Tyrannian Day Special: Top 12 Tyrannian Petpets

     Tyrannian Victory Day is one of Neopia’s holidays based on the history of Neopets. Taking place yearly on the 12th of the month of Hunting (May 12th), Neopians all over the globe (and outside the globe, too – hello there folks from Kreludor and Virtupets Station!) celebrate the date in honour of all of those who fought in the historical conflict of Year 3 when Tyrannia was nearly crushed to pieces by Chia Bombers and other evil villains, but eventually emerged victorious by crushing them into pieces!

     After so many years of celebrating this holiday, most inhabitants of Tyrannia and elsewhere are most likely used by now to how celebrations are carried on in this date – having Tyrannian food dishes, reading the best of Tyrannian literature, reciting poems as an ode to Tyrannia’s glory, attempting their luck on the Wheel of Monotony, and so on.

     However, most of the activities mentioned above have a focus on Pets only; what about their tiny companions, the always loyal and loving Petpets? Often overlooked by many, these small creatures deserve some of the spotlight every now and then, and through this article, we will attempt to do just that by listing the top 10 Petpet species originating from Tyrannia and why they would make a good friend for your Neopet (and for you as well, of course!). We will also be diving in-depth into their characteristics, history, and popularity, as those are also an important part of Tyrannian culture.

     Without further ado, here is the list of top 12 Tyrannian Petpet species for the 12th of the month of Hunting:

     12. Sauropod

     This species is known for their love of climbing; they will climb your couch, your bed while you sleep, and literally everything else! Their name derives from Greek sauros meaning "lizard" and pod meaning "foot".

     Their default colour is yellow. They are not available in Tyrannian colour of their motherland, but they are available in 6 other colours: Blue, Green, Faerie, island, Rainbow, and Robot.

     Unfortunately, they don't have any items in their homage. They have, however, been awarded the Petpet Protection League twice: once in their natural form in Year 11 (2009) and once in their Blue variation in Year 16 (2014).

     11. Uggatrip

     This cute species is a naturally bright red creature who loves to make Neopets trip while walking – hence their name. No one knows for sure why they enjoy doing that, though. But everyone still allows them, because they just have the cutest eyes! They also are known to have scales on their back, which makes them look like mini Chombies.

     They are available in only a limited number of colours, with the most appreciated ones being Robot, Plushie, and Black. For whatever reason, they are not available in Tyrannian colour, even though they come from the pre-historical lands.

     Although very charismatic, they are, unfortunately, often only regarded as “that Petpet you throw in the Cooking Pot with a Mazzew to make an Uggazew”. Or, for Classic Neohome decorators, they are known for originating the Ugga Chair when mixed with a Checkered Kitchen Chair. How that can be is even less clear…

     This species has been hailed with the Petpet League Protection award twice; first, its’ snow-coloured variation won in Week 226 in the first couple weeks of Year 10 (January 2008) and later its’ original inception won in Week 382 early in the Year 13 (January 2011).

     10. Uggazew

     Just mentioned before, this species has been found to originate from a mixture of a Mazzew with an Uggazew in Mystery Island’s Cooking Pot. What exactly the pot does in this context is not clarified yet. They have the cute face of a Mazzew but the pointy scales of an Uggatrip.

     Unfortunately, they are not available in any colours other than their natural red (not even Tyrannian, yet again).

     However, the genes of “loving to make others trip” are lost in the crossover process, so if you thought an Uggatrip to be a dangerous option for your already clumsy Neopet, you can count on the Uggazew for not making them trip.

     Although an exclusive and rare crossover, they are still not that popular of a choice of companionship as Mazzews have become one of Neopia’s most beloved Petpet species, crossing the regional barrier of Tyrannia – we will talk about them later on in this list. They have, however, already won the Petpet Protection League award before, on the week of the 12th of the month of Running on Year 11 (March 12, 2009).

