Post by lithle on Jun 7, 2011 11:32:43 GMT -5
Initially discovered in the jungles around Southern Weyr, Glowbugs have recently made their way to Warden's via a trader. They're still extremely rare but growing in numbers as people buy eggs or go hunting them in the jungles.
Appearance:
Glowbugs most closely resemble Earth milipedes. They're long and glossy with bodies slightly thicker than a thumb and lots of legs. They come in just about every color imaginable, though most of them are very bright. Their gender and size can be determined by their patterning. Their most striking feature is the fact that they glow quite spectacularly. The glow can be brighter or dimmer depending on their mood, and at their brightest they cast enough light to act as a better than average flashlight.
Patterns:
Diamondbacks: Diamondbacks have a pattern of you guessed it, diamonds. They're the largest of the Glowbug types, usually about twelve inches in length. Diamondbacks are females, but are so aggressive they rarely have clutches. Diamondbacks are extremely difficult to train and often go wild even after bonding.
Stripers: Usually around ten inches, stripers are easily recognized by their vertical stripes. Stripers are female. They lay smaller clutches than Diamondbacks, but more frequently. Stripers are generally easy to train and are unlikely to go wild.
Curlies: Curlies are generally about eight inches in length. Male, they're recognized by their patterns of twisting lines. Curlies are usually only two colors, a base color and a pattern color, but more colors aren't unheard of. While difficult to train, they're very loyal and tend to stick quite close to their owners.
Dots: Dots are about six to seven inches in length. Their pattern of polkadots is quite easy to distinguish. Dots are male and generally quite aggressive and solitary. However, when they do bond, they're easily the most intelligent glowbug type. This can make them quite difficult to train, as they have their own ideas on what they will and won't do.
Behavior:
Not much is known about the behavior of wild glowbugs, though they're largely solitary creatures, coming together primarily to mate. They feed mostly on leaf rot and fruit when they can get it and are exceptional burrowers. They can, in fact, burrow into solid stone given enough time. They're capable of excreting an acid that eats away at whatever they're burrowing into. That said, they usually prefer to burrow into trees. Glowbugs are highly toxic. We don't recommend eating them.
Glowbugs impress at hatching. How they make their decision is unknown, though it has nothing to do with food. Indeed, glowbugs often go wild at hatching, and any given egg has about a 50/50 chance of hatching a glowbug that'll actually bond to someone. The likelyhood of a bond goes down significantly if they only have one potential partner to pick from. Rumor has it that glowbugs will bond to any sapient being, and that some whers and dragons at Southern have glowbugs. Whether this is true remains to be seen
Impressed glowbugs are still fairly solitary, preferring to stay near their owners. They can, however, be curious, especially about things they can get under or hide in, as their burrowing instincts are still strong. They can be trained to obey orders or do tricks, though the various pattern types vary greatly in trainability.
Glowbugs can not understand speech as they perceive it only as vibration. They take orders mentally only. Therefore, they can only understand orders from their owner, the one who's mind they're in contact with. Glowbugs can communicate mentally in words, but only in single verbs. Nouns are beyond them. So "Eat" "Run" "Play" or "Sleep" but not "Girl" "Rock" or "Toy". They can send emotions and colors but not images. They can communicate with their own kind in the same manner but often prefer not to. Two glowbugs together usually means a fight.
Glowbugs can produce a 'hissing' noise by pushing air through tiny holes in their shells, and a clicking noise through rattling their legs together. They can't, however make any vocal noises as they don't have vocal chords. They communicate their emotions primarily through the strength of their glow. A happy glowbug glows brightly. A sad or scared one has a dim glow. An angry and aggressive glowbug tends to flash.
Clutching
One problem with breeding Glowbugs is their size. Their eggs are generally smaller than the first joint of a human thumb and hatched babies are up to an inch in length. As they often burrow and hide their clutches, finding eggs can be very difficult. Females lay between five and fifteen eggs which are about one third the size they'll eventually grow to at first laying. The babies, when hatched, grow very quickly and usually reach adult size within two months.
