by flyteck » Wed Jan 28, 2015 8:19 am
Some of this info may repeat; I just wanted to make a short section since it's all really long XP
Bat Dragons? Descended from bats, but fairly canine in appearance. Mammals, not dragons. Named because of size.
Lifespan: 30-40 years, oldest known was 68
Size, Weight: 3 - 5 feet at the shoulder, 500 - 1000 pounds.
Behaviour: Small packs or solo, diurnal, monogamous
Reproduction: Babies called pups; reproduce during spring; litters of 2-5
Food: Three subspecies, one feeds on nectar and fruit, one solely on meat, and one on fruit and meat.
Colours and Markings: Natural colours only. Eyes come in any colour. All kinds of markings.
Communication: Chirps, barks, growls. Echolocation used for night flying.Q. What are they?
A. First off, bat dragons are not truly dragons. This is simply a misconception, similar to how koalas are not bears and red pandas are not pandas. When they were first discovered, people though they were dragons due to their size and ability to fly. They are warm blooded mammals. Bat dragons were given the bat part of their name mainly because of their large, bat-like ears and wings. They have sloped hindquarters, and are able to walk on all fours using their "thumbs" like front feet. Bat Dragon's are unable to stand on only their front legs, but they can balance and walk on their hind legs with practice. Although their origins are hazy, it is believed they are descended from bats. What triggered them to evolve into such large creatures is unknown. Bat Dragons generally range from 3.5 - 5 feet at the shoulder, although there are exceptions. There are three different breeds of Bat Dragon, each adapted to feed easily on a specific food source. They generally don't get along in the wild, although they can in captivity (if brought up with the other species, much like cats and dogs). Bat dragons cannot talk to humans (although many can understand their body language), but can communicate with each other and other animals through barks, grunts, and chirps. All bat dragons have a long pair of fangs that protrude from their mouths. The shape varies between subspecies. They have scissorbite like regular canines.
Q. Behaviour?
A. All bat dragons are naturally diurnal (active during the day) (bats cannot actually see in the dark, and use echolocation to navigate for that reason. They only hunt at night to avoid the majority of large predatory birds.), and they sleep lying down on the ground. A very small few sleep hanging from their tails, but this is only something the smaller ones can do. Bat dragons do have echolocation and can fly at night, but most prefer daylight. Bat dragons tend to be curious, and most will explore new things without hesitation. Bat dragons are also very trusting, but like horses, can spook. If abused or mistreated, most bat dragons will become afraid of or aggressive towards humans. Wild bat dragons usually travel in small packs (2-4) or larger flocks (5+).
Q. How smart are they exactly?
A. Bat dragons are normally about as smart as a border collie. Very trainable, smart enough to figure out problems, and like dogs, smart enough to ask for help when they need it. Bat dragons have an emotional level equal to that of a human, and can read expressions very well. They can mostly understand human words too, although they learn from listening, so wild bat dragons don't know many words right away. Bat dragons are fiercely loyal to their owners. Bat dragons are individuals, just like people. They all have unique personalities, and each will have friends and enemies. It is important to remember this, since a bat dragon fight can be very dangerous.They also don't take kindly to being treated as if they are stupid.
Q. Breeding?
A. (Breeding is not currently available.) Bat dragon breeding season is in spring (April - Early June). To court, male dragons (and occasionally, the female) will do aerobatic performances to impress their mate of choice. If the other likes the performance, they will take off and join in. Babies are called pups, and they are born in litters of 2-5. Bat Dragons mate for life, and most will never pair again, even if their old mate dies. They will grieve for long periods of time, and may become slightly aggressive after losing a mate.
Q. What are they used for?
A. Bat Dragons are used much like horses. They are ridden for work and for pleasure. They can walk and run fairly well on the ground, but their best point is in the air. Bat Dragons can carry their riders very high into the air, and can fly for long periods of time. Smaller breeds like nectar eaters can be used to pull carts or ploughs, as well as giving small children rides, although they are normally just kept as pets like dogs.
Q. Being so big, how are they able to fly?
A. You would think that, because of their size, bat dragons would be far too large to fly. They have hollow bones much like birds, which reduces their weight. But these bones are strong and hard. Bat dragons all require a lot of calcium in their diets to help keep their bones sturdy. Most bat dragons will take a running start to fly, but they can sometimes make a standing take-off. They cannot hover, and must flap almost constantly to fly. They have strong shoulders that can rotate almost 360 degrees in the socket, which allows them to get a good range of motion in flight. Bat dragons have fairly narrow, long wings which means they're better off flying through tight spaces then open areas. They aren't designed to glide and don't do such very well. There are three subspecies of bat dragons, each with unique characteristics. When you go to adopt a bat dragon, the subspecies will be listed in the first post.
Carnivores:
►Broad, pointed fangs
►Blunt muzzle, somewhat like that of a bull terrier
►Thick, short thumbs with sturdy claws
►Largest Bat Dragon subspecies (Between 4.5-5 feet at the shoulder, with some abnormalities)
►Hunt individually, rarely with a pack of omnivores
►Feed on mid-sized herbivores (sheep, deer, ponies) + nectar bat dragons
►Stays to own species (unless with pack of omnivores)
Omnivores:
►Long, slightly blunt fangs
►Long, sturdy muzzle, like that of a wolf
►Delicate hind feet and long front claws.
►Mid-size (4 - 5 feet at shoulder)
►Hunt in small packs (groups of 2-5) or individually
►Feed on small mammals (rabbits, squirrels) + fruit
►Sometimes travels with carnivores or herbivores
Nectar/Fruit Eater:
►Long, delicate, pointed teeth for skewering fruit.
►Teeth can break if used to eat anything but soft fruit.
►Hummingbird-like tongue for drinking nectar.
►Narrow, whippet-like muzzle.
►Short, soft claws on hind paws and long, delicate claws on the front.
►Small (3.5 - 4 feet at shoulder, with few abnormalities).
►Sometimes difficult to ride due to size, often is a companion animal.
►Travel in flocks and rarely alone.
►Feed on flowers (mainly nectar but sometimes petals) + fruit (peaches, berries, softer fruits).
►Stays to own species.
Last edited by
flyteck on Thu Jan 29, 2015 5:41 am, edited 4 times in total.