     9. Trumpadon

     This tiny little fellow might look lightweight, but its’ steps can shake the ground! When he makes tracks, you will feel it. The Trumpadons have a natural light green colour, and strangely resemble a mini Grarrl with fur. They don’t eat as much as Grarrls, though (but probably would if they were as big).

     Officially classified as a “retired” species, this is due to them reaching a near-extinction status. Sadly, some Petpets are so rare that they become scarce, hence the classification. Due to this, they have become a rather pricey option, ranging above the millions of Neopoints on the Trading Post. The only colours they are available in are Black, Purple, Pirate, and Faerie. (Why are there so many Tyrannian Petpets unavailable in Tyrannian colour?!)

     In its’ original form, they were the selected species to be awarded at the Petpet Protection League on week 232 on the final day of the month of Awakening in Year 10 (February 28, 2008). Its’ colour variations have yet to be selected for the award.

     They are the inspiration behind the Trumpadon Soup food item and the Trumpadon Fossil Necklace clothing item.

     8. Fangy

     One could say they look like miniature pre-historical Unis with fangs. Naturally blue with two tiny golden horns on its’ forehead, this species is known to gnaw on things when bored – be careful with your furniture at your Neohome!

     Their colour variations are Red, Green, Pink, Black, Faerie, Fire, Snow, and White – again, not a Tyrannian species available in Tyrannian colour. None of these, however, has won the Petpet Protection League; only the original blue has, in Week 259 of Year 10 (2008).

     Due to their four-legged hoofs, they are often speculated to be a distant genetic predecessor of certain species, such as the Altadorian species Alabriss and Meridell’s Hoovle. This information, however, has never been confirmed by Neopian scientists (but they haven’t denied it, either…).

     7. Icklesaur

     The name of this species is quite self-explaining of its’ characteristics. The first portion of the word, “ickle”, is a childish expression meaning “small”. This makes perfect sense as Icklesaurs are known not to grow, no matter what or how much they eat. They are mostly timid creatures, and slightly resemble Tonus, Neopets also originating from Tyrannia.

     These tiny and cute friends are naturally pink, in a salmon tone. They can be painted Blue, Purple, White, Pink, Brown, Cloud, Plushie, and Desert. No one has ever spotted a Tyrannian version of an Icklesaur yet.

     In Week 109 of Year 7 (2005), its’ regular inception won the Petpet Protection League award, while their Brown version won in Week 516 seven years later in Year 15 (2013).

     A notable Icklesaur is Kelpernia, a female bearded Petpet who appeared in Petpet Park. The species are also represented in two toy items, the Icklesaur Piggy Bank and the Icklesaur Squirt Toy.

     6. Reptillior

     This is a species for the daring Neopets. Reptilliors are known to be venomous, and their bite is capable of causing Reptillioritus, a disease that will make your Neopet feel tired and refuse to eat. Thankfully, there is a cure for the illness, the usage of item “Cactopus Cream”; still, it is advised that Neopets and owners are experienced in handling Reptilliors in order to avoid any unfortunate incidents.

     This Petpet species is naturally dark green, with menacing red eyes and sharp fangs. They cannot be painted Tyrannian, but can be painted Blue, Brown, Cloud, Pink, Robot, and Yellow.

     The Yellow Reptillior was awarded in the Petpet Protection League in Week 332 in Year 12 (2010).

     5. Niptor

     In the fifth position, we will talk about the Niptor. As we reach the top five, we also reach more popular species choices amongst Neopets and their owners. A proof of this is the number of items made in their honour, which include toys (such as “Niptor In A Box”, “Niptor Plushie”, and “Niptor Pull Along”), Classic Neohome furniture (including “Niptor Bed”, “Niptor Sofa”, and “Niptor Lamp”), a Neodeck card – the “Niptor (TCG)”, and clothing items (the “Niptor Contacts” and “Purple Niptor Contacts”, the latter being rather ironic as there are no Purple Niptors).

