literally-just-moss

[literally-just-moss]

You know that Ada Limón poem where she’s like “i can’t help it i love the way men love”? my dad recently confessed to me that he became a shoemaker because they buried my grandma shoeless

oh…………………………………

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The unken reflex is a posture that toxic amphibians will take to show off their bright colors. It’s their way of saying “stay back! I’m dangerous!”

In California, the California Newt (Taricha torosa) will do the unken reflex to show off their bright orange bellies. These newts produce tetrodotoxin.

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If I put a white pigeon in the bottom right, I win

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I have a folder called Time is a Flat Circle in which I collect evidence of humanity. Here is most of them.

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do u think omegaverse acknowledges covid-19 and the generation of people who permanently lost their sense of smell like how are they all scenting each other now is the omegaverse economy in shambles

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Spotted skunks do handstands when trapped or startled! Here’s a skunk I drew 🦨

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Porcelain crabs aren’t actually crabs! They’re another one of those freaks who has achieved the ideal body shape and gone through carcinization (becoming crab-like)!! All hail the crab!

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Caught some strange guys over the weekend! This is a deer mouse. PSA!!! Be very careful handling some little guys because there may be possibilities of them carrying hantavirus!

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Moss’s guide to catching a little guy (safely and without traps):

1. Spot a guy, probably running around in a little field or perhaps in an underbrush.

2. Slowly and quietly get as close to the guy as possible.

3. Lunge for the guy like a volleyball player going for an out of bounds ball.

4. Lightly and gently (very important!) flatten the guy with the palm of your hand against the ground.

5. Grab the scruff, or the loose skin on their back of their neck, gently and firmly with two or three fingers.

6. Take a picture with the guy, then place him back on the ground.

To all wondering, scruffing is the safest way to hold a rodent for both you and them! It’s the technique often used by researchers!

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I love flat-tailed geckos and their freaky little faces and weird shaped bodies. Also, if a flat-tailed gecko feels threatened while its resting, it will lift its head and scream.

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My all-time favorite snail move is when a baby ends up on an adult’s shell. They’re literally piggybacking.

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what is your all time favorite predator? and prey animal?

Idk if I have any absolute favorites, but I have some I think are funny. For predators, I think archer fish are pretty funny because, like, wdym a fish learned how to nerf its prey? For prey, I have an unwavering obsession with beavers.

Also, I’m scared of seagulls because I had to fist fight one for my food once and I lost.

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I love shrews because they’re such strange little guys. They have the largest brain-to-body ratio of any vertebrate and some species can even be toxic. Anyway, give it up for these weird little guys!

Also, shoutout to anyone else that loves rodents and other strange little guys. Let’s be friends.

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Garlic snails are snails that smell like garlic, if you even care.

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I once almost got hit by a car at night because I was trying to follow a juvenile opossum.

Naturalists have got to be one of the groups of people most susceptible to being tricked by the fae. Travellers these days are much less likely to follow a mysterious light or the smell of roast beef into the forest. Meanwhile, find me a naturalist who would not completely lose themself in pursuit of:

An unidentifiable bird call

A butterfly that's slightly off-color

An opossum with its head stuck in a yogurt tub

A really big woodpecker

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Back to posting funny animals. Here’s a patrick star I drew during my paleo class!!!