Creeper

Basic Information

Anatomy

The typical creeper resembles a wolf in the basic shape of its body, with its green fur and long neck being the most striking features. They have long necks, blunt faces, small ears, and a stub for a tail. All creepers have green fur, which seems to have evolved as a form of camouflage. Their eyes are quite large, with pupils that can dilate up to 200% for optimal vision in the dark. Like most canids, they cannot retract their claws. Their paws have sturdy, leathery pads on the underside, which are well resistant to heat and irritation.
Male creepers tend to have broader chests and bigger paws. Females have a slight arch in the back and wider hips.
Creeper hearts are surrounded by sacs of chemicals that are similar to those in gunpowder, which ignite and explode when exposed to excessive friction. When attacked or seeking to attack an enemy, an excess of “fight or flight” hormones such as epinephrine and adrenaline causes the heart to beat far too fast. The friction from the excessively fast heartbeat ignites the gunpowder and causes an explosion.

Biological Traits

Creepers have an intriguing ability to adapt to their environment. This has given rise to some biome-specific variants. In cold climates, they are physically larger and have thick, multilayered fur. Those that dwell in hot biomes have thin fur and large ears to direct heat away from the body. Swamp creeper fur grows dark in long, stringy clumps for camouflage.
Dud creepers cannot explode at all. They may have been born without the ability to detonate, or have depleted the ability from blowing up too many times. Duds are shy and run away from humans, unless enticed to stay.

Genetics and Reproduction

A male creeper is called a buck or a sire. A female is called a bitch or dame.
Mating season for creepers begins in early spring. They attempt to entice each other with a low coo as a mating call. If two creepers are interested in the same prospective mate, they will fight. The fights are not lethal, with the loser walking away with only mild injuries and a bruised ego.
Creepers give live birth, like other canids do. A litter generally consists of 3 to 5 pups. The father will stay around during his mate's gestation and the early stage of pup growth. He leaves once they are able to walk on their own and eat solid food.

Growth Rate & Stages

Creeper pups become self-sufficient once they reach 8 months to a year old. They become mature at 2 years old. At around 10 years old, they start to become slower and more frail from age.

Ecology and Habitats

This is an Overworld-dwelling species. Creepers will live in any biome or ecosystem suitable for their needs. As long as they are able to dig out dens and nests to sleep in, and there is enough food around, they are not picky about their environment.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Creepers are omnivores but prefer meat. They are capable hunters, using sight and smell as their primary senses. When hunting solo, they usually only go after prey that is smaller than them -- rabbits, squirrels, pigs, small deer, etc. When in a pack, they are willing to go after large prey like cows and elk. They can run surprisingly fast and have a strong bite. If meat is not available, creepers will seek out apples, berries, grain, and root vegetables. They cannot process cellulose very well. Chocolate is poisonous to creepers, like it is to other canines.

Biological Cycle

The fur grows thicker during winter and is shed in early spring. They shed it in clumps, which often detach while the creeper is swimming or cleaning itself. Sometimes, the winter fur grows in curly.
Creepers do not hibernate. They remain as active during winter as they are in other seasons. In fact, they enjoy digging in snow and rolling around in it. They will shelter in dens during heavy snowfall and emerge when the weather looks more agreeable.

Additional Information

Social Structure

They gather in packs of 5-10, backing up one individual as the leader. The pack travels, hunts, and fights together. Although the pack hierarchy is not terribly complex, clear distinctions in rank can be observed. The leader of the pack is usually the smartest and most able of the group. They get to eat first after a hunt and are in charge of leading attacks. The low ranks are made up of weak and/or disabled members, who are the last to get food after a hunt and may be bullied by the other creepers.
When travelling, the pack arranges itself in such a way to keep the whole group safe. The leader and the strongest creepers are at the front, with other capable fighters bringing up the back. That way, the ones travelling at the centre -- pups, sick or disabled members, pregnant females, and elders -- are protected.

Domestication

Most creepers remain wild and dangerous to humans. However, non-explosive "duds" have been tamed and selectively bred to create the "Nice Creeper" line, which cannot explode and looks more juvenile and "cute" than wild creepers. These are kept for many of the same reasons as wolves and dogs -- companionship, hunting, service animals, and herding.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The explosive sacs are a desirable ingredient in items such as firecrackers, splash potions, and TNT. Additionally, they may also be hunted for their fur, which can be tanned and treated into a very plush textile. Creeper meat is a delicacy in some cultures.
Domesticated creepers are kept as companion/working animals or cross-bred with dogs. Such tame creepers usually come from selectively bred, non-explosive "duds" (see "Domestication.") Crossbred "crogs" are popular to use in lieu of dogs for military work and guarding property.

Facial characteristics

All creepers have a dark fur marking around their noses and mouths which resembles a gaping frown. The purpose of it is not known. It may aid in helping them to identify individual creepers.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Creepers can be found in almost any biome. They adapt very well. They do, however, seem to prefer reasonably temperate areas with trees and places to dig out shelters.

Average Intelligence

Their intelligence is comparable to that of wolves and dogs.They are particularly good at waiting to ambush, recognizing voices, identifying scents, and maintaining pack hierarchy.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Creepers have all six basic senses. They rely on sight and smell as their primary sensory inputs. They are incredibly skilled at tracking scents, perhaps even moreso than dogs and wolves.
The species possesses the unusual -- and irritating -- ability to self-detonate at will. They use it as a defensive tactic or a means of attacking a perceived threat. Surprisingly, it is not lethal for the creeper itself (although it very well may be for its target!). It is more akin to a squid releasing an ink cloud to escape -- the creeper will flee in the ensuing explosion and dust cloud. Repeatedly exploding depletes the store of chemicals in its "gunpowder sac" organ. If a creeper has self-detonated many times, it may deplete those chemicals to the point where it can no longer explode, essentially rendering it a dud.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Creepers can be targeted by fleas, mites, ticks, and other small pests. As they like to crouch in tall grasses to stalk prey, they are especially vulnerable to ticks.

Scientific Name

Canis correpo

Origin/Ancestry

A canid species.

Lifespan

15 years

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Average Height

0.6 metres (at shoulder)

Average Weight

25 kg

Average Length

1.2 m

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The fur is usually mottled green. The shade and/or tint of that fur varies with genetics and environment. The shade will match their surroundings; for example, plains creepers have bright green fur whereas swamp-dwelling creepers are dark green.
Albino creepers have very pale or pure white fur and reddish eyes. They may also lack the signature mouth marking that other creepers have. They compensate for their lost stealth by being much more aggressive.

Geographic Distribution

• The Overworld