00jazmine's Kikirra

Encyclopedia entry: The cobblestone Kikirra is native to the mountain ranges of western Missoulou. It is named after the pattern of its pelt, which can resemble cobblestones in its colours and spot shapes. It is one of the largest Kikirra species. As adults, males average around 15 pounds; females are slightly smaller.

Cobblestone Kikirra live together in clans, in a network of dens that they either dig or make inside hollow logs or in the spaces between rocks. They tend to live in rocky terrain, where their coats help them blend in. Using its incisors, which never stop growing throughout its life, it can gnaw through even the hardest nut shells to get to the seed inside. They forage for nuts, seeds, insects, roots and certain plants, and in the fall they build up a heavy layer of fat to survive during the winter. During the wintertime, they go into a semi-hibernation condition, where they sleep most of the time, but sometimes awaken and come out of their dens to forage for food.

Despite their cute, round appearance, these animals have the ability to inflict serious or even deadly wounds with their large, dagger-like incisors if they feel threatened. Like all Kikirra they have many predators in the wild and are able to defend themselves viciously if forced to. When raised from a young age, they make excellent pets as long as they are provided at least one companion of a similar type, or if that is not possible, given regular hands-on attention and an enriched environment.

Late winter to early spring is breeding season for these fluffy creatures, and males will compete for the right to breed during this time of year by seeing which rival can pin the other to the ground. Adult cobblestone Kikirra females have one litter each spring, from 1 to 5 pups are born but the usual litter number is three or four. They will hole up in their den and not come out at all for the first few days after giving birth.



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