Post by Admin on Aug 17, 2017 22:10:08 GMT -6
Lepitaurs are catlike creatures that have been domesticated for thousands of years. It is unknown what "wild" lepitaurs looked like at this point, prior to domestication. Much like how dogs have been selectively bred for different uses, Lepitaurs come in a variety of selectively bred appearances and temperaments.
There are three size ranges lepitaurs generally are. There is crossover and variation depending on the breeding, but as a general rule all lepitaurs fall into these three groups.
Small lepitaurs generally weigh between 10 pounds and 30 pounds, usually becoming no larger than a large housecat such as a maine coon.
Medium lepitaurs generally weigh between 50 and 100 pounds, like the size of a Labrador.
Large lepitaurs generally weigh more than 250 pounds. Some even are large and strong enough to be ridden.
Lepitaurs of all sizes are often kept as companions, but many people use them for their livelihood. For ranchers, small and medium sized lepitaurs make wonderful replacements for herding dogs and medium and large lepitaurs can be the ideal animal to guard livestock. For hunting, each size can hunt and take down prey of different types. Small lepitaurs are good for hunting rabbits and anything on the small side. Medium lepitaurs can take down deer. Large lepitaurs can hunt moose or even bears.
Social needs
Lepitaurs are highly intelligent and most people find them easier to work with than dogs, which is one of the reasons many people opt for a lepitaur over a dog for their work. That said, lepitaurs can be harder to care for than a dog. Because of their intelligence, they can bore easily and become destructive. It is usually recommended that you have more than one lepitaur, so they can entertain each other, unless you plan to spend a lot of time with your lepitaur. While lepitaurs do enjoy the company of non-lepitaur animals, they seem to bore of them if that is all the interaction they get in the average day.
Diet
Also, lepitaurs are omnivores. If not properly socialized from a young age, lepitaurs may decide to make a meal of the livestock you wanted them to protect. They are very smart, but you have to teach them friend from food. Also, providing a varied prepared diet will keep a curious lepitaur from tasting things they shouldn't. Fruit, veggies, and meat should make up their main diet, but seeds and nuts are good treats. Be careful about the fatty foods, unless you live in a very cold climate or your lepitaur is especially active.
Housing
Lepitaurs need plenty of room to run and explore. Because of their intelligence, they usually know not to wander from home so often fences are not needed. In fact, fences can rarely hold a determined lepitaur. Again, keeping them entertained will help prevent them from exploring outside your property. If you do need to contain a lepitaur, you need to remember they are good jumpers, climbers, and can dig if needed. Make sure their contained area is plenty stimulating and take them out for walks and playtime often. A bored lepitaur is more likely to attempt escape.
Grooming
Lepitaurs will generally keep their claws filed as long as you provide them with things to scratch, as you would a cat. Short furred lepitaurs usually don't need any help staying clean, but longer fur sometimes needs brushing and washing. When raising lepitaurs from young, it is always suggested that you preform regular grooming on them so they will be more cooperative as adults.
Health and Hygiene
Lepitaurs are very hardy, which is one of the reasons they are so commonly kept instead of other animals. However, regular vet checks will help make sure your lepitaur is happy and healthy. Spaying and neutering is actually an uncommon practice. Lepitaur keepers usually just keep a close eye on the female lepitaurs and when they are in heat, they separate them from males. This is when containment of a lepitaur may be required. Usually only lepitaurs kept purely as companions are spayed and neutered, to make care easier for the keeper.
Breeding
As most domesticated animals do, lepitaurs can breed all year round. How often the females come into heat usually (not always) depends on the size and "breed" of the lepitaur. Small lepitaurs could be as often as three times a year while large ones may be once a year or less. Gestation is usually around 60 days, but this also can vary based on the size of the lepitaur. Litter size ranges from 1 to 4. Lepitaurs are wonderful parents and usually don't need any help with birthing or raising the babies. Both the mother and father can take part in raising the litter and if they live with other lepitaurs, generally every lepitaur in a group will help with the babies. Just keep an eye out for any aggression towards the babies.
Lepitaur babies are called kittens and are born blind, deaf, and helpless. They develop much like house cat kittens. For the first few weeks of their life, they rely solely on their mother's milk. Around two weeks of age, their eyes and ears will start opening and they will start exploring their world. At around four weeks, they will start experimenting with real food. They are usually fully weaned between five and six weeks of age. However, it is best for them to stay with their mother for as long as possible so they can be properly socialized.
As fully formed adults, lepitaurs can exhibit a large number of traits, such as manes, fangs, horns, and leg feathering, but most of those features do not develop until the lepitaur is six months old to two years. Even the size is unknown until they are nearly full grown. While a lepitaur can breed as young as 6 months, it is recommended that you wait until a year to two years so every trait has fully come in.
