video I posted had something to do with it? ) Did it cause you to lose a post you had been typing?
No, it wasn't your video, don't worry. My current internet connection is weak and unreliable and I guess the actual pictures was too much for it to handle. Luckily, it froze the minute the page opened, so I didn't have time to start commenting or to even see the majority of the pics. I have a document where I put potentially long posts, but I usually implement it when I'm highly doubting my internet.
Okay, new question: besides the slavemaker ants (whose story you shared already), where did you originally get all of your insect pets?
The slavemakers were the most interesting story. The others, I'm afraid, aren't so......adventurous.
The more common mantis species I had (like the chinese mantis and the carolina mantis) I bought from a gardening store as egg sacks. I kept a few of each, but let the rest go. The more exotic ones (like Aithne, Twiggy, and my current Giant Asian mantises) I got off the internet. I believe it was this website I got them from: http://www.mantisplace.com/mantisforsale.html (http://www.mantisplace.com/mantisforsale.html)
The most of my tiger beetles I got from our lovable traveler friend. I miss her, but we still keep in touch, which is good!! She brought Migoto back from her trip to Japan (same with Takeo the stag beetle) and she brought the Green Tiger Beetles from her trip to Europe. In the past, I caught the six-spotted tiger beetles myself since they were common in our area and it gave me something fun to do! Now that I moved to California, where I believe six-spotteds don't exist, my friend came to the rescue and mailed me our five current beetles when they were just little baby larvae. She reassures that whenever I'm in need of tiger beetles, just give her a call and she'll send some. I'm in awe at how good a friend she is!
The assassin bug I caught from our backyard. I read some books of pet insects and many said that assassin bugs are for experience bug owners. I think I would qualify as an experienced bug owner :D . So I went looking for one. It didn't take too long before I noticed him as a little nymph, looking so adorable. I just had to get him! :^.^:
Three of the antfarms, I just got off the internet. We all know how the slave-makers came about!
The antlion I got from http://www.antlionfarms.com (http://www.antlionfarms.com) after watching this fun little 'ad' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwqVWUSNIxg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwqVWUSNIxg) . They sell two antlions, but I only wished to have one, so I gave the other antlion and the zen garden to my school's science teacher. I was more than happy to have mine in a homemade 'zen garden'! :DD
And currently, I have my grasshopper home set up, I just need to find an actual grasshopper nymph around here (I don't want an adult, just a nymph). It would be so much easier if we still lived on the east coast; it seemed we were infested with grasshoppers.... Over here, all I find are katydids....Nothing against katydids, they're beautiful, but I just want an average little grasshopper. If worse comes to worse, I'll just use the trusty internet! And if the internet is gonna be used, I already have my sights on getting this gorgeous little grasshopper:
A rainbow/pictured grasshopper
(http://wc.pima.edu/Bfiero/tucsonecology/animals/Images/arw_ragr_02.jpg)
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Neat! :) How long did it take the tiger beetles to pupate and mature after you first got them? And what was feeding, housing, and generally caring for them like during that stage?
And I agree; that's a beautiful grasshopper. :wow Some species of lubber, isn't it?
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They were larvae the majority of the time I had them. It felt like foooooorrrrrreeeeeevvvvvvvveeeeeerrrrrrr for them to mature, at least to me! :DD I kept them in the same tank they are in now. Really the only difference is that instead of the running about, being spazzy little buggers, they spend the entirety of their time in their individual little burrow. It's fun watching them lunge out, grab their food, and drag it back into the burrow abyss like mini crocs. :lol: The burrow things are still used by the adult beetles at night!
I read that they often get mistaken for lubbers, but apparently they're different types of grasshoppers. :)
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They were larvae the majority of the time I had them. It felt like foooooorrrrrreeeeeevvvvvvvveeeeeerrrrrrr for them to mature, at least to me! :DD I kept them in the same tank they are in now. Really the only difference is that instead of the running about, being spazzy little buggers, they spend the entirety of their time in their individual little burrow. It's fun watching them lunge out, grab their food, and drag it back into the burrow abyss like mini crocs. :lol: The burrow things are still used by the adult beetles at night!
Neat! :) Did you feed the larvae the same things as the adult beetles? Also, how much time did they spend in the pupal stage? And how long do they live once they become adults?
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Yup, they're not picky at all and will take anything!! Though I gave them more wingless fruitflies more than crickets as I didn't wanna take too much risk should the cricket give a strong kick in its struggles and injure my babies.
Although they only stay in the pupa stage for a few weeks, it felt even longer to me!! No activity from them was even more of a torture and I was getting anxious by the minute!! I was so happy and spazzy when, one-by-one, they began to emerge!!
The adults only last a couple of months, though in captivity, their lifespan can easily double. I'm expecting those fateful days to be coming some time this month. *would huggle the beetles if I could!*
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Which creatures from The Future is Wild would you want to have as pets? :P:
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Ooooo!! I love that question!!
