Ask Shina-K

OVERVIEW

The Shina (Canis Shinacus) is a small omnivorous mammal(?) that does not seem to be native to any particular region. Unlike most animals, these creatures seem to understand and can communicate in human languages. Their thought processes seem fragmented however, and they can only construct simple thoughts and sentence structures. Unlike many other creatures, they seem to come in a wide variety of appearances and mimic partial anatomy from other creatures. Winged Variations have yet to be discovered.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Although shinas tend to have a very versatile general appearance, their body structures are all about the same. They come in a wide variety of colors, from muter shades, to very vibrant hues; and, they all have some form of pattern apparent on the ends of their tails.  Their fingers, toes, and tail markings are all the same color. Their ears tend to have different structures, being the most versatile part of them. They all have longer fur on their heads which acts as hear in that they style it much like humans do. (This may be a form of mimicry.)    Shinas have small sharp teeth that are used sometimes for the consumption of food. They also have molars, but the seem not to use them very often. Unlike many other mammals, their canines are not noticeable, and have yet to be pronounced in any variety of shina. Shinas will normally lose some of their teeth, though this has little impact on their feeding habits.    Their bodies are very small, and stout. The torso measuring approximately a foot, and the limbs being small and short. They have a hard time grabbing things in one hand, and often have to rely on larger creatures to open complicated clasps. Their legs are too short for much running, and they have very limited stamina. They cannot jump higher than about a half a foot, and are very poor overall in the athletics department. Overall, the measure up to about an average of two feet.    Their tails are the most confusing thing about these creatures. They all have a similar shape, but the tail is removable much like a lizards. They pop off with little effort, and grow back within a day- forming a flower, then a bud in the center of that flower, the petals fall off, and finally the bud opens with a new tail; the excess leaves and such, falling away. The tail itself is a type of fruit, the seeds do not seem to grow anything as of yet.    !!! The seeds from the tail of Shina that were planted have begun to sprout a small plant. It's a green sprout. We hope it's not just a weed.    They are scarily resilient and can sustain falls and collisions that would normally kill a living thing- with no injuries. They can feel pain however, and seek to be coddled after sustaining any "injury". They can however be stabbed, cut, shot, or otherwise injured in that manner.

Distribution & Habitat

Shinas are very invasive creatures, and set up homes within the dwellings of others. Behavior    They tend to leave small change they find in small tight spaces inside coat pockets and shoes. When hungry they often whine to the inhabitants of the dwelling they infringe on for food.    They're usually very social creatures, and follow around those they take a liking to. It is a process similar to imprinting. They can get lost easily in new places, though, after losing their way, they will return home to the last known dwelling.    When a shina meets another shina for the first time, they seem to practice a greeting ritual similar to "patty cake" and then spend a few minutes touching the other's collar, clothes, ears, tail, and such.    For some unknown reason, every shina has a collar of some sort. The first recorded shina has a scarf where a collar should be, but this seems to be the same concept. They all wear clothes, even though they lack any apparent genitalia.

Feeding

They will eat LITERALLY ANYTHING. They don't seem to need sustenance, as they can last for impossibly long times without food (which doesn't affect their weight, size, or overall body mass); however, they become insufferably whiny and cry for food nonstop if left unfed.

Reproduction