Glowbugs do not breed often and females send out a psychic 'call' to a chosen mate when they're ready to breed. There's no contest, they simply call the male of their choosing. If the male agrees, they breed.
Appearance:
Glowbugs most closely resemble Earth milipedes. They're long and glossy with bodies slightly thicker than a thumb and lots of legs. They come in just about every color imaginable, though most of them are very bright. Their gender and size can be determined by their patterning. Their most striking feature is the fact that they glow quite spectacularly. The glow can be brighter or dimmer depending on their mood, and at their brightest they cast enough light to act as a better than average flashlight.
Patterns:
Diamondbacks: Diamondbacks have a pattern of you guessed it, diamonds. They're the largest of the Glowbug types, usually about twelve inches in length. Diamondbacks are females, but are so aggressive they rarely have clutches. Diamondbacks are extremely difficult to train and often go wild even after bonding.
Stripers: Usually around ten inches, stripers are easily recognized by their vertical stripes. Stripers are female. They lay smaller clutches than Diamondbacks, but more frequently. Stripers are generally easy to train and are unlikely to go wild.
Curlies: Curlies are generally about eight inches in length. Male, they're recognized by their patterns of twisting lines. Curlies are usually only two colors, a base color and a pattern color, but more colors aren't unheard of. While difficult to train, they're very loyal and tend to stick quite close to their owners.
Dots: Dots are about six to seven inches in length. Their pattern of polkadots is quite easy to distinguish. Dots are male and generally quite aggressive and solitary. However, when they do bond, they're easily the most intelligent glowbug type. This can make them quite difficult to train, as they have their own ideas on what they will and won't do.
Behavior:
Not much is known about the behavior of wild glowbugs, though they're largely solitary creatures, coming together primarily to mate. They feed mostly on leaf rot and fruit when they can get it and are exceptional burrowers. They can, in fact, burrow into solid stone given enough time. They're capable of excreting an acid that eats away at whatever they're burrowing into. That said, they usually prefer to burrow into trees. Glowbugs are highly toxic. We don't recommend eating them.
Glowbugs impress at hatching. How they make their decision is unknown, though it has nothing to do with food. Indeed, glowbugs often go wild at hatching, and any given egg has about a 50/50 chance of hatching a glowbug that'll actually bond to someone. The likelyhood of a bond goes down significantly if they only have one potential partner to pick from. Rumor has it that glowbugs will bond to any sapient being, and that some whers and dragons at Southern have glowbugs. Whether this is true remains to be seen
Impressed glowbugs are still fairly solitary, preferring to stay near their owners. They can, however, be curious, especially about things they can get under or hide in, as their burrowing instincts are still strong. They can be trained to obey orders or do tricks, though the various pattern types vary greatly in trainability.
Glowbugs can not understand speech as they perceive it only as vibration. They take orders mentally only. Therefore, they can only understand orders from their owner, the one who's mind they're in contact with. Glowbugs can communicate mentally in words, but only in single verbs. Nouns are beyond them. So "Eat" "Run" "Play" or "Sleep" but not "Girl" "Rock" or "Toy". They can send emotions and colors but not images. They can communicate with their own kind in the same manner but often prefer not to. Two glowbugs together usually means a fight.
Glowbugs can produce a 'hissing' noise by pushing air through tiny holes in their shells, and a clicking noise through rattling their legs together. They can't, however make any vocal noises as they don't have vocal chords. They communicate their emotions primarily through the strength of their glow. A happy glowbug glows brightly. A sad or scared one has a dim glow. An angry and aggressive glowbug tends to flash.
Clutching
One problem with breeding Glowbugs is their size. Their eggs are generally smaller than the first joint of a human thumb and hatched babies are up to an inch in length. As they often burrow and hide their clutches, finding eggs can be very difficult. Females lay between five and fifteen eggs which are about one third the size they'll eventually grow to at first laying. The babies, when hatched, grow very quickly and usually reach adult size within two months.
Glowbugs do not breed often and females send out a psychic 'call' to a chosen mate when they're ready to breed. There's no contest, they simply call the male of their choosing. If the male agrees, they breed.