#domestic sheep

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Most animals need to have sex to reproduce, but even among sexually active species there are some members who just don't want tk! For example, studies have shown that 2-3% of male domestic sheep show no interest in sex with other females or males, making them completely asexual.

(Image: A domestic sheep (Ovis aries) ram by John Guidi)

[unrestrained-balderdash-art-blog]

First attempt at drawing a sheep :) reference photo was from around April

[critter-creature-or-beast]

Submitted for classification by @sheepeggs

[inbarfink]

[photographe-a-roulettes]

Mouton - Il est sexuellement mature à l'âge de 6 mois et peut s'accoupler tout au long de l'année. La brebis donne naissance à un ou deux agneaux après 5 mois de gestation.

Lieu : Ferme de Noisette au Beau Thym, Sin-le-Noble

[nature-nerd-sarah]

One important correction: The domestic sheep you're taking care of is the animal us humans have made them into. The original wild mouflon was (and still is) a lively and fast animal, at home in high mountain ranges, always ready to fight or flight at the first sign of danger. Only through countless generations of selective breeding have we made domestic sheep into what they are today.

I have been a sheep caretaker for like two days and already I'm like. Wow. I get it.

I get why these were some of the earliest mammals to ever be domesticated. They look up to humans with this sort of dumb but all at once innocent and pure and trusting expression. They're happy to see you. They follow you around. They like to be rubbed under their chins. Maybe its just some latent Scottish highland shepherd DNA I still have in me but I look at my sheep charges and suddenly I see why the love of God for humanity is so often described as a shepherd and his sheep. I'd fight a wolf for these guys. I'd go way the Hell out of my way for them. I'd carry their young for miles on my own back.

[saritawolff]

Phew. This one took, uh… a bit longer than expected due to other projects both irl and art-wise, but it’s finally here. The long-awaited domestic animal infographic! Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough space to cover every single domestic animal (I’m so sorry, reindeer and koi, my beloveds) but I tried to include as many of the “major ones” as possible.

I made this chart in response to a lot of the misunderstandings I hear concerning domestic animals, so I hope it’s helpful!

Further information I didn’t have any room to add or expand on:

🐈 “Breed” and “species” are not synonyms! Breeds are specific to domesticated animals. A Bengal Tiger is a species of tiger. A Siamese is a breed of domestic cat.

🐀 Different colors are also not what makes a breed. A breed is determined by having genetics that are unique to that breed. So a “bluenose pitbull” is not a different breed from a “rednose pitbull”, but an American Pitbull Terrier is a different breed from an American Bully! Animals that have been domesticated for longer tend to have more seperate breeds as these differing genetics have had time to develop.

🐕 It takes hundreds of generations for an animal to become domesticated. While the “domesticated fox experiment” had interesting results, there were not enough generations involved for the foxes to become truly domesticated and their differences from wild foxes were more due to epigenetics (heritable traits that do not change the DNA sequence but rather activate or deactivate parts of it; owed to the specific circumstances of its parents’ behavior and environment.)

🐎 Wild animals that are raised in human care are not domesticated, but they can be considered “tamed.” This means that they still have all their wild instincts, but are less inclined to attack or be frightened of humans. A wild animal that lives in the wild but near human settlements and is less afraid of humans is considered “habituated.” Tamed and habituated animals are not any less dangerous than wild animals, and should still be treated with the same respect. Foxes, otters, raccoons, servals, caracals, bush babies, opossums, owls, monkeys, alligators, and other wild animals can be tamed or habituated, but they have not undergone hundreds of generations of domestication, so they are not domesticated animals.

🐄 Also, as seen above, these animals have all been domesticated for a reason, be it food, transport, pest control, or otherwise, at a time when less practical options existed. There is no benefit to domesticating other species in the modern day, so if you’ve got a hankering for keeping a wild animal as a pet, instead try to find the domestic equivalent of that wild animal! There are several dog breeds that look and behave like wolves or foxes, pigeons and chickens can make great pet birds and have hundreds of colorful fancy breeds, rats can be just as intelligent and social as a small monkey (and less expensive and dangerous to boot,) and ferrets are pretty darn close to minks and otters! There’s no need to keep a wolf in a house when our ancestors have already spent 20,000+ years to make them house-compatible.

🐖 This was stated in the infographic, but I feel like I must again reiterate that domestic animals do not belong in the wild, and often become invasive when feral. Their genetics have been specifically altered in such a way that they depend on humans for optimal health. We are their habitat. This is why you only really see feral pigeons in cities, and feral cats around settlements. They are specifically adapted to live with humans, so they stay even when unwanted. However, this does not mean they should live in a way that doesn’t put their health and comfort as a top priority! If we are their world, it is our duty to make it as good as possible. Please research any pet you get before bringing them home!

[magewolf-the-artist]

Oh boy, angst fest!

This probably takes place sometime in the Adjustment Period when Rosemary had a continuous breakdown. This was one of the many methods Rocket used in their ongoing efforts to get Rosemary to stop crying. Most of them were ineffective but this time it worked so… yay, I guess?

Edd probably didn’t think it would work but let Molly take the lead because god knows he doesn’t have any ideas

[wxnter-rain]

🍊orange cat + black dog🐾

[doglover43]

old english sheepdog 🐾

[specialagentartemis]

of course I am also the person who watching The Two Towers was wondering who domesticated horses in Middle-Earth so I am also not the best person to say “just suspend your disbelief about this fantasy thing.” No I want to know how Rohan is politically organized such that they are steppe pastoralists when convenient and sedentary agriculturalists when convenient!!! How does their economy work!!!

[unrestrained-balderdash-art-blog]

Might do some sheep drawings because I love them and want to be able to draw them. Not the best, but at least I've drawn one. Can't wait for Spring.

[emaadsidiki]

Family Fun & The Farmyard. Bronx Zoo, New York. 🐐🦙🗽

[backwoodsbarking]

with my school starting again soon, id like to say some stuffs about being a therian in high school.

im going into my junior year, and starting at a new school with the same people. my high school splits 9/10 grade and 11/12 into two schools. i am hoping that this year the people that liked to harass me in the halls have grown up a bit. thankfully, last year, nobody tried to take my tail, though i did feature on the schools "cringe" instagram and my cities "cringe alert" snapchat story. so there was some unwanted publicity.

but. i love expressing my nonhuman identity, and i do that by wearing a tail and pins that say "not human" and "yip!" and "it/its plz!". i have yet to find other therians, not even just at my school, but in my city. though, my boyfriend is crocodile, bunny, and sheep kin, so im not the only alterhuman here. but i really do want therian friends that i can practice quads with or nudge lovingly or press noses with.

wish me luck yall!

[photographe-a-roulettes]

Nez Noir du Valais - Sa laine épaisse lui permet de s'adapter à des températures très froides.

Lieu : Bio-Topia, Dunkerque

[oxavane]

Touchstarved Lucifer? Getting manhandled by his lovely husband??? It's more likely than you think. More versions here, you know what to do c;