I'd LOOOOOVE to have a Deathgleaner, a Spink, a Desert Rattleback, a Carakiller, a Falconfly, a Spitfire Beetle, a Lurkfish, a Silverspider, a Poggle, a Great Blue Windrunner, a Squibbon, a Megasquid, a Flish (preferably the forest ones), a Grimworm/Bumblebeetle, a colony of Terabytes, and Rainbow Squid if I can find a place to put it.......
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Could you, by any chance, elaborate on why you'd like to own those particular creatures? :angel
(For example, why a desert rattleback versus a grassland rattleback? And why would a forest flish be preferable to an ocean flish? And why is the swampus the only cephalopod absent from that list? :p)
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Not a problem!! Most of them is actually pretty simple!! :D
Deathgleaner- Giant carnivorous bat that's the apex predator of its area. I gotta love it!!
Spink- They're adorable little burrowing birds that sing adorable little sounds!
Desert Rattleback- I like it's appearance over the Grassland Rattleback, plus it has a tail!! :lol
Carakiller- It's the closest thing I can get to raptors!!
Falconfly- ......A giant ninja wasp, what's not to like?! And it was their fearless, aggressive nature in the cartoon version that officially won me over and named the Falconfly my all time favorite FiW animal!
Spitfire Beetle- Really, it was the cartoon that got me to like them and I made OC spitfire beetles for a story, further enhancing my liking for them!
Lurkfish- An electric catfish that has more than enough power to charge my laptop! :lol Plus, in the cartoon, they spoke in New Jersey accents, making them even more awesome!!
Silverspider- This is the first FiW critter I fell in love with and continued to daydream about eversince I first watched the FiW documentary. When I found out they had their own episode in the cartoon, I jumped at the chance to wtch it....and I fell in love even more!! Whoooo!!! I love you, Zaga!!
Poggle- Relatives of my ratties and gerbils. Last mammals on earth! Uberly adorable!
Great Blue Windrunner- A gorgeous bird who's the only critter to appeal to my animal-phobia cousin (who hates birds especially). I gotta give it credit for that!
Squibbon- Awwwwwww!! And they're smart too!!
Megasquid- Awesome!! And it's the only animal I think the cartoon doesn't give enough credit to. Yes, this animal has a small brain compared to its size; that doesn't make it that much of an idiot...
Flish- I like both Flishies, but I feel I'll be able to care for the forest ones better than the ocean one.
Grimworm/Bumblebeetle- *shrugs* I don't really know.... I just like it!
Terabytes- CUTE!!!! I love termites and I love their descendants! Plus, in the cartoon, they're made even more adorable!! There's only so much cuteness I can take!!
Rainbow Squid- I shall name it...The Kraken!! And I shall dress up like Davy Jones!! :lol No, seriously, this is a gorgeous and magnificent giant squid!!
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^ Now that’s a good answer! :lol
Are you and/or your buggies going to respond to the last post (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=9166&view=findpost&p=9228425) I made in your pets’ question thread? :p
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Thank you!! :D
Now we did!! Thanks for reminding us!!
Buggies: Us? You were the one who kept forgetting!!
Me: ...Shaddup....
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You're welcome! :smile
What exactly is your definition of a “spazz”? :p
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How is your fan fic Guilty Until Proven Innocent going?
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What exactly is your definition of a “spazz”?
:lol My teacher just asked me that a few days ago!! My eager reply: "Someone who's hyperactive and random beyond all reason! One might even question their mental stability! :D Whooooo!!!"
How is your fan fic Guilty Until Proven Innocent going?
Good. I have the next chapter planned out and stuff, I just have to get to typing it. I was contemplating whether to update this weekend, but I've been lazy on my writing lately. But no worries!! Although my obsession has shifted to something else (I love ya, Rattlesnake Jake!!!), I have every intention of finishing that Domehead story of mine no matter what!! :DD
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I could really use a laugh right now, so here’s a question that I think you’ll like: :p
What do you think would happen if Ozzy and Strut were unleashed on a present-day Easter celebration? :lol What would they think of chocolate eggs? And hard-boiled eggs, for that matter?
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This one sounds fun!!
Ozzy.....Easter.....Eggs..... Dear Zotz, the whole Underworld just broke loose! We're all gonna DIE!! :DD
Ozzy: *is holding something brown* Do I even wanna KNOW what this is!? :x
Me: It's a chocolate egg!! :^.^:
Ozzy: :blink: NO EGG SHOULD BE THIS COLOR!!!
Strut: Hey, Sparks, mind if I ask what your eatin' there?
Me: Ramen!! With a couple of hard-boiled eggs in it!
Ozzy: *is there in a flash* Eggs?!
Me: *gives him one*
Ozzy: *bite.........* What the- What IS THIS!!?
Me: Hard-boiled eggs, which means that you won't be enjoying any gooey-ness!!
Ozzy: :anger
Me: :DD
Strut: :huh:
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So you think that's what Ozzy likes about eggs? Their gooeyness? You think he would be that picky about the way his eggs are prepared? :p
If Ozzy and Strut were to give chocolate eggs a try (let's assume chocolate would have no detrimental effects to a dinosaur's health besides increased girth :p), do you think they would like them?