     They are so popular, that they also once had a random Niptor Day in the 22th of the month of Relaxing in Year 7 (June 22, 2005). Also, there is the “Niptor” avatar available for the Neoboards, as long as you visit the Pet Lookup of someone’s Neopet with a Niptor attached (which could well be your own Neopet!). They have also made appearances in multiple rounds of the Caption Contest.

     Now onto the species’ personality: Niptors love to nip at things, hence their name. They will bite everything they see – your couch, your homework, YOU! They probably won’t hurt anyone, though, as they are quite friendly despite their biting.

     At default, they are brown. If you were looking to have a more authentic Tyrannian-colored species, unfortunately the Niptor is not your choice, as they also can’t be painted this colour. They can, however, be painted Green, Red, Pink, Christmas, Disco, Electric, Island, Fire, Faerie, Snow, and Mutant.

     They have been awarded in the Petpet Protection League twice; first, in Island colour in Week 79 in Year 7 (2005), then in their Faerie variation in Year 16 (2014).

     4. Gruslen

     Gruslens are furry Petpets that may appear harmless, but can be quite dangerous if angered. They were discovered by Professor J. Kugar, a museum curator. Although many argue that the species is Orange, they are, in fact, considered a default Red.

     They are also a popular species in Neopia. They have appeared in Caption Contests, won multiple Petpet Spotlights over the years, have an official How To Draw page, and also their own article in the Neopedia since the 11th of the month of Celebrating in Year 5 (December 11, 2003). Neopets who have had a Gruslen companion for more than 99 days also make their owners eligible for the Neoboard avatar ‘Gruslen’ once the Pet Lookup’s is visited.

     Popular items inspired by Gruslens include the Classic Neohome furniture item “Gruslen Rug”, the Neohome 2.0 furnishing object “Fluffy Gruslen Rug”, and the book “Gruslens Galore” (currently estimated cost over 1.8 million NPs!). All of these are also solid evidence of this Petpet’s popularity.

     At this point in this article, you’re probably wondering when a Tyrannian Petpet with available Tyrannian colour will appear. Sadly for us Tyrannia fans, this fourth position in the ranking still isn’t it. However, they are the species with the highest number of different colours available so far – Black, Blue, Christmas, Cloud, Faerie, Green, Grey, Island, Maraquan, Mutant, Pink, Pirate, Rainbow, Royal, Sketch, Snow, Spotted, and White. Indecisive Neopets will definitely have a hard time choosing their favourite one.

     Although there are so many variations, only two have won the Petpet Protection League award. The default Gruslen won pretty early on in Week 43 of the contest, in Year 6 (2004), while the White Gruslen won eight years later in Week 469 (2012). Two famous Gruslens are Sarah and Daisy, who serve as bodyguards to evil faerie Jhudora.

     3. Rock

     Yes, you have read it right. Rock. Nothing more, nothing less. Not “a rock” though, but the Rock.

     Little is known about their origin as Petpets. What is known, however, is that they are good companions for introverted and/or shy Neopets, as Rocks are not really talkative (in fact, if you ever think you heard them say something, it is recommended to check yourself into the Neopets Hospital).

     Arguably one of Neopia’s most charismatic species, they are currently available in 25 colours, with Grey considered its’ default. Many of the Rock’s colours resemble real, popular items of all over Neopia, which makes them some of the most interesting Petpet species.

     Some of the most comedic colours are: the Disco Rock, which looks like a mirror ball; the Desert Rock, resembling King Coltzan’s shrine; the Halloween Rock, looking like a tombstone, the Island Rock, often mistaken for the Mau Codestone (which can lead to quite a confusion in the Mystery Island Training School…); the Snow Rock, which looks just like a snowball; the Potato Rock, which looks so much like a potato that some Neopets have had to make appointments in the dentist; and many others.

     And if you were wondering, yes, they are available in Tyrannian! Finally, a Tyrannian-colored Tyrannian Petpet in this list! This variation of Rock looks just like a fossil.

