Was tagged by lovely Chris @weirdturned-pro for a selfie, so here you go. Thanks! 🤗

I would like to see your lovely faces to, so feel invited and tag me so I can see it.

Also: what about you @sternenblumen @run-like-a-zombie @fatgirlgetsfitatlast @mollxdollx86 @gemmalosesherjelly @zoofitness @zombie-apocalypse-training

Thanks @shrinking-but-shining for the tag! I literally just finished putting all the kids back in my tank after totally tearing it down and redoing it yesterday. Phew!! Thankfully no one seems too worse for wear right now, and I managed to catch all 18 inhabitants without too much stress!

@fatmaninalittlesuit @kaijutegu @ghostofthemountain21 what are you up to today?

Just got off of work. Served a LARGE party. It was someone’s 90th birthday! They tipped great and were sooo nice so I’m super happy :) excited to go home though.

Tagged for a SDS by cutie and amazing person @shorterstrides-fasterpace on this fine Monday afternoon. I’m currently getting ready for what will no doubt be a crazy day at work (no, it’s not warm enough for a tank top. I just haven’t put my sweater on yet).

@ghostofthemountain21 @forever-better @cg-onahealthjourney want to SDS with me?

Just trying to get up courage to go to my afternoon classes by drinking coffee out of my mug painted by the snow leopards at Hogle Zoo! There was a large storm last night so I don’t want to go xD @cowgirlquarian how’s your Monday treating you?

Thank you to the beautiful @grow-change-evolve-be-real for tagging me for a selfie a couple days ago!

I just got back from skiing with some of my favorite kids and coworkers. It was a good time and I was really happy to be out in the sun.

Tagging @81welsh and @shorterstrides-fasterpace to SDS with me. How are your Saturday’s going?

I just got back from a date with Matthew and have my own first ever betta fish!!!!!!!!!! He was being kept in the display tank with guppies and host shrimp without attacking them so I added him to my planted 5 gal and threw in three of my guppies to see if he leaves them alone. I am so excited!!! His name is Freddie Mercury McLovin. I am so happy to have a betta inthe dorm room again. @spitlogic @forever-better and @zoofitness how are you? What is up?! SDS? 😁

Hey there! Saw this last night, so here is a pic of me when I was playing in the Vienna Ball, an actual Viennese Ball complete with waltzes and polkas! Long night but lots of fun :) @ghostofthemountain21 and @bug-robot what have you been up to?

I saw Wicked last night with my cousin! We were second row!!! By far, best wicked cast I’ve seen. In general, I’ve been working on training my new doggo, Link. He’s such a good! And I interviewed for two different jobs on Friday! Feeling good!!! @zoofitness your the only blog I know well so I’m not sure who else to tag xD

REBLOG IF YOU LOVE DOGS

9 million people fucking love dogs

Here we come 10.

BREAK THE POST

BREAK THE POST

BREAK THE POST

I’ve finally found it again

the elusive 10 million note post

they say no two people reblog it with the same original text

I feel like the reason certain dog-lovers insist cats are evil is because they read their body language as if they were dogs. So here’s a very basic guide to common “mean” things cats do that actually aren’t mean at all if you know what they’re thinking.

Rolling and exposing belly- attacks you when touched Does not mean: Give belly rubs! - haha I tricked you!  Actually means: I’m playful! If you reach for my belly I’ll grab your arm and bite it because I think we’re playfighting! 

Lazily exposing belly - still attacks when touched Does not mean: tricked you again! Actually means: I’m showing you my belly because I trust you. Please don’t break that trust by invading my personal space. I might accept a belly rub if I’m not ticklish and I know you well. Snapping at you while being pet Does not mean: I suddenly decided I dislike you! Actually means: You’re petting me in a way that gives me too much restless energy. Please focus on petting my head and shoulders instead of stroking the full length of my back next time.

Is in the same room but makes no attempt to interact Does not mean:  I’m ignoring you Actually means: We’re hanging out! I’m being respectful by giving you space while still enjoying your company. Slapping/scratching your hand when you try to pet them Does not mean: I hate you! Actually means: You’ve failed to establish that we’re not playing, or the way you’re approaching me scares me. Be calmer, speak more gently, make eye-contact and blink slowly at me before you try again.

I love this post omg, thank you so much. As a lifelong cat person, dogs perplex me because they’re so completely different behaviourally.

I love dogs too but, I’ve been trying to tell people, you canNOT treat cats like you treat dogs. They arent the same animals and have very different personalities

P.s.: people often pet cats way too hard. Dogs like a firm pet or a pat on the belly, cats dont have the same bone structure and are more flexible than dogs so what you’re doing probably hurts them

Sitting and staring Does not mean: I am challenging you/plotting your demise/just generally evil and creepy. Actually means: I am a desert-adapted species, so my natural tears are very thick and keep my eyes moist for a nice long time. I do find people interesting and enjoy watching them.  I just don’t need to blink very often!