Also, have you ever eaten a Cadbury creme egg? :smile (If there's any chocolate egg Ozzy would like, it would be one of those. :lol)
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I think Ozzy loves everything eggy!! Gooey-ness might be one of those 'yummy' traits! And nah, I don't think he'll be that picky when it comes to eggs. I feel he'll like it so long as there's a yolk; I just wanted to do that for fun!! :lol
I do wonder....Would he eat the unborn hatchling inside? :blink:
If Ozzy and Strut were to give chocolate eggs a try (let's assume chocolate would have no detrimental effects to a dinosaur's health besides increased girth ), do you think they would like them?
It's chocolate; they better like it!! :lol I think Strut might like it while Ozzy comes to the conclusion that chocolate eggs=fake. :smile
No, I never tried cadbury chocolate eggs, but looking at them right now via Google Images....I'm intrigued and I have this sudden urge to find one and try it!!
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I think Ozzy loves everything eggy!! Gooey-ness might be one of those 'yummy' traits! And nah, I don't think he'll be that picky when it comes to eggs. I feel he'll like it so long as there's a yolk; I just wanted to do that for fun!! :lol
I do wonder....Would he eat the unborn hatchling inside? :blink:
That's the thing about eggs in cartoons (movies in general, really)…it seems they always contain either a ready-to-be-born hatchling, or are just like your everyday infertile chicken egg, with a white and a yolk but no developing embryo. So that's a good question. :o Judging by Ozzy's reaction when Cera tells him that “his” egg hatched, he at least greatly prefers the yolk and white to the “meat” of an egg. Still, it isn’t clear whether the extent of LBT Struthiomimus’ omnivory is only eggs and plants, or whether they eat small animals as well. (Makes you wonder about the one that tried to steal Littlefoot’s egg in the first movie. :blink:) Maybe we should start a thread on this subject…or at least bring it up in the Ozzy and Strut (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=5063) character discussion thread. :idea
No, I never tried cadbury chocolate eggs, but looking at them right now via Google Images....I'm intrigued and I have this sudden urge to find one and try it!!
As far as I know, they’re usually only sold around Eastertime, so they should be available anyplace where you can buy Easter candy (they are in my area, anyway). I'm gonna be stockpiling ëem! :smile
That reminds me, there’s a Cretaceous-period egg-laying mammal named after the Cadbury chocolate company. :lol I should tell you about it sometime.
Have you heard about this (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2011/03/25/beetle-turns-itself-into-a-wheel/)? Tiger beetles just got even cooler. :smile
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Umm…Sparky? You alive?
Here's another question: besides the obvious, :p who were your favorite characters in Rango?
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Sorry!! I'm still very much alive!! At least I hope so.... *shifty eyes*
Besides the awesome Rattlesnake Jake? Hmmm.....I like Waffles, the horned toad. He was adorable!! Though the hawk was awesome too (finally, the classic screech of the red tailed hawk is given to a red tailed hawk!!). Priscilla was fun too; a classic cute but morbid little girl.
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hace you seen Rio yet?
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Not yet, but I want to sooooo badly!!
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Its very good. and we should probably get moving on your Toy Story rp.. hint hint
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Glad to have you back. :)
Are you going to respond to my earlier post (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=8986&view=findpost&p=9232252) in this thread? :angel
Also, are your pets (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=9166) still answering questions?
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Its very good. and we should probably get moving on your Toy Story rp.. hint hint
Now I wantz to see it more!! I'm gonna check up on the rp in a moment, sorry!! :oops
Are you going to respond to my earlier post in this thread?
Oops!! But yeah, I'm gonna check that Ozzy and Strut thread out!! It's a legit question! :lol:
That reminds me, there’s a Cretaceous-period egg-laying mammal named after the Cadbury chocolate company. I should tell you about it sometime
Really?! :blink: Tellz me about it!! I wantz to know!!
Have you heard about this? Tiger beetles just got even cooler.
Yup, saw that page and it led me to discover a humorous clip of a cartwheeling spider rollin' to the song Riding Dirty! :lol
Also, are your pets still answering questions?
I'll get to that soon!! :D
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its alright FBS.we just don't want that rp to die.. :)
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It ain't going flatline on my watch!! :D
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thats good to hear. what films are you planning to see this summer?
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Seeing the trailers from Rango, I'd say Hop looks interesting. STILL wanna see Rio! And that Zookeeper one looks fun! As well as that documentary of the elephants and orangutans.
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rio imo is better thanm hop..
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Why am I not surprised by that? :lol
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So sorry about the wait. :oops I swear, I can’t get anything done these days… :bang
That reminds me, there’s a Cretaceous-period egg-laying mammal named after the Cadbury chocolate company. I should tell you about it sometime
Really?! :blink: Tellz me about it!! I wantz to know!!
