Topic for unrelated discussions

[Malakai10]

I have everything clear in my head but then I try to write it down and it's like,,,, woah, that's contradictory akdhfh I think I forget to link parts together or explain things vaguely. (Sometimes that happens when I write a sentence... I forget that I haven't completed it and move to the next or I'll go and swap words around... like the time I was complaining about Americans calling Africa a country instead of a continent and put the words the wrong way round ) As long as it makes sense though

Hmm, about the Angus and feral horse breeds - I would argue that those are outliers and thuse cannot be counted as they are a minority of the species population.

I must admit, I don't think domesticated cats do well when feral — outdoor cats (not even feral cats, these are cats that have vet care and food and clean water but are just let outside) average about 5 years whereas the African wildcat (what domestic cats are descended from) seems to have an average wild lifespan of about 14 years.

I'm definitely going to have to look that up because that sounds interesting! I'm honestly surprised that piebald has managed to stay in that population. And I'll definitely have to look up the silver morph foxes!

I don't think it's possible to have a cut off point for when a species is domesticated — it just happens too gradually. I suppose we have the domestic population once we have an entirely new species (although of course this comes with the joy of the definition of species having far too many exceptions... *sigh*) we classify most of our domesticated animals as separate species from their wild counterparts (dogs debatably not... I think I recall that they are now considered the same species as grey wolves) except that I'm pretty sure most of our domesticated species are still able to breed and produce fertile offspring with the wild counterparts. Our classification of species has so many exceptions that perhaps the only way we can say something is a new species is 'I just know' (but perhaps with analysing DNA for how closely related species are, we can have a cutoff point for how related they have to be to be a subspecies or distinct species (take a look at the African butterfly fish, for example. There are two species that look EXACTLY alike and just occur in different areas but they are so distinctive genetically that they cannot produce offspring AT ALL.)

That black wolves having dog DNA was something I read years ago... but I do think it was meant to have been a good few thousand years ago. I need to find this info source again - I *think* it was from wolfquest (which consults researches working in Yellowstone, if I recall correctly.)

That was a hypothesis (which I really should have stated when I wrote it.)

Apparently albinism in reptiles is something entirely different from albinism in mammals! (Caused by different genes and less harmful, I think?) I'm not sure if fish albinism is as well but I would imagine it's more like reptile albinism than mammal albinism (although I did have an albino oscar with definite eye sight problems and I think my albino x-ray tetras are a bit more hesitant with eating than my normal ones.

Hmm, I wouldn't say that albinism was dumped for sun tolerance - after all, you get various ocean critters that live in deeper waters with pigmentation. I must admit that I would have thought camouflage came before sun tolerance.

If the sun went out (assuming that we are somehow able to produce food at our normal levels and don't need vitamin D) I don't think we would change at all! There would need to be some sort of environmental pressure and if the lack of UV for some reason doesn't affect our food and we magically don't need vitamin D (or are else able to synthesise enough for everyone) then there's no environmental pressure shaping our species. And if there was environmental pressure changing us, it would still take a VERY long time to merge into the population and would likely end up with us being a completely different species.

I doubt albinism is preferred in fish - pretty much only the deep sea fish don't have pigmentation (and some of the deep sea fish have pigmentation anyway, like angler fish.)

The thing is is that pigmentation isn't only about using melanin for sun protection (which wouldn't apply to animals that have fur, feathers or scales.) The colouring is usually either for camouflage or it's for display purposes to find mates.

...
I just don't know about the albinism. There are just too many questions that it brings up. Which brings up another separate point. Without the sun, we wouldn't be able to necessarily see the plumage and color and camouflage, thereby making any of these entirely irrelevant and obsolete. We would, I assume (and I'm not just saying humans, but most or even all animal species), end up with our own bio-luminescence of some sort.

And those deep-water fish. Just as many of them lack color at all (clear bodies) as have white-colored (albino-style) bodies as have colored bodies. We do see deep-water fish with colored bodies in the shallows more often then the other two styles. Maybe I'm wrong with that, though. Still.
One most notable case that doesn't seem to fit into either of those categories is the greenland shark, which is a deep-water shark species, but still retains the mid- to upper-water color, light on the bottom, darker on the top.

...
Here's an article on the piebalds:
https://www.deerassociation.com/look-in ... bald-deer/

I couldn't find anything on the foxes though.
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Domestic cats are different here, I suppose. A Tom does have the life expectancy of between 5 and 7 years as a true feral. But a Molly has one a little bit longer to about 10. Neutered or spayed can live as long as 12.
But it all depends on the areas they live. Cars are still a major factor of injury and death. I would figure in South Africa they'd have a much more... vicious... style of predators they need to watch out for. Around here, it's generally cars, canine and the occasional rabid animal. Bear don't generally go after them, too small a meal for too much effort. Sometimes, I think, a bird of prey might, but I think they're just on that line of being too heavy for most of them.

