how good do they take care of their fur/scales/feathers/skin etc.? how would it feel
i'm lumping these two asks together bc it's. basically the same topic/would have been touched on anyways.
general lylatian hygiene/care headcanons
yes, mammals shed fur, avians molt feathers, & amphibians & reptiles shed their skin in the lylat system
canines like wolf, bill, etc, do typical canine grooming behaviors. licking, nibbling, face wiping, etc! same with felines!
vulpines are canids, but are seperate from the standard canine (like ours on earth. it is what makes them true foxes lol) fox, james, vixy, fara, etc, they have that sandpaper tongue like a cat (like katt LOL). but otherwise, similar to other canines/felines. licking, nibbling, etc.
i think there would be brushes for different fur textures, thicknesses, & lengths. brushing is important & well groomed fur is Essential. also their standard shampoos/conditioners would be similar to doggie shampoo/human baby shampoo that we have lol
felines don't need to bathe with water all that often unless it's medicated/they get smth they can't groom normally out of their fur! felines with extra long fur may bathe with water/soap more often bc it's more likely to get dirty/pick up things that can't be groomed out normally
i think lylatian felines who are esp serious abt hygiene will buy special "dry" soaps/conditioners that they can paw/lick (safe to lick!!) into their fur to act as a lil extra smth (plus fun smells!!)
i think a lot of showers will have giant blow dryers stationed not to far away from them for lylatians covered from head to toe in fur!!
rabbits & hares brush at LEAST weekly!! rabbits esp shed every 3 months or so & sometimes it's like. all the hair at once
rabbits & hares are similar to felines & don't need water-based baths that often, esp when sick bc they could go into shock. plus, they are prone to hypothermia :( (if a fever won't go down, they will use water)
rabbit skin is very very sensitive. lylatian rabbits & hares have special "dry" shampoos & conditioners similar to felines but even more made for sensitive skin :')
their teeth grow continuously so along with brushing their teeth, they have special things to chew/gnaw on to keep their teeth filed down!!
avians preen!!! using their beaks after drying off from a bath is important! i think avians wouldn't be able to stand under shower heads like mammals bc feathers!!
"bird baths" are a thing!! but also if unavailable, a big, damp washcloth dipped in a bowl with a drop of soap and diluted with warm water is more than enough!!
reptiles bask under heat lamps/the sun! they don't need their entire homes to be roasting hot, most do ok in cool/warm temps! but being ectothermic, it is important they bask!!
reptile hygiene is very important in that it's based on the cleanlieness of their home! they are sensitive to changes in their environments & they need to ensure their space is regularly cleaned/orderly!
they don't shed as often as amphibians but they are quick to clean up the shed!
humidity, heat, etc are all species specific and should be catered to vigorously
amphibians NEED WET!! they have special tubs/baths for soaking that are drained/changed daily/after each use!!! PRISTINE WATER!! they breathe through their skin!
bc of that they also need VERY good air!! fresh oxygen is important!!!!
there are specialized mosturizers for amphibians readily available in case there isn't an area for them to soak/on a planet with low/no humidity (like titania or papetoon!)
shed more often than reptiles, except they actually eat their sheds (lots of good proteins/good food!!!!!) (and well, frogs, toads, & some salamanders eat their sheds! not necessarily all!)
for both reptiles & amphibians, a shed getting stuck can be LETHAL!! must be treated immediately! it'd warrant a trip to the e.r.!!
simians/apes are like humans! altho they do pick through each other's fur/hair if family. do they eat the bugs? mayhaps...
suidae (aka swines... pigma) and bovine and equine have special files for their hooves!! other general care things like brushing daily, even pigma's gotta take care of himself!
specifically for swine, they have special places for mud wallowing!! also they try to avoid oil-based conditioners bc it clogs their pores more often than not :(
ranking star fox characters by how well they care for themselves, most to least clean
very clean: panther, leon, katt, fay, krystal*, andross*
clean: peppy, lucy, vivian, amanda, vixy, slippy, beltino, dash, general pepper, falco*
average: fara, fox*, bill, krystal*, miyu, algy, james, pigma*, wolf*
bare minimum: falco*, fox*, wolf*, pigma*
eeeeeeyuck!!: pigma*, andross*
* <- indicates it HEAVILY depends on their state of mine/mental health/situation (moreso than others, hence names appearing in multiple places)
andross is under eeeeeyuck!! bc bro turned himself into a gigantic floating brain & eyeballs... that's not hashtag Self Care