The mammal is called Kryoryctes cadburyi: “Kryoryctes” meaning “cold digger” because it lived in southern Australia about 105 million years ago, when Australia was much closer to the South Pole and therefore considerably colder, and because its upper arm bone (the only fossil so far discovered) shows similarities to that of its possible modern-day relative, the echidna, suggesting that it was adapted for digging. The other part of its name honors the Cadbury chocolate company; the reason for this is a long and very interesting story (You might want to have some chocolate with you while you’re reading this; I guarantee it’ll make you hungry for it ;)):
The fossil was uncovered during a dig at Dinosaur Cove in Victoria, Australia that lasted from 1984 to 1994. The students who participated in the dig claim that the food was terrible, and that they “lived on chocolate”. As motivation, the paleontologist in charge of the dig promised a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of chocolate to anyone who found a dinosaur jawbone (and for the record, at least one student did find one; according to the article she subsequently consumed the reward almost singlehandedly). Then the dig leader was asked what the reward would be if someone found a mammal bone (Mesozoic mammals are exceptionally rare fossils, and at the time there no specimens known from Dinosaur Cove); thinking that would never happen, he said a cubic meter (roughly one ton) of chocolate. :wow
Well, eventually the dig was closed down, and the collected specimens shelved for eventual preparation and evaluation. When you have ten summers’ worth of collected fossils lying around waiting to be chipped out of the rock they’re preserved in and identified, it can take a long time to get to them all, so it wasn’t until years later that one particular fossil (tentatively identified as a turtle humerus) was prepared and examined closely. That was when they realized that the fossil was in fact a mammal humerus. Cue “Oh crap” reaction from otherwise ecstatic paleontologist when he realizes he has to make good on his promise (worth about ten thousand U.S. dollars). Fortuituously, however, he happened to have just the right connections: one of the dig volunteers was a science teacher who had taught the son of the manager of a local Cadbury chocolate factory, who agreed to provide the necessary chocolate. And since no one knew who had found the fossil, everyone who had participated in the Dinosaur Cove dig was invited to the Cadbury factory for a share of the prize. Actually, it’s impossible to make a one-ton slab of chocolate, because the center would never solidify. So instead the factory made a cubic meter of cocoa butter (the fatty component of chocolate); photos were taken, and then the dig team was let loose in a room full of chocolate bars. Everyone went home with boxes and boxes of chocolate, and as an expression of gratitude, the fossil mammal was named for the chocolate company.
Whew! I can’t believe it took me so long to write that (almost two hours)! :blink: Ehh…I gotta go get some chocolate now. :P:
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Have you ever traveled overseas before? Is there any particular cuisine that you like?
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Wow, been a while since I added anything to this! That was a my bad, especially to you, Pangy!! :oops
BTW, that chocolate story was AWESOME!!! I wanna be part of that dig team, betcha I'll be finding TONS of mammal bones for that one-ton reward. Shame it couldn't be done, but they more than made up for it!! WHOOOOOO, a chocolate lover's dream and at least that one girl had her 2 pounds of yummy-ness!!! And your're right..... I could use some chocolate bars right about now..... I think there's chocolate covered almond things downstairs.... *evil snicker!!*
Have you ever traveled overseas before? Is there any particular cuisine that you like?
Yup, as stated in a previous post, I went to Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and the Phillipines. My Mom, Dad, and sister are going to Europe next weekend, but in a jacked up kinda way, they ain't taking me with them... :(
And cuisines as in a type of food? I mostly eat Filipino dishes, but... In general, I like Asian and Hispanic foods.
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Hey Spazzy Sparky! ^^
How are things doing with you and your animals? :)
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Wow, been a while since I added anything to this! That was a my bad, especially to you, Pangy!! :oops
No prob. I'm just happy you're answering questions again. :)
Have you ever actually eaten a chocolate bar twice the size of your head? :p
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How are things doing with you and your animals?
Ah, haven't shared the news here yet. My bad.... :( The tiger beetles and mantids are gone....I miss them, but I knew the day was coming. :cry My little Antlion's okay, though and...
Domino's been looking and acting lonely, but she's about to get two new cagemates!! Two boys named Knaw (intentionally misspelled) and Skeet. They're being 'quarantined' in a friend's house and, if they're okay and free of illness, I'm gonna go get them fixed (can't have Domino being a mama, can we?), then move them here to begin the introduction process with Domino. I'm hoping things will turn out okay between them, but I'm expecting them to get along; Knaw and Skeet grew up together and since Domino's a different gender, they probably won't be too hostile with her, or vice versa.
Have you ever actually eaten a chocolate bar twice the size of your head?
Yes....Yes I have, many times :DD !! The most memorable one was the ten pound chocolate bar my dad got for his birthday. After many weeks, he wasn't eating it at all, so I took it upon myself to eat it for him, giant chunk by giant chunk at a time (I had to actually stab it with a knife to break off the chunks first :blink: )!! :lol In no time, I ate the whole thing and I got in trouble for 'stealing' his chocolate (he wasn't eating it anyway...), but it was sooooo worth it! Yum!!
