When
full-grown, the Eyrie is intelligent, loyal, well-groomed, and helpful.
As an adolescent, the Eyrie is scatterbrained, vain, and easily
distracted by shiny objects. While it won't make your Eyrie any less
annoying, understanding your Eyrie's behavior encourages a much
smoother transition to adulthood for both you and your pet.
Problem #1: Hunting Small Prey
Your
Eyrie may begin bringing in small animals it has hunted itself:
Tigermice, Scamanders, even the occasional smallish Babaa. The
important thing is not to be upset with your Eyrie: seeing you as the
head of the household, your pet is merely offering you your share of
the hunt.
Hunting strengthens key skills an Eyrie needs for
the Battledome, such as reflexes, speed, and pouncing. Yelling or
shaming your Eyrie while hunting may damage his confidence, or even
make him want to become a Kacheek.
Instead, praise your Eyrie
for his skill, encourage him to keep the mess outside your Neohome, and
when he is not paying attention, dispose of the prey in any manner you
deem fit. For methods of distraction, see Problem #3.
Problem #2: Reflective Surfaces and Amorous Hooting
Your
Eyrie may develop an inability to pass by mirrors, spoons, Snorkle
Toasters, or any other reflective object without pausing to admire its
reflection. A low, steady hooting may also ensue. Adolescent Eyries may
spend hours engaged in this pursuit, heedless to you calling their name
and of the fact that they are completely blocking the refrigerator.
This
a vestige from the days when Eyries only came in one color, and only
small differences in feather and fur care could differentiate one Eyrie
from another. Moreover, Eyrie grooming is complex, and to the Eyrie
just learning how to groom, every feather placement, from tail to ear
tuft, must be scrutinized. Shouting at the Eyrie is useless; it can't
even hear you.
Until the Eyrie learns to be satisfied with its
appearance, there is nothing you can do. Some inventive Eyrie owners
place a small rug in spots that pose particular problems so that they
can drag their Eyrie out of the way until the incident passes.
Problem #3: Distraction by Shiny Objects
Arguably
the most irritating problem, owners of adolescent Eyries find that they
can't take their pet anywhere for fear that it will wander off in
pursuit of anything pretty that happens by. Offending objects can
include, but are not limited too, beads, Ice Motes, buttons, Dubloons,
keys, and Ultra Mega Bot 2000s.
Eyrie eyes are keen and always
on the lookout for flashes of quickly moving objects, once again a
remnant of their days as hunters. These reflexes will serve them well
later in life, but in young Eyries the impulse to stalk and pounce is
completely out of their control.
Until the brain and oculatory
system of your Eyrie mature, most Eyrie owners find the easiest way to
fight the distraction reflex is to simply have a bigger shiny on hand
to flash at your pet. This can even be a benefit at times, when you
wish to distract your pet yourself, whether to throw away its latest
'present', or to go through its room and get rid of all the raggedy
T-shirts that it refuses to throw away itself.
Every Eyrie is
unique, but with patience and understanding, soon you and your Eyrie
will laugh about the time he brought your neighbor's Green Symol, or
the time he pounced your Gilded Peophin Vase into a thousand pieces.
Good thing for Meerca Brothers Glue and Sparkly Blue Paint!

I completely NEVER did that.