Caring For Your Pile of Soot

     Hi. My name's Lycrias. A whole lot of us have had this happen at least once, I'm sure: that kooky Kookith at the Petpet Lab Ray pulls the switch, and then our beloved petpet turns into a Pile of Soot. It can be heartbreaking, I understand. Believe me, I understand a bit more than most... you see, I used to be a Krawk--well, I still am a Krawk, but not... that KIND of Krawk. (Argh... that's always been confusing how to say that.) Anyway, it happened to me before, too. But by that I mean, I didn't have my petpet turned into one, I was the petpet that got turned into one! I'm also caring for a Christmas Pile of Soot right now that I rescued. So while I'm no expert, just a former petpet who wants to help other petpets, I'd like to think I know a thing or two about these unfortunate, misunderstood little guys. So if it happens to you, don't despair; Pile of Soots can still be really loving petpets, and if you ever really loved your petpet at all, you'll stick with them. They remember who you are, and it will really hurt their feelings if you abandon them just because they're all powdery and smoky now.

     Types

     The common Pile of Soot is the one you're most likely to see. You get it by taking your petpet to the Lab Ray until there's an accident. I do not recommend this. I remember it like it was yesterday, and being sooted really, really hurts. It feels like... how do I put this? Imagine if every cell in your body turned into popping bubbles. Then you get really dizzy as your eyes roll all over the floor before that Kookith sweeps you up. And even after you're all back together, you have a whole lot of trouble moving. You can only inch around a bit. It's not fun, and it's no wonder the PPL hates the Petpet Lab, that's my point! So don't do it unless you have to, like my old owner, Amphitruo, had to (long story)... ooooor if you just want that avatar. I have no comment about that.

     It's possible to cure them by unequipping and re-equipping them like any other labbed petpet, which is how I was able to become a Krawk again. But it'll reset their stats and age, too. It even made me forget my own name for a little while... so be careful if you do this.

     A Pile of Snow is similar to a Pile of Soot, in that you can only get them from the Petpet Lab Ray, but they're a whole lot rarer. I've never owned one myself, but from what I've seen, they're a bit higher-maintenance than a normal Sooty, what with having to maintain their temperature so they don't melt and all. I can't imagine they have it very easy. But they don't have the soot smell to them, which might appeal to some pets more.

     Christmas Pile of Soots are different. They don't have their original owners anymore and, because of that, can't be cured no matter how many times they're re-equipped. I rescued mine from the trash, but most others got theirs when they mysteriously gathered around the Advent Calendar in Year 10. If you want to help one of these little guys, they're one of the cheaper petpets out there, and they'll really appreciate the second chance at life.

     One more thing: they're not technically registered as getting zapped, because you're not the one who zapped them. So who knows, your Christmas Sooty could win the PPL award one day!

     I've never actually seen a Chocolate Pile of Soot around. I've only heard rumors. I don't think even the Petpet Lab Ray can produce them. Maybe it's one of those fabled "unreleased items"?

     Care

     However you get one, and whichever kind you have, the first problem you'll face is carrying them home. I use No Name's hat to hold him, but you can also use a pail or a cloth sack. Just... make sure it isn't airtight, will you? They do still need to breathe.

     Find a safe, stable place to put them. Don't just keep them in the pail or sack or whatever; they may not be able to move much, but they do still move some, and they appreciate a little room to do that. Some folks I've seen use an aquarium. Amphitruo put me in my petpet bed, and I still use that for No Name. But whatever you use, make sure there's no holes in it! You see, if your Pile of Soot loses too much of its ashes for too long... it's just like if any other petpet loses too much of ITS body. You won't have a petpet anymore if that happens, that's what I'm saying.

     As for feeding, just because your Sooty doesn't have a mouth anymore doesn't mean it doesn't have to eat. They're not picky, but it's best if it's something they can take in easier. Like more soot. I find that No Name seems to like best when I burn up some soft wood. Like birch bark. That's his favorite. (For a Pile of Snow, shaved ice will do. I hear they respond well to snow cones.) Whatever you use, though, don't just dump it on top of them! It might get into their eyes if you do that. Put it in front of them so they can slide to it on their own and cover it up. They like feeling like they have some sense of control, and feeding time's a good chance to do help them feel that way.

     Sooties don't need much grooming, but one thing you've got to keep doing is cleaning their eyes. Be careful when you do that! A couple Soothing Eye Drops (heh, "soot"-hing) every evening should be enough. If you don't keep that up, though, they can get really itchy and red because their own soot gets in them. It's not fun being allergic to yourself.

     As you can probably guess from how often I bring 'em up, a Pile of Soot's eyes are their core. Protect them at all costs. If you accidentally drop your Sooty and get it scattered everywhere, look for the eyes first, and then worry about the rest. Without those eyes, you don't have a Pile of Soot; you have a lifeless Pile of Sludge.

     They do still need to be played with just like any other petpet! Obviously they can't run around and chase a toy, but they can still give a ball a little push, and you can nudge it back to them. I know, it's not as thrilling as playing fetch, but to a little guy who can hardly move at all, it's a workout. I still remember how much it meant to me after I got sooted that Amphitruo was still willing to play with me like that... You'll know when your Sooty's having fun because they can still make noise. If you hear them go "chrrrrp!", you're doing things right.

     If you've had your petpet sooted, or if you want to be kind and adopt an abandoned one, I hope I was able to make their lives a little easier.