Hondito
they're a quadrapedal species of fast-learning beasts who have no notable bones but very strong skin and muscles
they are called hondito which is spanish for "little-digger" a hint to their origini made them from ancient azteca scribes, describing a dogbeast of the gods who lead man to the surface,their diet mainly consists of minerals and rocks in the area, using a highly corrosive acid built up in their stomachs
they usually weigh anywhere between 80 and 130 pounds,they usually are about the size of a great dane, being 32" tall and about 40" long
yes, they are hermaphroditic, and their mating season usually changes depending on what kind
you see, hondito possess a unique ability to alter their DNA to suit their environment better based on what they eat
for coat colorations, it mostly depends on what they eat, for instance if they eat a lot of copper, their coat looks more tealish
they dont stop growing but the older they get the more they have to eat,many starve out by year 50
most are quick to run if given the chance, but will attack when provoked, the only territorial ones known are the males who try to keep others away from their "turf"
they get mates usually by a mutualistic sort
males will puff up their manes in attempt to catch a female's (or in scarcity, another male) attention, once they keep their attention, they usually display signs of power
either by trotting in place or letting out loud screechy howls or even by gathering tasty minerals for their potential mate
from there if successful the two breed and the genetic donator will guard the incubating hondito, giving food and comfort until the newborn are birthed
from there the genetics donator leaves to go on their way while the incubator hondito goes and nurtures the younglings for three years while they grow and strengthen
and finally go on their seperate ways to repeat the process
for genetic types there are, its all varying on materials eaten, one of the most common is of base elements
theres one of fire, one of ice, one of earths, one of life, one of plague, even one of metals
and many more within there
each hondito of course has its own preference of mineral, which therefore can effect how it looks, but they all go for specific tastes or effects
most of it is slow environment changes
those who have fire elemental change tend to have a taste for tungsten, magnesium, and spicy things for instance
they also sadly have an effect of often causing forest fires by accident
fire are more likely to eat flammable or highly reactive metals and minerals, ice are more likely to eat crystals and quartzite, plague just eat more toxic minerals, things that tend to erode quickly but are also much harder metals
plague as a result has not only glowing acid, but also EXTREMELY REACTIVE acid, even to them
gestation usually lasts a month long at most,litter size averages at 7, but at smallest is 3, largest is 11
for mating patterns though, heat cycles usually appear once every four months for them,they tend to produce a smell that attracts more of their type,ordinary hondito have a sweet smell like honey, fire hondito produce a spicy pepper and charcoal smell, ice give a bitter smell like spearmint, plague give off a sour smell in the air like rotten eggs
which also makes them easier to target when in heat due to their vulnerability, this is the only time they'll let their guard down enough to be caught if so chosen
they also can be caught as newborns but be warned as you'll have to get past the fathering hondito first
Created by Gingerbean