by Meet Pudge!
pets.php?petid=1005
Time to learn all about my favourite animal
Platypi are super adorable, and also super shy. Like barely ever see them in the wild shy and are the annoying creatures that hide in zoo enclosures so you can never see them even though you stand there for like 20 minutes trying to catch a glimpse and they-
anyway.
Their fur is so thick that it actually prevents the skin from getting wet at all, creating a waterproof cover preventing mould and such growing on their skin. they spend time in freshwater rivers, foraging along the bottom using their bill to dig in looking for insects and worms. The bill is so sensitive that they can hunt using their bill alone, with no other senses!
And just like every other animal on this god forsaken island, the platypus is venomous! (Only the males) Which is quite rare for mammals. They have a spur on their hind legs which while not fatal, are still apparently super freaking painful and can last MONTHS.
Still cute tho.
Other oddities: 1 of 5 mammals in the entire world to lay eggs, and once the babies hatch, the mother doesnt have nipples, instead the baby sucks the milk out of the fur which comes from glands that secrete the milk! (gross)
They arent an endangered species! We think. Theres actually no one who has a solid idea of the actual population of them, assuming it's because of their quite shy nature, making them difficult to find.
When they were first found by the english invaders, they sent a stuffed platypus back to england who collectively thought it was a hoax! And thought they had sown several animals together.
So. Cute.
the end.