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Sorry to hear that. :( *hugs* Rest in peace, Jolt, Dart, Speedy, Blur, Snail, Churro, and Samurai (those are the correct names, right?). Great to hear that Domino will be getting some friends, though. :DD
Random question I thought of a while back: If you could have a flightless bird (extinct or living) as a pet, which one would you choose? :P:
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*hugs back* They will certainly be missed. Especially little Jolt. I don't mean to have favorites, but Jolt had so much......personality, for a bug. I'mma miss his quirky clumsiness...
When we have everything ready, I'll tell ya how things go with Domino and her future pals!!
Random question I thought of a while back: If you could have a flightless bird (extinct or living) as a pet, which one would you choose?
Ah man, that's a difficult one. Um..... I'm stuck with either a moa, a kiwi, or a penguin...... Gah! I can't choose :lol !!
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Random question I thought of a while back: If you could have a flightless bird (extinct or living) as a pet, which one would you choose?
Ah man, that's a difficult one. Um..... I'm stuck with either a moa, a kiwi, or a penguin...... Gah! I can't choose :lol !!
What kind of penguin, do you think? :p And are we talking a big moa like a ten-foot female Dinornis, or a little four-footer like Megalapteryx or Anomalopteryx?
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Hey Sparky, is this thread still open? I wanna start asking you questions again. :smile
If you could be a bat, what species would you choose? :p
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Yes! This thread is still open! Sorry about the delay!
For your previous question, I wanna Dinornis! Who knows, maybe I'll get to ride on it's back!! :lol And I want all the penguins!! But if I had to choose one, ya can't beat the now-classic Emperor penguin!
If you could be a bat, what species would you choose?
Dang it, stop asking hard questions!!! :lol Strangely, I'm always a bat in my dreams, though rarely do I know what species. And when I do, I'm always a Common Vampire Bat. My first impulse is that, but the Honduran White Bat and Hoary bat is fighting hard and valiantly for my favorite spot...... I CAN'T CHOOSE!!
Although the Samoan Flying Fox is tempting too. I read they're one of the only bats to practice soaring flight and soaring flight is always my preferred style (if I can fly...I put a lot of thought into what kind of flight I would want if I was a bird)...
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Yes! This thread is still open! Sorry about the delay!
YESSS! :DD
Thanks for remembering to answer my other question from ten months ago, too. :D
I put a lot of thought into what kind of flight I would want if I was a bird...
Well, then, there's my next question: What kind of bird would you want to be? :smile
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You're welcome!!! :DD
Oooo! Now this one's a bit easier to answer cuz I be putting a lot of thought into it!
I would want to be a seabird of sorts (probably a skua :p ) so I can fly easily with high-speed, low-effort flight, can swim in water if I please, and still be able to walk well on land! It's like the perfect combo of all three worlds! :DD
But if I can't be a seabird of some kind, than I'd like to be a vulture!
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A vulture…that's not a candidate I'd expect many people to say; I like that! :DD (Just today I was talking to my siblings about how vultures don't get enough appreciation.)
Any specific kind of vulture? Lammergeier, Egyptian vulture, griffon vulture, turkey vulture, condor, king vulture, palm nut vulture, etc.?
Also, are your pets (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=9166) still answering questions? Or would you and they rather I ask about them in this thread?
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I love vultures!! They're awesome and beautiful birds, so graceful in flight!
I'd love to be an African White-Backed Vulture! They're my favorites! :DD
And yes, their thread is still open for questions! :D
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Have you seen Men In Black 3 and/or Ice Age: Continental Drift? I know both film series have had characters that you are fond of, and I've been curious as to what you think of the latest installments, assuming you've seen them. (Personally I thought that MIB 3 was far better than II, and though I didn't enjoy Continental Drift nearly as much as Dawn of the Dinosaurs, there were still a lot of things I loved about it.)
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No, unfortunately, I haven't seen those movies. But I do wanna see Continental Drift! My sister watched it and she keeps tempting me by saying how good a movie it was. It ain't right <_< :lol .
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^ Sorry to hear that. :(
What the heck is the "Sushi Monster" you mentioned in your latest art post (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=8968&view=findpost&p=22008142)? :confused :lol
Also, I'm so sorry, I can't help but ask: how's it going writing that response to that mega e-mail I sent you? :angel (No pressure; I'm just so eager to continue our conversation, and so paranoid about whether or not we're receiving each other's messages. :unsure:)
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It's alright! I'mma get to watching 'em eventually! I love the Ice Age franchise too much not to!!
