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ursulav — Millipede High

Published: 2006-04-30 18:01:11 +0000 UTC; Views: 29177; Favourites: 669; Downloads: 5287
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Description TRUE NATURE FACT: Wild lemurs have been observed using giant millipedes in a rather interesting fashion. They grab the millipede and nip it, which freaks the millipede out (understandably) so that it goes into its defensive mode and secretes this nasty toxic gunk that tastes foul and contains cyanide. The lemur proceeds to "milk" the gunk from the millipede, nipping it occasionally to keep it defensive, and rubs the gunk into its fur, where it acts as a natural pesticide, killing fleas and other parasites that make the lemur itchy.

This'd be cool in and of itself, but there's another side effect. Apparently if you rub millipede goo on your fur, you get high. The lemurs--this has been observed in brown lemurs and in ringtails--display every sign of being high as little fuzzy kites. Their eyes get glazed and buggy, they stagger around in the branches, their tongues stick out, and I assume once the naturalists stop looking, they go pig out on Doritos and giggle a lot.

This is all really, honestly true (except for the Doritos.) So that got me thinking about brave lemur warriors, gallivanting around the canopy, who instead of flasks of brandy, keep their pet millipede around for those times when warrioring just gets too darn stressful. And hey, nobody likes fleas in their armor, so it's probably good for that, too.

(Obviously millipede should only be used responsibly and in moderation. Do not millipede and drive. Just say no to millipede, kids! Etc.)
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More fooling with inking-and-scribble technique. I was pleased with how this one came out on that front--gotta keep foolin' with it, but I think I'm finally on the right track there.

Original is 10 x 15ish, and for sale! Prints are also available, for $10 and $20 respectively, plus shipping. Visit [link] or send a note to set that up, ask about prices, all that good stuff!
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Comments: 209

Paraceratherium [2013-09-08 22:26:36 +0000 UTC]

they havn't discovered toad-licking yet? Nah! Toads don't taste like almonds

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LillyandGarth [2013-04-26 03:45:20 +0000 UTC]

Look past the Milipede. Awww cute lemur.

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Darvia123 [2013-04-14 00:06:58 +0000 UTC]

XD Nice!!

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evaisek [2012-10-07 21:55:47 +0000 UTC]

love it all with this comment.great work

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x-Pixiehat-x [2012-02-03 21:06:46 +0000 UTC]

Interesting! XD

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HeatherTrelawney [2011-01-29 17:49:49 +0000 UTC]

What an adorable lemur! I love lemurs, and this one is no exception! It looks wonderful and very life-like! I'd vote it as a daily deviation!

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Pixel-Spotlight [2010-09-15 13:55:53 +0000 UTC]

Hiya, you've been featured in one of my 'Anthro Song Searches', you can find the feature here!

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riftryu [2010-07-19 10:59:53 +0000 UTC]

Woah, I thought only Black Lemurs were doing that

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DragonTeethe [2008-10-16 17:51:03 +0000 UTC]

Wait? Do all millipedes produce cyanide? Can I carry it and pet it even when it's producing it? Am I in danger?

If you know.

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Perocore In reply to DragonTeethe [2012-08-30 20:08:55 +0000 UTC]

Yes, when threatened or in pain, as a defense, millipedes will secrete a defensive fluid that may contain cyanide or hydrochloric acid. However, this is not a danger to anyone (just don't eat them!). Just wash your hands off after handling and you'll be fine
Sorry, I know your question was about 4 years ago XD

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DragonTeethe [2008-10-16 17:19:27 +0000 UTC]

I want a millipede!
ooh, wait! I already got one Thanks for the info

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shadowfire-kitsune [2007-11-01 00:59:35 +0000 UTC]

lmao
i saw this same thing (excluding doritos) on Animal Planet

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Starcutter [2007-10-31 18:51:02 +0000 UTC]

as soon as I found that out I knew I had to keep that in mind when drawing my next story.

Love the drawing. Too bad their kids are going to have to deal with a bunch of milllipede burnouts in the future.

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Zahzumafoo [2007-10-19 20:29:57 +0000 UTC]

You know, I've always loved this piece: Not only is the drawing itself really nice, the expression looks great, and the pose is really interesting.. But the detail you put into it is unbelievable!
The trees especially look absolutely gorgeous, all the little bumps and lines in the wood, they look very old. And of course, all the detail on the fur and his little accessories is very nice. Overall, this is a wonderful drawing!

