How to Care for Your Petpet: Weewoos

So, you are wanting a Weewoo, but you're not sure how to take care of one. Weewoo care may seem easy, but there quite a few things to consider when raising one. Weewoos aren't particularly picky, but each one has its own unique preferences. This guide will to instruct you on how to take care of a Weewoo and learning what your Weewoo's preferences are.

Basic Information About a Weewoo:

Type of Petpet: Bird

Capable of Flying: Disputed; especially amongst Neopian Times authors

Feather consistency: Soft and thick

Wingspan: 0-5 inches (0-12.7 centimetres); again disputed because wings aren't clearly visible

Caging: Do NOT cage your Weewoo! They do not like cages and are fairly good at picking locks with their beaks.

Migratory: No

Origin: Krawk Island

Lifespan: Too long to measure

Average Height: 5 inches (or 12.7 centimetres); about the height of a CD case

Average Weight: 3-4 pounds (1.36-1.81 kilograms)

Diet: Omnivorous

Sleep Cycle: Generally nocturnal, but a few are diurnal.

Communication: Combination of "wee" and "woo" but some Neopian Times authors claim Neopet-understandable speech

Colours: (see //www.neopets.com/pool/petpet_colors.phtml?f_species=308)

Overall Maintenance Level: 5/10 (10 is greatest amount of maintenance)

Feeding: 3/10 (unless it's a baby, they find food themselves)

Cleanup: 5/10 (they can leave a mess if you aren't careful)

Affection needs: 7/10 (spend time with your Weewoos and let your Weewoo spend time with other weewoos)

Below is each category explained in detail:

Type of Petpet:

Weewoos are probably some of the cuter bird petpets that look more cuddly than intimidating. Regardless, an angry flock of Weewoos isn't something to be taken lightly, either. The main issue here is that nobody really knows if these things can fly.

The dispute about whether Weewoos can fly stems from another more basic dispute, whether a Weewoo has wings or not. Perhaps they do have wings and their extremely thick feathers cover them up. In fact, it is arguable that they do have wings since Weewoos do deliver the very newspaper you are reading now to all four corners of Neopia. Thus, it is very likely that Weewoos do fly, but there is still a dispute because some claim they have never seen a Weewoo fly. They've asked a Weewoo to fly for them and the Weewoo simply stared at them, acting rather confused. Perhaps the Weewoo is quite the trickster here, watching all this drama with a bag of popcorn, or perhaps the Weewoo cannot fly until a certain age. Since Weewoos don't like to be caged, it is nearly impossible to take them to a laboratory and have them examined by an expert scientist.

Weewoos are typically used to warmer climates, originating from Krawk Island. However, they tend to fare well in almost any weather. Some Weewoos have adapted well to even the rough weather in Terror Mountain, developing a thick coat of snow to shield from the elements. Since Weewoos are relatively good at such adaptations to their environment, they are not migratory birds. They like to stay put where they are.

Height and Weight:

Weewoos typically grow up to five inches in height. Do not fear if your Weewoo is particularly tall or short, though. Some Weewoos have been known to grow up to six or seven inches in height. Weewoos typically have a decent metabolism to maintain a constant weight between 3-4 pounds. It is extremely difficult if not impossible for a Weewoo to be significantly over or underweight. Their metabolism adjusts accordingly to their food intake. If they intake too much food, they will likely be flinging off the walls for a while.

Diet and Exercise:

Weewoos are omnivorous. That means they eat meat as well as vegetables. Their favourite vegetarian food happens to be tree nuts and berries of any variety. Of course, each Weewoo will likely have their own preferences of nuts and berries. Some may prefer peanuts while others prefer acorns. Some hate Fishberries but love Aquaberries.

On the carnivorous side, Weewoos typically prefer grubs. Woo Woo Grubs are the most common and naturally the most favoured grubs amongst Weewoos. Ha Ha and Wa Wa Grubs are also alright. A Weewoo might not be too happy with a Blood Grub though so it is best to avoid those at all costs.

Typically, breakfast begins at sundown with a nice meal of nuts and berries to give plenty of energy for the night. Carnivorous meals follow with two grubs for lunch and three for dinner. Weewoo usually begin dinner two hours before sunrise and then fall asleep when the sun rises.

A Weewoo will gather nuts and berries on their own so you as the owner do not have to do anything though it would be nice to bring food to your petpet Weewoo. The same goes for the grubs. Weewoos have sharp beaks that dig into the ground in order to snatch up a grub. Again, though, it would be a nice gesture to bring your petpet Weewoo some grubs.

Weewoos get most of their exercise by either flying (disputed) or running around. They also carry copies of the Neopian Times to their owners. Typically, a Weewoo will exercise for about an hour each day, usually beginning with a late evening run or flight. The Neopian Times goes to press late at night, which is when the Weewoos deliver them to their owners.

Living:

Wild Weewoos live in large nests, usually containing a family of Weewoos in each. These large nests are known for their complexity. A Weewoo nest measures about two feet (or about 61 centimetres) in diameter. The nests are rather spacious in order to house multiple Weewoos from a family. Weewoos build them out of tree bark, twigs, leaves, and mud. Weewoos prefer to keep out of the weather so they typically construct a roof as well. The finished project resembles a very small hut either on the ground or in a tree. Some Weewoos have even gone far enough to make themselves a nest that looks much like a miniature house.

Domesticated Weewoos still prefer some sort of structure such as a birdhouse. They prefer living outdoors although they will come inside every so often. It is best to allow them an open area where they can roam about freely on their own. Weewoos are smart navigators and will always find their way back to their home. It may take some getting used to, knowing that your Weewoo will sometime disappear for days and then return. Domesticated Weewoos won't run off too far on their own and typically only leave to see their former families.

Weewoos tend to have a diverse social life, befriending all sorts of petpets from Slorgs to Kadoaties. Weewoos communicate with others usually using different tones and patterns of "Wee" and "Woo" hence the name "Weewoo." However, there have been cases where a Weewoo will speak Neopet understandable languages. Do not fear when your Weewoo begins speaking your native tongue. This is normal for domesticated Weewoos.

The lifespan for Weewoos has not been determined yet. Neopia has not been around long enough to see a Weewoo perish. In fact, Weewoos don't show any signs of aging so they are might be immortal, just like the faeries.

Famous Weewoos:

Terence the Times Weewoo (White)– Ever notice that cute looking Weewoo posing in the corners of the Neopian Times? Yep, that's Terence, bringing you the news since the old days. He can usually be found in his nest outside of the Neopian Times Press offices.

Chester the Caption Weewoo (White)– If you've ever noticed a white Weewoo lurking in the photoshoots for the caption contest, that would be Chester. Chester is a rather shy and quiet Weewoo who prefers hanging out with a small group during his free time. Fortunately, he is not camera shy and loves to sneak into Caption Contest photos.

Fiana the Faerie Courier (Faerie)– Fiana isn't as well known as the two weewoos above but she does assist Fyora in delivering important messages between departments in the Faerieland Administration. Typically, she delivers about ten memos a day between departments. Of course, she also enjoys much of her time off basking the in sun while sitting in Fyora's garden.

Nolan the Neomail Weewoo (Normal) – Nolan makes sure all your neomails arrive at the right place at the right time. As head of the Neopian Postal Weewoos, he oversees all the operations for neomail delivery. It is his job to guarantee your neomail will arrive on time in the original condition it was sent in.

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