Spider Kisp

Basic Information

Anatomy

The spider kisp is a small, six legged creature that despite popular belief, is not related to the spider. It has a long, jointed shell-like back with a smooth, shiny appearance, a head that appears to be a cross between a beetle and a pug, with six small colorful eyes, and a stubby tail that moves to display its emotions. They are relatively flat, with a torso structure resembling a trilobite, created via a long spine and flexible rib cage. They gain most of their sensory information by using their long antennae.

Genetics and Reproduction

They lay eggs. A female will lay around 6 to 10 eggs per month, but they will not hatch unless fertilized by a male within 3 days. The eggs are often considered a delicacy when cooked, but cannot be eaten raw as they are poisonous unless cooked.

Growth Rate & Stages

They are hatched after remaining in the egg for two weeks. They are hatched at only around an inch in length, and grow extremely quickly. Their antennae unfurl at one week of age. Their first set of eyes open at three days, the second opens at one week, and the third opens at two weeks. They begin laying eggs at two months of age, and are fully grown at three months old. They become fully grown at between six inches and two feet long, depending on the location. Wild ones are only around six inches long, but some domestic ones have been bred to be much larger.

Ecology and Habitats

Their natural habitat is the desert, so they prefer warmer weather. They can only survive in the indoors in extremely cold places, like the Frozen Wasteland. In the wild, they prefer sand so they can live in their deep burrows and in their huge communities. Even in captivity, they prefer to have access to a natural or artificial burrow, and relatively high temperature. They also do better in groups of at least three, and will become stressed and bored if left alone for extended periods of time.

Dietary Needs and Habits

They are primarily herbivorous in the wild, eating a diet of primarily cacti and wildflower. In captivity, many need protein supplements due to their larger size, such as eggs, milk, or meat. In the wild, they bite through the cacti with small teeth that can avoid the sharp spines, and simply pluck wildflowers. In captivity, it is considered good practice to hide their food to give them some mental stimulation. In both the wild and captivity they store any excess food they do not eat right away in their burrows.

Biological Cycle

This species will shed the outer layer of its carapace in the spring, and it will grow back slightly larger and stronger over the course of about a month. During this time in the wild they will hide out in their den, rarely emerging except for food, which they will typically stockpile beforehand. However, in captivity this is not frequently observed, as they are very confident and will continue to exist normally even with a slightly softer, squishier torso.

Additional Information

Social Structure

They live in large groups, often between 20 and 40 individuals in a huge colony. Typically most of them gather slightly more than they need while the infants are typically cared for by everyone. They have also been seen to demonstrate grooming behaviors, cleaning the shells of others, and protecting molters while they shed.

Domestication

They are one of the most domesticated species, with massive alterations. They have been increased in size by quite a bit, their diet has been changed to accept massive varieties of plants and require protein, their coloration has been changed and patterns have been added, and their eyes have been altered to allow for a variety of colors. Psychologically, their pack bonding has been ramped up so they will show affection for their owners, and they have been made to tolerate much smaller spaces and much smaller groups.

Facial characteristics

Their face is relatively round, and is just slightly fluffy. They have a large, pug like muzzle, with three sets of eyes atop it, all arranged vertically. They do not have ears, but instead have two thin antennae with a small bulb atop each that extend for around two inches above their heads. They have blunt teeth designed for grating cacti down.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

They are native to the desert of souls, but due to the pet trade they can be found almost anywhere. The only places they are uncommon are Dreanesia, where their needs, like sand and heat, cannot be met, and the Frozen Wasteland, where it is too cold for them to survive long outside of a magically or fire heated environment.

Average Intelligence

They are not too smart, relying on not much beyond instinct to survive. They are capable of pack bonding, and this is thought to occur with their owners as well as their fellow spider kisp. They have an average intelligence of 2.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They have six eyes, though domestication has made them less effective in favor of aesthetic value, which they can use to see with precise accuracy. They also have antennae, which work to sense vibrations in the air around them, giving them both blindsense and tremorsense. Wild spider kisp have better vision, and also have small spikes on their feet which allow them better tremorsense. This was, however, bred out in domestication.

Origin/Ancestry

Kisp

Lifespan

8 years

Conservation Status

This species is recognized as a domesticated animal in every continent except the Ceccene Desert, and is therefore illegal to kill and/or eat if found. In the Ceccene desert, only wild spider kisp are regarded as fair game, but domestic variants are still considered illegal.

Average Height

3 inches

Average Weight

250 - 350 grams.

Average Length

6 inches by 3 inches

Average Physique

They are not usually very strong, but their hard carapaces are a very effective armor.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

In the wild, they have light tan shells and pure black eyes, with a deep brown underside. In captivity, their carapace can be almost any shade of brown, from a creamy off white to a deep cocoa brown that nears black. They have been selectively bred so that it is even possible for them to have alternating stripes horizontally down their carapace. Their eyes in captivity can be almost any color, with blue, brown, and red being the most common.