How to Care for a Grarrl

Let's start off with personalities: Grarrls don't just look aggressive, they act aggressive too. And if you adopt one from the Neopian Pound, chances are they have had a not-so-great life and will act even worse than usual. They may take a snap at you every now and then, refuse to listen to orders, and sometimes they may not even eat for a day or two. This is completely normal for a Grarrl, especially one that's been through a lot. They prefer to do what they like rather than listening to others, even if it's for their own good. If you feel insulted by the way your Grarrl has been acting towards you, simply remind yourself that you shouldn't take these things personally and that it's only in a Grarrl's nature to act this way.

Don't, I repeat, DON'T abandon your Grarrl just because you two aren't getting along that well at first. The relationship between you and your Neopet will improve in time, so just be patient. In the meantime, try to get on your Grarrl's good side by offering him or her a snack or asking if he or she wants to play a game. Also offer to take him or her to Tyrannia, as this is a land where dinosaur-like Neopets feel most at home. Who knows? It might just turn that frown upside down! Another thing to keep in mind is that if your Grarrl happens to be sick, it is VERY important to get a cure right away! Obviously all Neopets feel miserable when ill, but Grarrls don't just feel miserable, they feel downright infuriated. If you don't have enough Neopoints to buy the medicine needed, try going to the Healing Springs, where a kind Water Faerie will sometimes cure your pet for free! And last but not least, though this may not sound like the best idea, Grarrls LOVE to battle, and sometimes a good fight is just what they need to get that last bit of anger out of their system. Take your Grarrl to the Battledome and see if they feel any better after they put their teeth and claws to use. After a week or two, your Grarrl should get used to you and start obeying you more often. They are also very playful when happy, so make sure to buy them a new toy every now and then!

Next up, diets: If you own a Grarrl, you'll probably know by now that they can eat literally anything. Books, toys, weapons, clothes.... You name it! Because of this, lots of people tend to feed their Grarrls anything they happen to find. Sure, feeding your Neopet a Rotten Old Boot that you fished out might be much cheaper than going to the store and buying a fancy dinner, and it's a great way to get rid of your trash and still satisfy your Neopet's hunger, but do you really think your Grarrl likes the taste of garbage? Just because Grarrls CAN eat anything doesn't mean they WANT to eat anything. They have preferences too, you know, just like any other Neopet. Not to mention that bucket of sludge you fed your poor sharp-toothed friend isn't healthy at all! They'll probably stay up all night with a stomachache after eating one of those. So with all of the possibilities of things your Grarrl can eat, you may be wondering "What do I feed it?" I would suggest mostly meat for the first couple of weeks that you own one of these carnivorous creatures. While some Grarrls can adapt quite easily to new foods in just a few days, most (usually the ones who haven't had owners before) are very picky about what they eat and will refuse to try other foods. A good way to get them to try new things is to mix meat with other types of foods. Here are yummy and healthy dishes that your Grarrl might like:

• Meaty Asparagus Dish
• Meat and Beans
• Meaty Pot Pie
• Joint of Ham
• Meatball Broth

And those are just a few ideas! But remember that not every meaty food is good for your Grarrl, even if they like the taste of it. These sorts of foods include Brain Kebabs, Blumaroo Steaks, and usually any other food that comes from the Haunted Woods.

And finally, we have grooming: Unlike many other Neopets who often spend lots of time making sure their fur looks nice and tidy, Grarrls don't need too much grooming because they don't have any hair! However, this doesn't mean no tidying up is required. They may not have fur, but they do have skin which can get quite dirty after a while. That's why it's important to brush them with a Grarrl Brush frequently. Not only does it make them cleaner, but because it's designed for this particular Neopet, they LOVE the way it feels! So it never hurts to brush them even when they're perfectly clean. The Accordion Sponge and Bar of Soap are also good ways to scrub them clean without going through the trouble of bathing them (because really, how are you supposed to fit one of these dinosaur-like Neopets in a bathtub?) And let's not forget about their teeth! With everything they eat, Grarrls are bound to get their teeth dirty. To prevent them from getting cavities, it's important to brush their teeth daily with a Toothbrush, Toothpaste (I recommend Peppermint Toothpaste), and Mouth Wash. Despite their strong dislike towards Toothbrushes, they love the taste of Toothpaste and have no problem with Mouth Wash either, so you shouldn't have too much trouble getting their teeth clean without an argument.

Well, that's all the advice I can give right now! Remember that I'm not a professional, so I don't know everything there is to know about Grarrls. But after owning one for a couple of years, I think the advice I gave is decent enough. :) Hope I helped!