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A Guide To Owning A Sklyde


by lupegirl10811

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So recently my youngest--EclipsedJake--has decided he wants his own petpet. Fine. I'd be happy to buy him his own Warf or Puppyblew to play with and look after and be responsible for. Really, I would. I even took him down to the Neopia Central petpet shop so he could pick his new best friend out for himself. We get in there, and within 5 minutes, my little Jake has figured out which petpet we're taking home.

But it's not a Warf.

And it's not a Puppyblew.

No, instead, we're taking home a Sklyde. Oh, don't know what that is? Well, let me refresh your memory. It's pretty much a walking, bad tempered, hissing skeleton.

And my Neopet has decided it's going to be his new best friend.

Well, as you imagine, I couldn't very well say no. After all, his sisters got to choose their own petpets. Why shouldn't he? (Even if it was a mean little rat-thing that kept hissing at me..) So, slapping on a smile, I buy the darn thing for him.

Well, that was mistake number one. Because first off, I didn't know the first thing about caring for a Sklyde. And there were no guides out, so I couldn't research it. So, to all the Sklyde-Owners out there who don't know what they're doing? I've felt your pain.

And this guide is for YOU*!

*(And even if you don't own a Sklyde, this is for you anyway. :) )

Lesson #1: Bringing Your Sklyde Home

Okay, so you just bought your new little petpet! When you take it home, make sure to show it every room in your Neohome. Also, introduce it to your other pets so it won't be scared when it sees them around the house. Eventually give the little guy a little time to roam around on his own so he can get accustomed to things, and go ahead and set up his food and water dishes so he can feel a little at home.

Lesson #2: Feeding

What to Feed It: So there you are, sitting at home with your new little all-bone friend and trying to decide what it needs to eat. Well, first off, your new Sklyde is going to need some protein. If it's all bone, you're going to need to make sure those bones are as strong as possible! So take out the neopoints, folks and go stock up on some milk. Your Sklyde will thank you for it later (You know, when it's not hiding under your bed and tearing up that new Eyrie Sweater you just bought..or maybe that's just Esme...)

How to Feed It: Now this is the tricky part. Sklydes are extremely territorial. So before you even THINK about picking up that petpet's food dish, you better invest in a Flotsam Plushie or something to distract it. (I suggest buying the Blue ones. They always work with Esme.) Then, when it's time to feed the petpets, bring out the toy and toss it across the room. While the Sklyde's distracted, pick up the dish, pour the milk in, and put the dish back in the original place. When the Sklyde comes back, it will simply go for the milk and not bother dealing with you for touching its dish. (It is, after all, dinner time.)

Lesson #3: Play Time

As soon as dinner is over, your Sklyde will be bursting with energy! So what do you do? You give it a toy to play with, of course! Now, Plushies only work for distracting, I'm afraid. For Play Time, your petpet is going to need something sturdy that it can hiss and claw at (in a playful manner, of course) without doing damage to it. Wind Up toys work best in this case. They move quickly, and the Sklyde has to catch the toy before it can claw it. Wind Up Snowbunnies work well, though Wind Up Wockies are more affordable and are somewhat more stable to the blows that come from a Sklyde's claws.

You can also buy your Sklyde a scratching post, like a Scarabug Scratching Post. This way there is little noise, and your little petpet can feel free to attack and scratch as much as it pleases! (These work best for younger Sklydes who have more energy)

Note: Play Time is when a Sklyde is at its rowdiest, so when playing with your Sklyde, be careful and avoid the teeth, claws, and tail. If you have a Baby pet, keep it out of the Sklyde's way, as they tend to get very playful and might harm the baby. (Sklydes are best for Neopets that are bigger than they are.)

Lesson #4: Business

Buy it a litterbox.

End of story.

Lesson #4: Bedtime

Sklydes are, as said before, very territorial. So at night, as soon as they head over to that pretty little Blue Moon Petpet Bed in their owner's room, you are not to go near it. (If you do, they will harm more of your clothes than that Eyrie Sweater…*tear*) So when it’s bedtime, simply leave them alone until they fall asleep (which is usually a good hour or so). However, if you can’t get your Sklyde to sleep, just play a little music, like from Twisted Roses, and they should be out like a light in no time!

Sklydes are also good watch-petpets, because they are light sleepers. If they hear the slightest bit of intrusion noise, they'll be up in a flash and making sure that burglar doesn't get away!

Lesson #5: Other Petpets

Sklydes are generally solitary petpets, and like to spend most of their time with their owners.

Occasionally they might play with other petpets, but when they do it will take them a bit of time to be friendly. If you own other petpets besides your new Sklyde, make sure they get along before you let them near each other.

Lesson #6: Love

Remember, this Sklyde is going to be in your life for a good while! So love it a lot and take good care of it!

Because if you don’t?

Well, you might lose a few Eyrie Sweaters…

YAY! I made it into the Neopian Times!!! *dances* More to come soon!

 
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