Staring and blinking slowly Does not mean: I’m smug and think I am smarter than you. Actually means: I like you! But I don’t need to get up in your face to show it.  I can just sit over here and blow kisses at you to show you I am glad you are around!

It’s very frustrating for me when people expect cats to act like dogs, or act like they’re deceitful.  They aren’t!  They just AREN’T DOGS.

Pour les chats 🐈💞

WELCOME TO PLASTIC FREE JULY!

In honor of plastic free July, I will attempt to post one reusable thing a day that I have replaced single-use-plastics with. Today are my REUSABLE BAGGIES! They’re great for snacks on the go as a replacement for ziplock baggies!

I challenge you to join me! You can post 1 thing, 5 things, or however many you want! Don’t know what to post? Go here for ideas! http://www.plasticfreejuly.org

I love this! Where did you get them? 

I’ve been reusing my plastic baggies as much as I can by cleaning them but these look super nice. I’ve also been using reusable bags and straws for the last 6 months :D

That’s so awesome!!! Found them on amazon! Not a bad price either! https://www.amazon.com/QOGiR-Reusable-Snack-Sandwich-Handle/dp/B075VLCFC4/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1531352941&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=reusable+baggies+lunch&dpPl=1&dpID=51pWfHr0eML&ref=plSrch

Not to critique evolution, but I would think orange and black stripes wouldn’t be as good for camouflage in a forest as, say, green and black would.

It turns out a lot of animals can’t see the difference between orange and green!  Elephants, for instance, have dichromatic vision (two types of cones, rather than three like most humans.) 

Check out this diagram from ResearchGate.  It deals with the color vision of horses, who are also generally dichromatic.  (I think, though I’m not sure, that zebras would have the same color vision as horses.)  See how orange and green look to them?

Not to critique evolution but I think prey animals should be better at telling when their predator is dressed like a traffic cone.

It doesn’t matter what zebras see, because tigers are not native to Africa and do not naturally hunt zebra.  Tigers are Asian and mostly hunt animals like deer, elk, and buffalo.  These aren’t animals with great color vision.  They don’t need to have it because they don’t eat fruit and so don’t need to know when the berry is ripe vs when it’s not.  Good color vision is too expensive to have if you don’t need it.  Deer put their vision stats in a wide field of vision that is sensitive to motion, low light capabilities, and possibly seeing UV light.  They don’t have great color and lack a lot of acuity, but have a great sense of smell and good hearing.  That’s way more useful if you’re prey.  Deer see well in the blue end of the color spectrum and less well in the red.  This makes sense because deer are most active in the dawn and dusk periods, when there is more blue in the light.  Tigers are taking advantage of deer eyesight by being orange.

We see tigers are being obviously colored because tigers are fruit colored to our tree ape brains.

I don’t know what the best part of this is: implying that deer chose their attributes on a character sheet, or the fact that we get to see tiger colors because they look like a snack.

Ok but like, I think you underestimate just how well they blend in when actually in the environment. Like, just using tigers as an example.

or how about a leopard?

It’s called ‘disruptive colouration’ because the markings help to break up the animal’s outline against the grasses or rocks. And the rosettes on leopards and jaguars? Sun spots shining through the trees and leaves on the ground.

And this is how hard it is to spot them WITH colour vision. Now imagine the above images but with the limited coloured mentioned above?

I’m sorry but there is not an animal in that first leopard picture

Are you, sure about that?

“Tigers are fruit colored” is my new favorite phrase.

It took me at least 45 seconds to find the leopard in the first pic & the whole time I was thinking “welp I’m dead, I just got eaten by a leopard, kudos evolution”

I am always a little taken aback at how angry people get when they are told a certain animal doesn’t make a good pet. There is usually a combination of insulting me and my knowledge and then spouting off all the people they know that do provide good care for X species. One of the issues is that most people don’t truly know what it means to properly care for an animal. Dogs and cats are the most commonly kept pets and have the most known about their care and people still don’t care for them as well as they should.

I think what it comes down to is selfishness. It is selfish to keep an animal as a pet that really shouldn’t be kept. This also applies to situations where people simply refuse to provide the proper care for an animal because they think they know better. If you want an unusual pet really sit down and think about it. Why do you want it? Is it because you want to be different? Is there something about the animal that you just really like? Is there maybe a better suited animal with the same aesthetic?

I think the ultimate in compassion and respect for animals is wanting one and realizing that you (or maybe anyone) cannot provide the best care and deciding not to get that animal.

Preeeeeeach. I hate the savannah cat fad that’s around right now. And that my local petco (which I generally love) has had baby savanna monitors before. Or I generally don’t approve of people having “monster fish” like arowanas. Just like…why.