But, I must point something out about your lemur info there: It seems you got a bit confused.
I'm assuming this is the show you watched? [link]
If it wasn't this show, but was a show by the BBC, then it is incorrect. Brown Lemurs and Ring-Tailed Lemurs have never been known to do this. The only species that Millipede washes is the Black Lemur (The females are commonly confused with brown lemur species, though, and could even be confused for a ring-tailed if you don't see their tail). The BBC is well-known for getting their Lemur information very wrong. x)
Why is it that only the Black Lemurs do it, no other species?
Simple:
Black Lemurs are the only ones that's diet consists mostly of flowers and nectar.
The part of Madagascar where they live is full of flowers, and they eat from these flowers (and the plants around them) a lot, it's pretty much their entire diet. This part of the island also happens to be one of the only places where the millipede is on the island; Ring-Tailed Lemurs don't even have ACCESS to the Millipedes, they live nowhere close!
The flowers and the area around them are CONSTANTLY surrounded by all kinds of stinging and biting insects. There aren't really any fleas on the island, or other parasites that would get on and bother a Lemur, so that bit isn't really true.
The millipede's poison that they rub on their fur just repels the insects, so the annoying ones like flies will go away and the biting ones will leave the Black lemurs alone.
Also, the poison that gets on their fur doesn't make them high; It would be weird for it to absorb into their skin like that, and with the ammount of poison they put on them, they'd most-likely die from it. When they bite the millipede, there's no way to avoid getting a tiny bit of poison in their mouth. Tiny bit after tiny bit, they have eventually swallowed enough poison to give them the 'high' side effects, but it's not enough to hurt or kill them.
I'm not sure if it makes their tongues stick out (I've seen 3 videos of Black Lemurs doing millipede washing, and haven't seen that, but I'm sure it's possible) but they do drool a lot, both saliva and excess poison, because of it. xP

Anyway, hopefully that cleared that up a bit! x)

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TheArtlander [2007-07-07 10:52:50 +0000 UTC]

lemur's are my favourite animal, this is so stylish.

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Novpyro [2007-02-14 17:17:13 +0000 UTC]

Lemurs are my favourite animals!! Epsecially ring-tails!

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LochaBWS [2007-02-01 00:21:55 +0000 UTC]

yeah, I saw a discovery movie on that called Animals on Drugs. xD there's a couple things like that. I find it funny. Imagin being way up in a tree, high. How fun would that be?

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LochaBWS [2007-02-01 00:21:55 +0000 UTC]

yeah, I saw a discovery movie on that called Animals on Drugs. xD there's a couple things like that. I find it funny. Imagin being way up in a tree, high. How fun would that be?

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spookehness [2006-11-15 09:50:15 +0000 UTC]

This is awesome ... espically w/ the story.

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Myrcury-Art [2006-10-18 19:52:54 +0000 UTC]

At least, if your art wasn't rage-inducingly amazing (which it is, btw.), you could always fall back on your awesome description writing ability. hehe Loved reading and seeing this one!

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orangepigeon [2006-08-29 04:49:44 +0000 UTC]

my friend is in love with your lemur (i had to show her) and i am in love with everything you do (in a not-creepy-stalker-kind of way) just thought we'd let you know...

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WINGLESSxANGEL [2006-08-23 04:35:37 +0000 UTC]

yep yep! i saw that one one animal planet!

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Gecko-13 [2006-08-14 14:06:23 +0000 UTC]

i read about this in a bug book when i was in primary school, told you they bit them and they tasted bitter and nasty to the lemurs, didnt say anything about the receational nature though. you live and learn, lol.

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FinalGamer [2006-08-04 11:41:00 +0000 UTC]

Are you saying they actually do this?
The same way that hadgehogs nowadays are actually chewing cigarette butts and licking the toxins all over their spines?

If so...that is freaking awesome.

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n2da-ora [2006-07-25 02:10:55 +0000 UTC]

AHAHAHAHAA!! high, stinky-furred, dorito eating lemurs. i like it!!

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Ossia [2006-06-25 03:44:11 +0000 UTC]

Lol this wouldn't be half as interesting and funny without your woundful description...nicely done

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Tearanny [2006-06-19 03:32:16 +0000 UTC]

I didnt know that... That is the coolest thing ever! Such a high function from the lil fuzz butts! So smart! ((smile))

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imagnee [2006-06-12 18:43:09 +0000 UTC]

I suddenly have an urge to quote Jay and Silent Bob, but instead I'm gonna go millipede.

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thejackbull [2006-05-27 16:15:52 +0000 UTC]

Dear Artist,

I would like to apologize to you for not being able to keep up with the art that has been piling up inside my messages. While i cannot make a well thought out comment about your work, i would like you to know that i have viewed it, and will continue to look at everything you submit to DA that arrives in my message box, for i would feel too guilty to delete any of the images without atleast looking at them first. Being without a subscription this is harder, so i will go through the art one by one in my box, and post this message.

