The Pet Spot with Mike Melrose

Australopithecines

A lot of people want a pet that is fun, cute and playful, but doesn’t come with a lot of hassle. If you’re looking for a pet like that you might consider the australopithecine, (Australopithecus afarensis) which is a four foot tall, upright walking, ape-style animal.

I have two Aussies at home: one’s a short-haired male named “Icecream,” and the other is a common brown-haired female named “Mittens.” Both are rambunctious and love to explore. With care, both have become important parts of my family and my menagerie.

Like cats, these Aussies tend to keep to themselves and are very low maintenance, but will show affection and sometimes play with your children. Instances of child consumption are rare, but make sure your children are supervised.

They do eat a lot, so keep plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and grains available for them and be sure to supplement their diet with special Australopithepellets™, available at most pet shops. Aussies live about thirty years, so make sure they’re the right pet for you.

Below are some tips on keeping your Aussie healthy and happy:

1. Aussies like to wander around, so it’s best not to keep them locked up all day. You should take your Aussie for a walk at least once a day, but it’s okay to keep them in an enclosure during the night.

2. Televisions are a big no-no with Aussies. They usually react violently to the moving images and sounds, so it’s best to not own a television if you plan on owning an Aussie.

3. Being herbivorous animals, Aussies tend to produce voluminous amounts of excrement. You should designate an area in your home for them to defecate in. The bathroom is a poor location, however, because Aussies fear tile.

4. If you have children going through puberty or recently post-pubescent, it’s a good idea to keep them separate from your australopithecine. While the resultant offspring are very cute, they are probably not the grandchildren you imagined.

5. Aussies are both afraid of and attracted to tomatoes. A game they particularly enjoy is to hide the tomato. When they find them, pelt them with a second tomato and watch them scurry away screaming. They are screams of fun.

6. Aussie’s will happily eat human food, especially for some reason deviled ham. When training your Aussies you might used deviled ham, Vienna sausages, SPAM or eggplant as a treat. Aussies also enjoy deviled eggs, devil’s food cake and other foods named after the fallen angel Satan.

7. Aussies do enjoy being petted, especially, for some reason, in the pelvic area. Avoid petting your Aussie.

8. If you’re away most of the day, it might be good to leave some stones around to entertain your Aussies during the day. They’ll busy themselves flecking the stones into crude tools and will be happy and content while you’re not around.

9. Unlike dogs, Aussies are not big on chewing, so don’t bother offering them gum.

10. Most important of all, never look an Aussie in the eye.

Taking care of an Aussie is easy and fun for the whole family (except children). Follow these steps (and remember not to touch or show any affection) and your Aussie experience will be decades of fun and enjoyment for you and your family.

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