     They also have their own on How To Draw, and have appeared multiple times before in the Caption Contest as well as in the Petpet Spotlight. They have won the Petpet League Protection twice, although never in its’ default form; first, the Halloween Rock was awarded in Week 62 in Year 6 (2004), then 10 years later (2014) the Woodland Rock (which looks like a tree trunk) was awarded in Week 534.

     If that is not enough to attest their popularity, the Christmas Rock is also depicted in the Neoboard avatar “Christmas Rock - Lumpy”, available by default to all users.

     2. Mazzew

     You were probably wondering when this species would appear in this list. As mentioned earlier, these cute little creatures have managed to become so popular that they are rarely remembered to be Tyrannian. This natural purple friend loves to eat cheese and green Neggs, so make sure you have those laying around whenever your Neopet is petting them.

     As mentioned earlier in this article, if thrown into Mystery Island’s Cooking Pot alongside a Uggatrip, the Mazzew will create a Uggazew. Their faces are similar, but the bodies are different.

     Speaking of variations, Mazzews have somehow originated from an even more pre-historical Petpet species called Isnewee; sadly, those are virtually extinct and cannot be found for sale anywhere (not even through user-to-user methods), but some are still around Neopia attached to veteran Pets. That event was addressed in issue 55 of The Neopian Times, under the Editorial questions section.

     They are available in 25 colours, but none of them is Tyrannian (boo!). The default Mazzew won the Petpet Protection League in Year 6 (2004) in Week 35 of the contest, while the Glowing Mazzew won in Week 483 in Year 15 (2013).

     Multiple items are inspired by Mazzews, including three different TCG cards, various books, furniture for both Classic and New Neohomes, food items, wearables, and toys. They also have their own avatar for the Neoboards, called simply “Mazzew”, awarded to users when they have a Neopet with a Mazzew attached for over 221 days (quite some time!).

     They have also appeared in website competitions such as Petpet Spotlight and Caption Contest, in the “How To Draw” official series and in the Neopets-related game “Petpet Adventures: The Wand Of Fishing”.

     Honorable mentions

     Acko, Airax, Bluna, Camelior, Donksaur, Duocorn, Gathow, Graglop, Magtile, Ownow, Sauropod, Scado, Searex, Skree, Stego, and Woolypapith – we love you all!

     Also, let’s not forget about Petpets who originate from other lands, but are also existent in Tyrannian territory in their unique pre-historical variations (all hail the Tyrannian Petpet Paint Brush!).

     And now, for the first place…

     1. Krawk

     The first place goes to the Krawk. No, not the Neopet, the Petpet! Yes, you have read it right. Most are familiar with the Neopet, but many often forget or don’t know that they actually come from a Petpet – the only species with this characteristic in the entirety of Neopia.

     While the Neopet comes from their own land named Krawk Island, the Petpets hail from Tyrannia; this is due to the fact that they only grow into Neopets if they eat from the Fungus Cave in the aforementioned sea territory. Due to this, they are also one of the most expensive Petpet species, costing more than 10 million NPs in the Trading Post.

     Their default colour is green, but they are also available in other 21 colours, which do not include Tyrannian, unfortunately (yes, this author is obsessed with the Tyrannian colour). Only the original Krawk has won the Petpet Protection League before, in Week 190 of awards in Year 9 (2007).

     They have their own features in the Neopedia, in the “How To Draw” series, in various Caption Contest images, and have also appeared before in the Petpet Spotlight. They also appear in the Neopets universe game “Petpet Adventures: The Wand Of Fishing”, alongside the Mazzew.

      Now, as we reach the end of the list, tell us: what is your favourite Tyrannian Petpet and why? Regardless of your preference, it is undeniable how important they are to the history of Tyrannia and of the rest of Neopia, as well as how loyal friends they can be to your Neopets. Make sure to have one of them by your side during this Tyrannian Victory Day!

      (This article is NOT sponsored by the Tyrannian Petpets store.)