And oh!! I never told you of the Sushi Monster?! :blink: I must change that immediately :lol !! When my sister and I were little, we used to hoard food into our room (we still do) and one of our favorite hiding spots was under our bed. Well, we soon conjured up a story that a piece a sushi laid forgotten under the bed for so long, that it grew sentient and sprouted massive tentacles and a mouthful of sharp teeth. We would say that whenever we peek under the bed, the Sushi Monster would wrap a tentacle around us and if we cut it off, the tentacle itself will scream. :lol We also say that whenever something goes missing, the Sushi Monster took it. :p
Oh! And don't worry, I've been working at the super-long e-mail whenever I can. I've been very busy with my work, my fanfics, and my fanart, so I haven't really been paying too much attention to my e-mail in general. It'll get done eventually, I just feel so sorry for making ya wait! :oops
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And oh!! I never told you of the Sushi Monster?! :blink: I must change that immediately :lol !! When my sister and I were little, we used to hoard food into our room (we still do) and one of our favorite hiding spots was under our bed. Well, we soon conjured up a story that a piece a sushi laid forgotten under the bed for so long, that it grew sentient and sprouted massive tentacles and a mouthful of sharp teeth. We would say that whenever we peek under the bed, the Sushi Monster would wrap a tentacle around us and if we cut it off, the tentacle itself will scream. :lol We also say that whenever something goes missing, the Sushi Monster took it. :p
Wow. That's something I'd like to see you draw. :lol For some reason I just visualized the Sushi Monster as a slavering, moldy green eldritch abomination…holding a pair of chopsticks :p (I don't know why; sushi isn't normally eaten with chopsticks, is it? :huh:) Anyway, that's yet another fascinatingly random story from you. Thanks.
Also, I now suspect that our house has its own variation of the Sushi Monster, one that particularly likes following me… <_< …because it seems that almost every time I drop something and don't see where it lands, it immediately vanishes from existence. Not to mention that I constantly find myself losing things precisely when I need them. :rolleyes I thought it might be boggarts, gnomes, gremlins, or hobgoblins, :p but now I'm wondering if the culprit is in fact a kleptomaniacal piece of mutated food. :P:
Oh! And don't worry, I've been working at the super-long e-mail whenever I can. I've been very busy with my work, my fanfics, and my fanart, so I haven't really been paying too much attention to my e-mail in general. It'll get done eventually, I just feel so sorry for making ya wait! :oops
That's okay. As long as I'm interacting with you either via e-mail or on the GOF, I'm happy. :smile And I'm relieved to hear that you didn't send a response that I never got.
Okay, new question:
How's it going on the Liopleurodon and walrus picture? And do you want any more details on the original? :)
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Wow. That's something I'd like to see you draw. For some reason I just visualized the Sushi Monster as a slavering, moldy green eldritch abomination…holding a pair of chopsticks (I don't know why; sushi isn't normally eaten with chopsticks, is it? ) Anyway, that's yet another fascinatingly random story from you. Thanks.
Strange thing is, as soon as I told you the Sushi Monster story, I had this huuuuuuuuuuuuuge urge to draw it!! Stop reading my mind, Pangy!! :lol Personally, I like eating sushi with chopsticks cuz chopsticks are fun, but I'm not sure if the standard way to eat it.
Also, I now suspect that our house has its own variation of the Sushi Monster, one that particularly likes following me… …because it seems that almost every time I drop something and don't see where it lands, it immediately vanishes from existence. Not to mention that I constantly find myself losing things precisely when I need them. I thought it might be boggarts, gnomes, gremlins, or hobgoblins, but now I'm wondering if the culprit is in fact a kleptomaniacal piece of mutated food.
Ahhhhh!! The Sushi Monster's got allies to take over the world!! Be careful or you might even get jumped by rogue jelly-filled donuts!! I almost got eaten by them yesterday!! :lol :lol :lol
How's it going on the Liopleurodon and walrus picture? And do you want any more details on the original?
Going very well actually!! I settled with a cartoonish Lio and walrus and I have it inked out and scanned for photoshopping. Do you want me to color it, or do you want it now with just the outline? And if you want it colored, what coloring do you like for Lio? :)
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Personally, I like eating sushi with chopsticks cuz chopsticks are fun, but I'm not sure if the standard way to eat it.
Well, in that case, I suppose it would be plausible for the Sushi Monster to use chopsticks (and have access to them). On the other hand, would that be kinda like a human eating with a cannibal fork? :p Could the Sushi Monster in fact be terrified of chopsticks? Are chopsticks its nemesis? Does the Sushi Monster have any natural enemies, for that matter? (Dear Zotz, the Sushi Monster is going to take over the thread at this rate!)
Ahhhhh!! The Sushi Monster's got allies to take over the world!! Be careful or you might even get jumped by rogue jelly-filled donuts!! I almost got eaten by them yesterday!! :lol :lol :lol
You know, my sister once made a Christmas card with a character called "Toasty, the gangster waffle". :spit I'm wondering now whether he was, in fact, drawn from reality, and if I should start arming myself with a butter knife before I go wandering the house in the dark. :p
How's it going on the Liopleurodon and walrus picture? And do you want any more details on the original?