But for a feral cat living in a city though? They might make it three years if they entirely avoided humans. Feral cat colonies in cities and towns only really survive (usually) with some sort of human assistance, i.e. supplementing food, adopting out the kittens, neutering and spaying to help decrease territorial fights that lead to mortal wounds... etc.

....
And, I think that's where my brain frizzles to an end!
Well, it happens sometimes.

.... did you know that I had completely forgotten that we need light to see you know what, I am 100% blaming maths for this I did too much maths and my brain melted. Science

.... I almost want to send an email to one of the aquariums or the sharksboard or something and ask them about deep sea fish. But also. Emails. Dreadful things. I am not Hyperfixated enough on this to overcome Email Anxiety

Greenland sharks appear to inhabit shallow waters in water and it seems that their typical diving depth is 0-1500m. And it seems that far north greenland sharks tend to be in shallower water than the more southern ones. I wonder if the more northern ones have a more distinct and bolder pattern and the if the southern are paler.

Hmm, I don't think feral cats face much greater threats here than anywhere else? Dogs, cars, humans, raptors, rabies (and other illnesses but mostly rabies) and some snakes (black mambas LOVE kittens. Apparently, the black mamba population in Joburg increased greatly with the feral cat popluation.) You don't really get big predators in the suburbs here. I don't think I've ever heard of a lion or leopard in anywhere but the most rural of areas (barring zoos and similar, of course.) You might get serval, caracal or wild cat in rural areas but I don't think those could stand up to a colony of ferals.

[Malakai10]

It happens to all of us at some point I think. Getting attached to things and animals and people.

Maybe... taking some human therapy with PTSD and using it straight on Teal would work? I'd say... car accident victims rehab. Do you have access to a pool of water? That seems to help a lot of Tb racers with serious injuries and track phobias... though I'm not really sure how water work would help with a track phobia. -_-

And then there's free-jumping courses.

He's not a young man anymore, but I wonder if changing his career and work entirely would quash all of his issues. Have you thought about trying him in a single harness, single axle cart? I think they're called '* carts'? Cart riding and showing is all done at the trot and walk, so no more need for Teal to leave the ground for jumps or canter during work again. He'd only ever do that for enjoyment and when you want to 'pop one' on a leisure outing in the field.

It'd be entirely different area for you, but if you want to move forward in riding (assuming it's potentially more than a hobby), knowing how to go alternative routes can make you a highly versatile (and maybe sought-after) rider for future job opportunities.
Who knows? He might find cart-work right up his alley too.

Well, whatever you decide to do with Teal, he'll be well taken care of.

The only large enough water bodies are the dams and Teal has decided that he no longer likes stepping in them and they also apparently drop off into deep water pretty abruptly.

I would love to do carting but once again there's little to no access to anyone who can teach me to drive and Teal to pull and also a lack of access to equipment.

That would be nice. I don't know if it's even possible to get any good horse-job opportunities without Connections. My plan is keep many pets including horses and get good job to pay for the pets

[BlackOak2]

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Such is the way, isn't it! Never what you need, when you need it. -_-


I certainly don't blame Teal for not wanting to go into deep water in anything other than a pool (not that he's been in a pool)... If I can't see the bottom, then anything can be there! And really, kelp is like the worst one! Brushing against your leg, tickling around... coming and going and you can't actually SEE it!

... Yeah...
Between that and the mirrors in horror flicks, those have to be the worst two.

***
And if you can't notice, I'm right there with you with my own melted brain.

[Malakai10]

...

Such is the way, isn't it! Never what you need, when you need it. -_-


I certainly don't blame Teal for not wanting to go into deep water in anything other than a pool (not that he's been in a pool)... If I can't see the bottom, then anything can be there! And really, kelp is like the worst one! Brushing against your leg, tickling around... coming and going and you can't actually SEE it!

... Yeah...
Between that and the mirrors in horror flicks, those have to be the worst two.

***
And if you can't notice, I'm right there with you with my own melted brain.

Teal would jump so high, he'd be the first horse in space!

MIRRORS oh those are *shudder* I went on a Conjuring verse horror binge and, let me tell you, I could not look into a mirror for MONTHS afterward.

What a month this week has been!

[BlackOak2]

Teal would jump so high, he'd be the first horse in space!

MIRRORS oh those are *shudder* I went on a Conjuring verse horror binge and, let me tell you, I could not look into a mirror for MONTHS afterward.

What a month this week has been!

You Ain't Kidding!

I like me a few horror movies now and again, pretty much anything (although the real-life-based slashers I'm not too fond of). And every time I watch a ghost one with the mirror, or even a psychological one with a mirror, I'm like: 'Went pee... Washing hands... Don't Look In The Mirror... Check.' Even in broad daylight.