Different sizes can be mixed, though this is usually discouraged. When mixed, a litter could have any range of sizes. Lepitaurs of all sizes are born the same approximate size.
It isn't until around the time of weaning that you may notice a difference in sizes between litter mates.
Lepitaurs exhibit a feature unheard of in other species. They can interbreed with other species. The reason is unknown and unstudied. Mainly we have seen crosses between lepitaurs and felines such as domestic cats as well and big cats like cheetahs and leopards. They produce viable offspring, though the appearance of these offspring range widely and are not always considered desirable. Sadly, there are people who breed these mixes purely in the hope to create "fancy lepitaurs" that will sell better, with little regard for the well-being of the species and usually abandoning the less aesthetically pleasing of the offspring. This is why we always suggest caution when buying mixed lepitaurs.
Buying
Speaking of buying lepitaurs, here is a small guide to how to do it. Firstly, you need to decide whether you want a working lepitaur or a companion. While most lepitaurs can be trained to do just about anything, if you have a specific need, you may need specific traits.
If you are searching for a companion, a good place to start is searching for rejected working lepitaurs. Some breeders will have lepitaurs that do not fit their needs or simply is unsuitable for work and may make a wonderful companion. These will likely not be babies, but that means what you see is what you get and there will be less surprises as the lepitaur grows. In addition, a breeder breeding for working lepitaurs will usually have a good idea of the temperament of their lepitaurs and will be able to match you up with a good fit.
Another option is searching for a breeder that focuses on companion lepitaurs. As mentioned before, be wary of those breeding "fancy lepitaurs" who only care about aesthetics, mixed or not. These often ignore health and temperament when breeding. However, reputable companion breeders will know their lepitaurs inside and out and should be able to match you with a young one that will be a good fit. They should be able to tell you what physical traits the lepitaur will develop and the temperament the lepitaur should have. One more word of warning on mixes, though, even reputable breeders of mixes likely will not know what the mix will be full grown, unless it is from a carefully bred line of mixes and not a first generation mix. Always ask about lineage and even ask to meet the parents, and older siblings if possible, to get an idea of the possibilities.
One more potential option is a rescue. There are homeless lepitaurs that need adopting. They can be any age, young, adult, and even senior. A rescue is usually a bit of a gamble as you don't know any of the history or lineage, but sometimes you can find one you just click with. I always recommend fostering first, especially if it is a young one, so you can spend some time and make sure it is the lepitaur you want before committing. There is an especially big risk in adopting young lepitaurs as you likely will have no idea what traits they could develop or how large they will get. If you have size requirements, I advise against adopting young lepitaurs.
There are three size ranges lepitaurs generally are. There is crossover and variation depending on the breeding, but as a general rule all lepitaurs fall into these three groups.
Small lepitaurs generally weigh between 10 pounds and 30 pounds, usually becoming no larger than a large housecat such as a maine coon.
Medium lepitaurs generally weigh between 50 and 100 pounds, like the size of a Labrador.
Large lepitaurs generally weigh more than 250 pounds. Some even are large and strong enough to be ridden.
Lepitaurs of all sizes are often kept as companions, but many people use them for their livelihood. For ranchers, small and medium sized lepitaurs make wonderful replacements for herding dogs and medium and large lepitaurs can be the ideal animal to guard livestock. For hunting, each size can hunt and take down prey of different types. Small lepitaurs are good for hunting rabbits and anything on the small side. Medium lepitaurs can take down deer. Large lepitaurs can hunt moose or even bears.
Social needs
Lepitaurs are highly intelligent and most people find them easier to work with than dogs, which is one of the reasons many people opt for a lepitaur over a dog for their work. That said, lepitaurs can be harder to care for than a dog. Because of their intelligence, they can bore easily and become destructive. It is usually recommended that you have more than one lepitaur, so they can entertain each other, unless you plan to spend a lot of time with your lepitaur. While lepitaurs do enjoy the company of non-lepitaur animals, they seem to bore of them if that is all the interaction they get in the average day.
Diet
Also, lepitaurs are omnivores. If not properly socialized from a young age, lepitaurs may decide to make a meal of the livestock you wanted them to protect. They are very smart, but you have to teach them friend from food. Also, providing a varied prepared diet will keep a curious lepitaur from tasting things they shouldn't. Fruit, veggies, and meat should make up their main diet, but seeds and nuts are good treats. Be careful about the fatty foods, unless you live in a very cold climate or your lepitaur is especially active.
Housing
Lepitaurs need plenty of room to run and explore. Because of their intelligence, they usually know not to wander from home so often fences are not needed. In fact, fences can rarely hold a determined lepitaur. Again, keeping them entertained will help prevent them from exploring outside your property. If you do need to contain a lepitaur, you need to remember they are good jumpers, climbers, and can dig if needed. Make sure their contained area is plenty stimulating and take them out for walks and playtime often. A bored lepitaur is more likely to attempt escape.
