by King of Crows » Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:50 pm
Sela' are very large, powerful predators which have, for many years, been used by humans for transportation (of goods and people), protection, military services, work, and simply as companions. They come in seemingly endless colors and patterns, and many body varieties, as well.
There are currently 3 known distinct body varieties;
Reef:
By far the most common of Sela' types, the Reef Sel'a is the smallest known type, being more slender in build, and faster. They have narrow snouts, and tall dorsal fins. They are fairly docile, but very fast and not necessarily recommended for younger children. Extremely social, Reef Sela's are happiest when kept in groups of three or more. They are excellent mounts, but not good for heavt duty work.
Great:
The second most common variety of Sela', Great Sela's are thick and bulky, the very largest known type. They are generally aggressive and rough, used commonly for heavy work, especially in military services or protection. They have short fins, and are not particularly fast. One of the few types of Sela' that are not quite so social, and require a firm hand to insure that they grow up without aggression or other behavioral issues.
Hammer:
Named for their unusual head shape, Hammer Sela' are the best family companions. They are large and lean, but laid back and generally friendly. They have very long fins, and while capable of great speed, they prefer a more slow pace. Very tolerant of changes in routine and activity, they adapt well to new environments, and are relatively easy to train.
There are, potentially, some other, currently undomesticated Sela' varieties, which may be available to the general public in the future! Many of these are still being studied to determine if they can be effectively domesticated, or not.
All Sela' are obligate carnivores, which mean they must eat meat, and generally cannot properly digest anything else (though many will try). An appropriate diet consists of about 60% whole raw fish, 8% pork/beef/red meat, 20% shell fish (shrimp, crabs, etc), and 12% chicken/turkey/white meat. Eggs of various sorts make a great occasional treat (egg and all), but should never make up the bulk of the diet. The amount of food daily depends on the weight and energy use of the individual Sela', but, generally speaking, Sela's consume ~30% of their body weight weekly (~ 30 pounds of food daily!). Baby Sela's can be hand fed (and some refuse to eat any other way), but they must be weaned off of hand feeding as they age, so that, as adults, they will eat on their own when food is provided. As creatures of habit, it is a good idea to keep a regular feeding schedule, so that the Sela' knows when it is time to eat each day, which helps keep them regulated and content.
In the wild, Sela's consume about 40% of their body weight per week, because they expend massive amounts of energy simply searching for food. For most Sela's, moving at high speeds is a demanding task, so they have a very high calorie intake, to make up for expenditure. They hunt both in the water, being adept swimmers, and on the land. They are able to reach speeds up to 45 mph on land, and 50 mph in the water. Many Sela' hunt in small to med-sized packs, tracking down prey and working much like certain sharks, wolves, and lions to "herd" prey in order to make a bountiful kill.
Domestic Sela's do not need to hunt in packs, but they still maintain a pack-type social behavior, recognizing a hierarchy. While they do not necessarily have an alpha, it is important to imprint on young Sela' that humans are part of their pack, and not food. This is fairly simple to do, simply by eating at the same time they are fed, and socializing with them frequently, especially teaching them commands at a young age, with some simple starting commands being "stop that!" "no!" "come here!" "good job!" "stay!" and of course more from there.
Sela's are quite intelligent creatures, comparable to a domestic dog, and will learn to accomplish a variety of tasks upon command. They tend to enjoy praise, and being highly food driven, training using treats is extremely effective, but should never be the only motivation to do something, so it is important to associate treats with praise, so that they do accept praise as reward for doing the appropriate thing. Negative reinforcement should never be used, other than a minor thump on the snout accompanied with a firm "no."
In all Sela's make exceptional companions, but require a firm hand when training. They are highly social animals that do not do well when on their own, and require daily interaction in the form of training reinforcement, playing, and socialization.
All © Perocore
Last edited by
King of Crows on Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:48 am, edited 3 times in total.
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