Sometimes mirrors still bother me and maybe it's too many mirror horror flicks that I've watched through the years. But even when I was young, I had (and still have) trouble looking into them and it has little to do with 'seeing something behind me' rather it's more like 'I'm not me in the mirror' style of thing.

Which one would be worse? -_-

[Malakai10]

Teal would jump so high, he'd be the first horse in space!

MIRRORS oh those are *shudder* I went on a Conjuring verse horror binge and, let me tell you, I could not look into a mirror for MONTHS afterward.

What a month this week has been!

You Ain't Kidding!

I like me a few horror movies now and again, pretty much anything (although the real-life-based slashers I'm not too fond of). And every time I watch a ghost one with the mirror, or even a psychological one with a mirror, I'm like: 'Went pee... Washing hands... Don't Look In The Mirror... Check.' Even in broad daylight.

Sometimes mirrors still bother me and maybe it's too many mirror horror flicks that I've watched through the years. But even when I was young, I had (and still have) trouble looking into them and it has little to do with 'seeing something behind me' rather it's more like 'I'm not me in the mirror' style of thing.

Which one would be worse? -_-

Oof, yeah same, both of those horror tropes are so scary *shudder* something is there behind me makes me go FLIGHT MODE and my reflection being Not Me actives FIGHT. I think the first one is worse just because I perfer fight mode to flight mode.

[BlackOak2]

Oof, yeah same, both of those horror tropes are so scary *shudder* something is there behind me makes me go FLIGHT MODE and my reflection being Not Me actives FIGHT. I think the first one is worse just because I perfer fight mode to flight mode.

I think I'm opposite. I'm all ready to beat the ... yeah... out of anything... anyTHING that might be behind me... and maybe (if horror movie) not make it out in the end!
But if it's not me in the mirror... but still looks like me and still not me... eh... *shudder* How do you fight something like that? Punch yourself???

[Malakai10]

Oof, yeah same, both of those horror tropes are so scary *shudder* something is there behind me makes me go FLIGHT MODE and my reflection being Not Me actives FIGHT. I think the first one is worse just because I perfer fight mode to flight mode.

I think I'm opposite. I'm all ready to beat the ... yeah... out of anything... anyTHING that might be behind me... and maybe (if horror movie) not make it out in the end!
But if it's not me in the mirror... but still looks like me and still not me... eh... *shudder* How do you fight something like that? Punch yourself???

Wait for whatever it is to come out the mirror and THEN you punch it! I think for me it's because this thing is in front of me and thus easy to get into a good defensive position but the other thing is behind me so I need to create space so it's not on top of me

Both of these are making me think about those scenes from... the second conjuring? whichever was the one where they went to the UK.

[BlackOak2]

Wait for whatever it is to come out the mirror and THEN you punch it! I think for me it's because this thing is in front of me and thus easy to get into a good defensive position but the other thing is behind me so I need to create space so it's not on top of me

Both of these are making me think about those scenes from... the second conjuring? whichever was the one where they went to the UK.

We [humans] really are awful, aren't we? Creating these things to scare the be-jevus out of all of us.
But what it really comes down to, nothing can be as scary as something in real life. And yet, until we face it, we have no idea how we'll actually react.
I still get a kick out of people like nurses and doctors that can be so afraid of things that don't exist like vampires and goblins (horror movies) and yet they can cruise right through what they need to in the E.R. or even medics on the battlefields.
It also amazes me too.

[Malakai10]

Wait for whatever it is to come out the mirror and THEN you punch it! I think for me it's because this thing is in front of me and thus easy to get into a good defensive position but the other thing is behind me so I need to create space so it's not on top of me

Both of these are making me think about those scenes from... the second conjuring? whichever was the one where they went to the UK.

We [humans] really are awful, aren't we? Creating these things to scare the be-jevus out of all of us.
But what it really comes down to, nothing can be as scary as something in real life. And yet, until we face it, we have no idea how we'll actually react.
I still get a kick out of people like nurses and doctors that can be so afraid of things that don't exist like vampires and goblins (horror movies) and yet they can cruise right through what they need to in the E.R. or even medics on the battlefields.
It also amazes me too.

I suppose it's the difference between vampires and other things that go bump in the night are fictional, you can't encounter them and they're supernatural - they are designed to be stronger and faster than us and to make our natural survival instincts the wrong ones (humans will scream when in danger to summon our friends to us because we are strongest in a group. Get attacked by a leopard and your best bet is getting other people to help you chase it off by screaming and shouting and waving your arms about... do that to a vampire and all you've done is given it some extra snacks.)

Doctors or nurses in the hospital or on the battlefield have retrieved so much training and desensitisation that they can objectify what they see and ignore the horror going on around them until their patients are safe. But you can't get training and desensitisation against something that does not exist... oh, wait actually no, I suppose horror games and movies are desensitisation against that vampire hunter training simulations! now i want to play vampyr