Grooming
Lepitaurs will generally keep their claws filed as long as you provide them with things to scratch, as you would a cat. Short furred lepitaurs usually don't need any help staying clean, but longer fur sometimes needs brushing and washing. When raising lepitaurs from young, it is always suggested that you preform regular grooming on them so they will be more cooperative as adults.
Health and Hygiene
Lepitaurs are very hardy, which is one of the reasons they are so commonly kept instead of other animals. However, regular vet checks will help make sure your lepitaur is happy and healthy. Spaying and neutering is actually an uncommon practice. Lepitaur keepers usually just keep a close eye on the female lepitaurs and when they are in heat, they separate them from males. This is when containment of a lepitaur may be required. Usually only lepitaurs kept purely as companions are spayed and neutered, to make care easier for the keeper.
Breeding
As most domesticated animals do, lepitaurs can breed all year round. How often the females come into heat usually (not always) depends on the size and "breed" of the lepitaur. Small lepitaurs could be as often as three times a year while large ones may be once a year or less. Gestation is usually around 60 days, but this also can vary based on the size of the lepitaur. Litter size ranges from 1 to 4. Lepitaurs are wonderful parents and usually don't need any help with birthing or raising the babies. Both the mother and father can take part in raising the litter and if they live with other lepitaurs, generally every lepitaur in a group will help with the babies. Just keep an eye out for any aggression towards the babies.
Lepitaur babies are called kittens and are born blind, deaf, and helpless. They develop much like house cat kittens. For the first few weeks of their life, they rely solely on their mother's milk. Around two weeks of age, their eyes and ears will start opening and they will start exploring their world. At around four weeks, they will start experimenting with real food. They are usually fully weaned between five and six weeks of age. However, it is best for them to stay with their mother for as long as possible so they can be properly socialized.
As fully formed adults, lepitaurs can exhibit a large number of traits, such as manes, fangs, horns, and leg feathering, but most of those features do not develop until the lepitaur is six months old to two years. Even the size is unknown until they are nearly full grown. While a lepitaur can breed as young as 6 months, it is recommended that you wait until a year to two years so every trait has fully come in.
Different sizes can be mixed, though this is usually discouraged. When mixed, a litter could have any range of sizes. Lepitaurs of all sizes are born the same approximate size.
It isn't until around the time of weaning that you may notice a difference in sizes between litter mates.
Lepitaurs exhibit a feature unheard of in other species. They can interbreed with other species. The reason is unknown and unstudied. Mainly we have seen crosses between lepitaurs and felines such as domestic cats as well and big cats like cheetahs and leopards. They produce viable offspring, though the appearance of these offspring range widely and are not always considered desirable. Sadly, there are people who breed these mixes purely in the hope to create "fancy lepitaurs" that will sell better, with little regard for the well-being of the species and usually abandoning the less aesthetically pleasing of the offspring. This is why we always suggest caution when buying mixed lepitaurs.
Buying
Speaking of buying lepitaurs, here is a small guide to how to do it. Firstly, you need to decide whether you want a working lepitaur or a companion. While most lepitaurs can be trained to do just about anything, if you have a specific need, you may need specific traits.
If you are searching for a companion, a good place to start is searching for rejected working lepitaurs. Some breeders will have lepitaurs that do not fit their needs or simply is unsuitable for work and may make a wonderful companion. These will likely not be babies, but that means what you see is what you get and there will be less surprises as the lepitaur grows. In addition, a breeder breeding for working lepitaurs will usually have a good idea of the temperament of their lepitaurs and will be able to match you up with a good fit.
Another option is searching for a breeder that focuses on companion lepitaurs. As mentioned before, be wary of those breeding "fancy lepitaurs" who only care about aesthetics, mixed or not. These often ignore health and temperament when breeding. However, reputable companion breeders will know their lepitaurs inside and out and should be able to match you with a young one that will be a good fit. They should be able to tell you what physical traits the lepitaur will develop and the temperament the lepitaur should have. One more word of warning on mixes, though, even reputable breeders of mixes likely will not know what the mix will be full grown, unless it is from a carefully bred line of mixes and not a first generation mix. Always ask about lineage and even ask to meet the parents, and older siblings if possible, to get an idea of the possibilities.
One more potential option is a rescue. There are homeless lepitaurs that need adopting. They can be any age, young, adult, and even senior. A rescue is usually a bit of a gamble as you don't know any of the history or lineage, but sometimes you can find one you just click with. I always recommend fostering first, especially if it is a young one, so you can spend some time and make sure it is the lepitaur you want before committing. There is an especially big risk in adopting young lepitaurs as you likely will have no idea what traits they could develop or how large they will get. If you have size requirements, I advise against adopting young lepitaurs.
