Dry Hopper

Dry Hoppers are members of the Gene Sea, introduced to the Earth on the World of the Long Sleep at the beginning of the Season Of Innocence. We now know that their ancestors are widespread throughout the galaxy and particularly common on Suquedren colony worlds.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Dry Hoppers are small rodents, particularly adapted to living in arid conditions. They possess long sensitive ears and articulated clawed toes on three pairs of legs which are well suited to digging. Although they are only the size of a mouse, their general morphology is perhaps more reminiscent of native species of rabbit and it is their hopping gait which has given them their name.

Biological Traits

Male Dry Hoppers, such as the example shown in the image below are rather larger than the females and have a green coat of wiry hairs.

Male Dry Hopper by DMFW with Midjourney

Females, such as the one shown at the head of the article have a distinctive pair of whiskers that protrude from the top of their heads.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Dry Hoppers eat all kinds of plants and seeds and their teeth are well suited to chewing even woody and spiny vegetation from which they can extract and store moisture. They cannot live in the deep deserts where there is nothing to eat, but they thrive in the marginal areas.

Behaviour

Dry Hoppers are burrowing rodents and although the sometimes emerge in full daylight, they usually sleep underground out of the heat of the sun, emerging in the evening and early night time to forage.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Dry Hoppers are found mainly around the edges of the Midlat Desert of Trass, all along the inner margins of the North and South Barrier Mountains and the Dust Spill Region and they were also common in the area surrounding Freewater until the oasis dried there.

Lifespan

7 years

Average Height

2 cm

Average Weight

200 g

Average Length

5 cm