Please forgive me for not being able to be more personal in my thoughts. I look forward to more of your art every day and again apologize for falling behind on my DA list. When i can finally knock out the 2,000 deviations in my box, i will return to regular, personal messages about the artwork im looking at.

Good luck to you and thank you for continuing to make DA a unique and special place by submitting your art for people like me to enjoy and be inspired by.

Respectfully,
-thejackbull

P.S. I apologize if this note reaches you several times. I am several months behind on the submissions.

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MinorTechnicality [2006-05-21 20:06:31 +0000 UTC]

x) Not only do I love your artwork, I love your descriptions.

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tenko72 [2006-05-21 05:00:24 +0000 UTC]

The concept is unique and I love how it is carried out here. I am especially loving the eyes on the lemur here!

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coldxcompassion [2006-05-20 03:00:56 +0000 UTC]

Haha. I love the information you gave, it makes so much sense. And, yes, I'm sure they go pig out on Doritos! That's great. Your art is so great.

Ghandi

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CaptainJackSparrow16 [2006-05-18 21:32:32 +0000 UTC]

*rolling on the floor holding my sides laughing histarically* WHY ARE YOU NOT ON MY WATCH LIST?! Your work is great, the details are so amazing and your stories are just side splitting funny! You are brilliant! I commend you!

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minimatt [2006-05-10 14:22:23 +0000 UTC]

wow your deviations always have an awesome story! i love it, what i wanna know is where on earth did the inspiration come from?! did you hear this on animal planet or what?

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FlydianTheDestroyer [2006-05-08 21:43:47 +0000 UTC]

Awesome way to take a great idea WAY too far!

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Night-Matter [2006-05-06 20:16:18 +0000 UTC]

lol so lazy

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Lady-Lashana [2006-05-06 18:23:57 +0000 UTC]

I love the expression, and the fur, and the trees! I really like how you draw trees. I can't draw trees. O.O

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Gener [2006-05-04 20:32:10 +0000 UTC]

i watched that special on DISCOVER...or was it animal planet? or was it...it was a fucking animal show, that's all i know and i saw it. O.O Yeah. i love the pic, he looks stoned and that's good.

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LostSiren [2006-05-04 16:25:40 +0000 UTC]

Always a wonderful treat for the eyes when you submit your artwork. Such imagination and so wonderfully done with an amazing amount of detail in every piece. I so love this piece...beautiful and a

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theblackwillow [2006-05-04 07:56:49 +0000 UTC]

LOL that's hilarious!! thanks for the kool fact great work!

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mellifluousity [2006-05-03 18:47:52 +0000 UTC]

I used to enjoy a millipede high. Its a retaining high that closes the spinal column down and retracts the brain whilst cutting back-brain emotions. Think of sleep but plus internal mirages. It sure gets heavy soon enough though, I'd imagine the lemurs all turn abit psychotic after a while and then lose all sense of humour. An apt trait for a warrior preparing to battle the evils of the world.

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baenling [2006-05-03 18:19:34 +0000 UTC]

I love devwatching you, because of several reasons.
Your art is cute, funny, cool, and well done...usually a combination of those.
I love reading the descriptions in your art because they're often funny, interesting, unique, educational...mostly all of those.

I didn't know about the millipedes at all. I think thats actually kind of cool...and of course, this picture is kind of funny too ^^

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O-Sabia [2006-05-03 13:39:13 +0000 UTC]

Bonitinho...

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berserkhare [2006-05-03 08:44:45 +0000 UTC]

cute

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fourlegs [2006-05-03 08:14:15 +0000 UTC]

Like in "The Naked Lunch"..
The black meat.

I didn't understand any of it.

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Baihu [2006-05-03 03:33:36 +0000 UTC]

I remember this fact from Animal Planet XD Somehow, they looked WAY sillier in the documentary then here o.o

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thomcomstock [2006-05-03 00:19:53 +0000 UTC]

Wonderful work!

I found a giant millipede just once outside of a cave in Upstate NY while spelunking with my son. Wish I'd known about this at the time.

I am moving to Northern CA soon. I will keep this in mind if I see any.

God, I love your writing so much!

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avancna [2006-05-02 15:56:12 +0000 UTC]

Mouse lemurs treat giant millipedes similiarly, though, their specific intent is to drain the millipede of its toxic spray so as to make it edible.

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sketcherjak [2006-05-02 13:02:14 +0000 UTC]

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is my favorite of yours in quite some time!!! I love it!

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HumanityInGeneral [2006-05-02 11:24:52 +0000 UTC]

I dunno... There's just something about the droopy eyes, and wan smile that gets me

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