How To Comfort Lab Ray Pets

Many owners in Neopia, myself included, have saved up major Neopoints for pieces of a map that when put together, leads to something terrifying and amazing. The lab ray. You may think it's pure genius--so do I. But have you ever stopped and thought about how your pets feel? Imagine standing under a giant laser, shivering as a creepy scientist pushes a button. Then, a crackle of lightning strikes you, and something changes. With this guide, you'll learn how to make your pets feel loved no matter what happens to them- yes, even turning into a mutant Kau.

NEW SPECIES:

You walk your beautiful starry Uni up to the ray, position her perfectly, and blow her a kiss for good luck. You can imagine as the cloud of smoke clears seeing a beautiful faerie Uni, or maybe a Maraquan one! But as you peer excitedly at her, your face falls. She's a Skeith.

Does this sound familiar? Your pet has had their species changed. Even though it may be a let down for you, imagine how your poor pet feels! Used to trotting around lightly on her hooves and flying if she needs to, she now lugs around pounds of excess fat and stomps around on two feet. She'll be confused and clumsy. Neopians won't recognize her at school.

What NOT To Do:

1. Act standoffish or differently around her. This will only make her feel worse about herself. She's probably only known one body, and this one is very different.

2. Talk on and on about how you can get her zapped again tomorrow. This may be the comforting news that you need to hear, but standing under the ray is the last thing she'll want to do!

3. Buy a morphing potion to change back into her old species. This will only confuse and upset her more. Pets can only deal with changing forms so many times, and the back and forth won't be good for her. Just wait a day or two to zap her again.

What To Do:

1. Show her extra love. Make sure she's your active, buy her some new books, and let her pick out a new toy. She's still your little angel- just not as, um, angelic.

2. Tell her that this won't last forever. Say that when she's ready, you'll take her back and get her zapped into something new. Tell her you know how badly she feels and that you won't put her under the ray the very next day. HOWEVER, if she is very eager to be zapped and encourages you to head to the Secret Laboratory, then by all means take her there ASAP!

3. Answer any questions she may have. Avoiding the topic will scare her and leave her feeling alone, so be sure to talk to her and ask her how she feels. Add some humor in, and make sure to compliment her often.

NEW COLOR:

Your proud Royal Acara smiles as he stands under the ray. You can't wait for him to change color- maybe something simple yet elegant, like white? The ray zaps your pet and he emerges as a mutant monster. His proud stride is replaced with a dejected crawl, and you feel like passing out.

Ahhh, the famous color change! Although this can be for the better, sometimes it can be for the worst. Your once adorable, smug Acara now looks like a horror movie come to life. Though you may feel like you just threw Neopoints down the drain, you'll never know how your pet feels. Looking in the mirror is a constant shock, and he'll be teased in school. The friends who he once laughed with will be cackling at him. He'll feel ugly, lost, and alone.

What NOT To Do:

1. Go and buy a new paintbrush. This is a major waste of money, as your pet can be zapped again tomorrow. But for your pet's sake, they probably have had enough excitement for the day. Taking a dip in the rainbow pool is the last thing on their minds.

2. Explain yourself to everyone you see. "No, see, this is a lab zap, he isn't usually like... this." You say to people. That's unkind, and will make your pet feel like a spotlight is being shone on them. They're uncomfortable enough- now they're extra upset.

3. Talk about the days when he used to be Royal. He obviously remembers those days and is not bringing them up for a reason. This will just bring back the life that he wished he had but doesn't. Don't dangle it in front of his face if he can't have it.

What To Do:

1. Encourage him that the color is a good look for him. Don't be overly convincing, but let him know how cool he looks! There are some great comics in the Neopian Times about Mutant Acaras, so he'll probably enjoy those. Make sure you remind his siblings to talk kindly about his new paint job, too.

2. Act like nothing has changed. Run the same errands, see the same friends, and keep the same routine. This will make him feel like nothing has changed.

3. Remind him that he can always get zapped to a new color! Although he might not want to be zapped the very next day, in time he'll be willing to step under the ray again.

GENDER CHANGE:

Your manly Tonu walks into the Secret Laboratory, gruff and rough, laughing like he's not scared at all. After he gets zapped, something is different about him. His muscles are leaner and his eyelashes are longer. He speaks and says, "Oh no," in a girly chime.

So your prized man is now a pretty girl. This may spoil the customization you'd planned for him, the toys he plays with, and even his name! Even though it may ruin some of your plans, you have no idea how traumatic this is for him. He's a totally different gender now! Kissing goodbye to baggy sweats and jerseys and saying hello to lip gloss and dresses can be a hard thing for him to do. And not much fun either! He probably won't have the same friends because they'll have nothing in common. He'll get kicked off of sport teams. He's suddenly supposed to fit a mold that he's never been adjusted to. It's hard.

What NOT To Do:

1. Go crazy and buy him tons of girly outfits. This will upset him, and he may get angry at you. Just try and let him wear some alternative clothes from the general store that can fit either gender.

2. Force him to act like a girl. Doing this is absolute torture, not to mention hard! You didn't develop your personality in a day, so how is he supposed to bag his old one and create a new identity?

3. Make him stop playing with his guy friends. Let them still hang out- even though he's a girl now, he can still enjoy sports and manly activities.

What To Do:

1. Make compromises. If he's not allowed to play football, how about you let him sign up for a sport that all genders can enjoy like golf or tennis?

2. Remind him that he can be zapped back. In the mean time, though, let him know that you still love him and that you'll try to keep things the same.

3. Talk to some other pets that have had their genders changed, too. Post a message on the boards so that your pet can find friends who have been through the same thing as him. This will make him feel the opposite of alone!

Hopefully this article has given you some ideas on how to help your lab pet! Remember- zapping can be fun and sometimes rewarding, but not always. You should love your pet no matter what it looks like- yes, even a mutant Kau!!

If you have any questions or comments, neomail me!! :)