Citizens Of Antiford A shrew-like mammal covered in sharp spines which lives along the edges of the forested areas and in green areas of cities and villages in Titania. Though their quills are sharp, they are neither barbed, nor poisonous, and provide defense when the spisse-spyshmus rolls into a ball.
Also, because of their abundance and close proximity to civilization, many children – who have coined the now commonplace nickname “spish-spish” for the creature based on the sniffling noise that it makes – often make a game of catching them, especially in the summer when the babies are old enough to venture out of their underground burrows. Sometimes children will keep them as pets.
Stature
Their size can vary anywhere from 14-30 cm and weigh about 0.28-0.61 kilograms.
The quills, unless in a defensive state, are usually camouflaged by thick, fluffy fur that is typically grey-brown, light reddish-brown, or white. The fur on its face and belly area is usually shorter and brown or white. They have small claws and long noses made for burrowing and dull teeth meant for consuming insects.
Diet
They are omnivorous but mainly feed on insects and snails. They are also known to consume small bird eggs, mushrooms and certain roots. Berries are consumed in the spring after hibernation when they are more abundant than other food sources.
Society
The spisse-spyshmus are largely nocturnal, though it is not uncommon for them to be out in the daytime in the hot months when the evenings are longer.
Spisse-spyshmus are not pack animals, and typically live in very small groups or alone and travel large distances each night foraging for food. They have poor eyesight, but excellent sense of smell. They are also very timid creatures.
They begin hibernating shortly before the dodar solstice until late aderfod.
Procreation
Females produce 3-4 newborns and have a gestation period of around 45 days. Babies are born blind and will remain with their mothers for several weeks until they gain their eyesight and learn to feed themselves.