Going very well actually!! I settled with a cartoonish Lio and walrus and I have it inked out and scanned for photoshopping. Do you want me to color it, or do you want it now with just the outline? And if you want it colored, what coloring do you like for Lio? :)
Given that my Lio was ripped off of based on the Liopleurodon from WWD, he unsurprisingly has the same color pattern. The walrus (whose name is Fatso) is brown with tan whiskers. The Aspirin pill was orange. :p
By the way, when you do finish the picture, would you mind showing it to me via e-mail before you post it anywhere? I'm still so easily embarrassed about the original picture and the work it's attached to that I'd rather limit its dissemination on the Internet. :oops I'm sorry, I hope that's not too selfish of me.
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Well, in that case, I suppose it would be plausible for the Sushi Monster to use chopsticks (and have access to them). On the other hand, would that be kinda like a human eating with a cannibal fork? Could the Sushi Monster in fact be terrified of chopsticks? Are chopsticks its nemesis? Does the Sushi Monster have any natural enemies, for that matter? (Dear Zotz, the Sushi Monster is going to take over the thread at this rate!)
Firstly: OMZ!!! You just said 'Dear Zotz' just like me!! *sniffles and dabs my eyes with a hanky* My little Pangy's growing into a fellow spazz so fast! I'm so proud!! :lol Oooooooo!!! I love that chopsticks-is-its-nemesis idea!! I can see an epic battle happening between them!!
Oh noes!!! The Sushi Monster's gonna take over the thread, then the site, then the UNIVERSE!!!
You know, my sister once made a Christmas card with a character called "Toasty, the gangster waffle". I'm wondering now whether he was, in fact, drawn from reality, and if I should start arming myself with a butter knife before I go wandering the house in the dark.
And bring syrup, as an extra precaution! :D Waffles and their pancake friends have a natural fear of syrup!
By the way, when you do finish the picture, would you mind showing it to me via e-mail before you post it anywhere? I'm still so easily embarrassed about the original picture and the work it's attached to that I'd rather limit its dissemination on the Internet. I'm sorry, I hope that's not too selfish of me.
It's no problem!! I'll admit, I'm kinda nervous to show it off too, at least not without your approval!! Oh!! And how do you guys do that crossing-out thinkg like ya did with the 'ripped off of' part?
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Firstly: OMZ!!! You just said 'Dear Zotz' just like me!! *sniffles and dabs my eyes with a hanky* My little Pangy's growing into a fellow spazz so fast! I'm so proud!! :lol Oooooooo!!! I love that chopsticks-is-its-nemesis idea!! I can see an epic battle happening between them!!
*shrugs* Well, I'm not religious, so I feel awkward using phrases with "God" in them, and I decided that you'd chosen a pretty good substitute: one syllable, references a series I like, and even has the same vowel sound. I figured you'd appreciate seeing me using one of your idioms as well. :p
You know, my sister once made a Christmas card with a character called "Toasty, the gangster waffle". I'm wondering now whether he was, in fact, drawn from reality, and if I should start arming myself with a butter knife before I go wandering the house in the dark.
And bring syrup, as an extra precaution! :D Waffles and their pancake friends have a natural fear of syrup!
Butter is also very effective, because if you spread it on their front, they'll fall on their face and be unable to get up. :P:
Also, our cat loves butter (he's always jumping up on the table and licking the residue from the butter dish :lol), so any piece of roving food that finds itself lying on the floor covered in butter will be in big trouble. :p
It's no problem!! I'll admit, I'm kinda nervous to show it off too, at least not without your approval!!
Thanks! So excited to see that picture! :) (How's about ya include it with the response message you're already working on? I don't mind waiting for both to be complete before you send them.)
Oh!! And how do you guys do that crossing-out thinkg like ya did with the 'ripped off of' part?
You use ("strike-through") tags, just as you would use for underlining or for boldfacing. You have to type them manually, since they're not included under "Open Tags" for some reason.
Okay, enough of the random silly talk. Time to get back to serious questions. *puts on serious face*
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What do you think of llamas? :p
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*shrugs* Well, I'm not religious, so I feel awkward using phrases with "God" in them, and I decided that you'd chosen a pretty good substitute: one syllable, references a series I like, and even has the same vowel sound. I figured you'd appreciate seeing me using one of your idioms as well.
I ain't religious either, though I'm still liberal in using the term 'God'. But my 'worshipping' of Zotz is purely for fun and part of my fangirl-ness for the Silverwing series!! I'm certainly very happy and pleasantly surprise to see you use a term I have the habit of saying all the time!!
Butter is also very effective, because if you spread it on their front, they'll fall on their face and be unable to get up.
Also, our cat loves butter (he's always jumping up on the table and licking the residue from the butter dish ), so any piece of roving food that finds itself lying on the floor covered in butter will be in big trouble.
Butter-side down!! :DD
Lol!! Fluffy loved butter too! I think I read that kitties like the taste of fats, so I'm not too surprised!! *thinks* Hmmmm, maybe I can employ a similar method of food-defense with my ratties!! :lol
Thanks! So excited to see that picture! (How's about ya include it with the response message you're already working on? I don't mind waiting for both to be complete before you send them.)