I have personally seen people who couldn’t handle their savannah cat anymore because they mark with urine everywhere, are more energetic and rip up furniture. I’ve seen advertisements for not only savanah cats but what look to me to be actual servals (the African cat that domestics are bred with to get savanah cats)

Type your favorite Pokemon in the Gif feature and post the first result!

Originally posted by shelgon

:) 

LOOK AT HER

SO COOL!!!!!!

I searched for castform…

A CATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

hi everybody, welcome to another wonderful episode of Weird Biology! I’m your host, Bunjy. 

we’re here today to talk about a seriously adoraweird critter with a heart of gold! (or maybe just fluff, it’s hard to tell)

so put all your emotions in your front pocket where you can reach them and give it up for-

he’s meow-vellous!

the Manul is a smallish wildcat native to the mountains of Central Asia. they are also called the Pallas Cat, after German Naturalist Peter Pallas. however, we won’t be using that name because he was a fucking idiot. 

seriously, he thought the Manul was related to the Persian, which is a breed of domestic cat. (Persians are descended from the African Wildcat just like the rest of housekittydom, sorry Pallas. you moron.) 

also he didn’t discover shit, the native Mongolians have been calling it the Manul since the first human to meet one got their shins clawed off hundreds of years ago.

and their scientific name, Otocolobus manul, means “ugly eared Manul”. where are these scientists, I will fight them. FACE ME, COWARDS.

Manuls are about the size of a housecat, weighing up to 10 pounds. however unlike a housecat which is composed of about 30% fluff, the Manul is composed of nearly 110% fluff. there’s barely any cat in there at all! you could probably stick your hand right through. try it yourself! go ahead, I’ll watch from back here. 

what? I just like to keep 10 feet and a solid barrier between myself and other people at all times. do it. you can trust me.

(no you can’t)

anyway as you have possibly just found out from the emergency room doctor, there is in fact some cat inside the Manul’s grand fluff and it is not fond of being pawed at by people. (Manuls make terrible pets, so get that thought out of your head right fucking now. go see them at the zoo like everyone else.) it’s a shame, because that fur coat is goddam luxurious. 

in fact, the Manul has the longest and thickest fur of any wildcat! this is because they live only at high elevations (up to 16,000 feet, which is 15,997 feet higher than I will tolerate), where the weather is windy and brutally cold. you’ve probably also noticed their tiny Garfield ears, which help to minimize heat loss. this combo keeps them toasty warm on otherwise bare mountainsides.

at least until Jim Davis sues them for copyright infringement.

though all these biology facts are very interesting, I must confess they aren’t the reason that I’ve chosen the Manul for this week’s topic. the real reason is that they’re a bunch of hyperemotive memelords.

no seriously, the Manul has catapulted (har!) to internet fame in recent years because their round faces, wide expressive eyes and stubby bodies combine to form a perfect emotive machine. this cat can express emotions that haven’t been invented yet, let alone named.

let’s call this one "Swoom”

seriously, how can you top that? it’s like a living emoticon.

this is “Woderous”

okay, where were we before I got distracted by cat memes? *paper rustles* ah, right. the spite chapter.

Manuls are ambush predators, despite their fluffy bulk. they mostly eat Pika, (sorry, Pokemon fans) a small rabbity creature that squeaks a lot and doesn’t really deserve the fame Nintendo gave it. Manuls are solitary animals and live alone.

(this sounds sad, but it’s actually because every Manul hates every other Manul in existence and not even god himself can change this)

this is not the face of a creature that enjoys the company of others.

Manuls avoid each other, keeping fiercely to their individual territories. the only contact adult cats have with each other at all is during the breeding season, which is pathetically short. after briefly working together to make some kittens, the Manuls part ways. (presumably while avoiding eye contact.)

after about three months the female gives birth to 2-6 bouncing baby kittens, which all hate each other immediately. seriously, Manul kittens growl and hiss at their littermates before they can even open their eyes! talk about sibling rivalry. once the kittens are old enough to make it alone, they’ll take off in different directions and never call home again.

like the Brady Bunch, except very much not.

unfortunately the Manul is classified as Near Threatened in most of their range. human encroachment and environmental destruction takes a toll, but most of the problem is a little more cartoon villain-y than you’d expect.

see, humans really really really like that plush fur coat, but they like it even better as an actual fur coat. (I was going to make a 101 Manuls joke here but it was just too depressing.) Manuls are still hunted for their fur in a fair amount of their range, though that is beginning to change. many nations are putting protections in place for our favorite stubby emotion machine, and we can only hope this is enough to save the wonderful pile of antisocial fluff that is the Manul.

–

thanks for reading! you can find the rest of the Weird Biology series here.

if you enjoy my work, maybe buy me a coffee to support Weird Biology.

–

IMAGE SOURCES

img1- Atlas Obscura img2- Huffington Post img3- Persia Digest img4- OK.ru img5- BoredPanda img6- Cheezburger img7- BoredPanda img8- Big Cat Rescue Img9- FivePrime