And I'm excited about getting it done!! It sounds like a great idea sending it with the other message and thanks for expressing that amount of patience, but I don't think I myself have the patience to wait too long!! :lol Whenever I finish a picture, I wanna show to someone immediately and in this case, that someone is you!! *huggles*
You use ("strike-through") tags, just as you would use for underlining or for boldfacing. You have to type them manually, since they're not included under "Open Tags" for some reason.
Oooooh!!!! Thank you!!
Okay, enough of the random silly talk. Time to get back to serious questions. *puts on serious face*
Uh oh!! Serious!!! *hides behind the couch in fear!* :smile
[/u]What do you think of llamas?
LLAMAS!!! I LOVE LLAMAS!!! THEY'RE AWESOME!!! The Emperor's New Groove and the Llamas With Hats series isn't helping!! Wait a minute, I gotta get this outta my system:
"CAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRLLLLLLLLL.........."
Have you ever seen Llamas With Hats?
And strange how you asked!! On Wednesdays, there's a farmer's market at a nearby shopping center and I went last Wednesday!! There were two llamas giving rides!! Needless to say, I had a LOT of fun!!!
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Have you ever seen Llamas With Hats?
No, I never have. Sounds intriguing, though; animals in hats are funny. :lol
In response to that, have you ever seen this picture (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Llama%2C_peru%2C_machu_picchu.jpg) from Wikipedia? My youngest brother and I call it "The Epic Llama". :lol
And strange how you asked!! On Wednesdays, there's a farmer's market at a nearby shopping center and I went last Wednesday!! There were two llamas giving rides!! Needless to say, I had a LOT of fun!!!
Wow, another weird coincidence: I was inspired to ask this question because of a llama encounter I had last Saturday. My family and I were visiting our local zoo, and met their new llama for the first time. His name was Lynnard, he'll be a year old this month, and he was very friendly. He seemed extremely interested in my beard (which is very bushy) and the attendant zookeeper suggested that it reminded him of another llama. My response: "I've never been mistaken for a llama before." :lol I also learned from the zookeeper that llamas greet each other my sniffing each other's breath (apparently it's a method of identifying one another). Naturally I obliged Lynnard by giving him a few *imitates a dog panting* breaths in his face ("He keeled over, of course," :p my mom claimed that evening as I was telling my brother the story over the phone). Anyway, he was one adorable llama, and so fluffy, even though he'd been partially shorn recently. (The zookeepers had given him a special "poodle cut" with the fur on his body and neck cropped short but the fur on his legs left long, since they didn't want him to overheat but thought that if they gave him a full shear, he might get cold as autumn rolled in and the weather became chillier.) I can't wait to see (and pet) him again in a few months once his coat is fully regrown. I can't imagine how fluffy he'll be then. :DD
Have you seen my vacation thread (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=11370) about my trip to Utah this August? I posted a bunch of photos that I think might interest you. ;)
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Sorry for the double post, but I was so excited to hear on the "How Are You Feeling?" thread that you liked MythBusters. (I am a huge fan of that show and I have been experiencing a surge in obsession with it that has lasted for most of the year so far.)
How did you discover MythBusters, and what do you like about it? :)
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MYTHBUSTERS!!! I'm pretty sure I discovered it whilst boredly flipping through channels (I don't really watch TV nowadays). I've heard of the show beforehand and I had nothing better to do, so why not check it out!
Hmmm....what do I like about it? Well that's easy! EVERYTHING!!! :lol Especially how it combines science and an obvious love for destruction and explosions! Plus, I love the personalities of the cast, especially Tory and Adam! I think I would fit right in if I was on that show!
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Totally agree with you on that. Brilliant concept for a show, does a fantastic job of demonstrating how exciting and dynamic science can be, incredible and hilarious stuff in nearly every episode, and all of the hosts are awesome. :D
Next question: What are some of your favorite episodes, myths tested, and general moments on the show?
P.S. Oh, also, you don't necessarily need to answer anything (pretty much all of the questions I asked were rhetorical), but don't forget to read my earlier post (http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=8986&view=findpost&p=22008318).
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Hmmm, well I already mentioned my opinion on the Pirate specials on the PM I sent earlier (that poor piggy), but... To further elaborate:
I loved when they buried Tory in the sand and he was struggling to get out! I also liked the "walk or run in the rain" experiment, the exploding toilet, and the "driving in reverse in snow" one. But I believe my favorite episodes were anything to do with animals, like cockroaches surviving a nuclear Holocaust and the duck quack echo. Ooooo! Ooooo! And the ninja special!!! Watching the attempts to walk on water was awesome!!
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Did you ever see the episode where they tested whether elephants were afraid of mice? Oh, or the outtakes episode where a sea otter interfered with the "Ping Pong Rescue" experiment? :lol (If you haven't, here's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbI-VH0676M) the first part of the episode on YouTube; the sea otter segment is at 1:44–4:40.)