The Nesting Habits of 9 Types of Weewoo

     “Now you said you were a reporter, did you? For the Neopian Times? My, how exciting. I heard that the 900th issue is coming up soon. Is that why you’re here? Very good, very good. Is this the microphone that I should speak into? Alright then. Where should I begin, where should I begin…

     “From the top you say? Very well.”

     The Elderly Quiggle looks across the table at the young Moehog and adjusts his monocle. He clears his throat.

     “I am Professor Jeremiah Quigglesnoot the Third. I am very from a long line of Quigglesnoots that studied the nesting habits of Weewoos. My grandfather, Jeremiah Quigglesnoot the First, began studying the nesting patterns of these mystical creatures before I was even a spark in my father’s eye. My father, of course, took on the work after him and me, after my father.

     “But I’m sure you aren’t here to learn about me. You are likely far more interested in the nesting habits of Weewoos.

     “Well, like many bird Petpets, the Weewoo enjoys creating its nest out of a variety of materials, laying eggs in the nest, and raising its young hatchlings in the nest until they can fly. However, what is of great interest to me, and of course to you, is that Weewoo nests differ based on their colour.

     “Yes, yes, you heard that right. It was my Grandfather who first discovered it. For you see, he realized that the nest of a Pirate Weewoo was not constructed the same way as the nest of, say, a Faerie Weewoo. It became his life’s mission, and the life mission of my father, and me after him, to document the differences between Weewoo nests. It is my great pleasure to share that knowledge with you today.

     “You needn’t hear about all of them though. There are many types of Weewoos, and your article would get awfully long. Why don’t we go through 9 in honour of the 900th edition of the Neopian Times? Does that sound alright? Great – let’s start.”

     1. Robot Weewoo

     One of my favourite Weewoos to start with is the Robot Weewoo because they are the smartest and most innovative of the lot. In addition, as I’m sure you know, Robot Petpets cannot control their body temperature with the same efficiency as you or me, or any of the other Weewoos. For this reason, Robot Weewoos build “Mound Nests.”

     Mound nests are built from all different types of nesting materials, such as twigs and leaves. The Robot Weewoo is more concerned about efficiency rather than style when it comes to building its nests – with one important caveat: the materials must be natural because, as these materials decompose, they provide heat. This heat, in turn, warms the Robot Weewoo’s nest and incubates their eggs to address that poor temperature regulation I mentioned earlier. The Robot Weewoo uses temperature regulation techniques such as opening the mounds in the morning to allow warmth in or to release excess heat. It also builds the nest up to about the height of a Baby Chia: the height of mound nests helps keep eggs away from ground temperatures.

     Cool, right?

     2. Snow Weewoo

     The Snow Weewoo has a similar problem with ensuring appropriate egg temperature regulation. This is because the Snow Weewoo typically builds its nest in the cold, windy Terror Mountain region. So, the Snow Weewoo tends to build a “Scrape Nest.”

     A Scrape Nest is a shallow hole that the Snow Weewoo digs in the ground. Because the Snow Weewoo lives in a cold region, it digs a deeper hole than most other avian Petpets to protect its eggs from cold wind. The Snow Weewoo then layers the hole with whatever soft matter it can find, such as feathers or newspapers. This layer acts to insulate the eggs and prevents them from rolling off – quite successfully I might add!

     3. Mutant Weewoo

     Mutant Weewoos are the most objectively ugly of the Weewoos, though I find them quite pleasant to look at myself. But, because they are of no interest to other Neopians, the Mutant Weewoo does not put very much time into thinking through the construction of its nest. So, they tend to build what are termed “Platform Nests.”

     Platform Nests are flat nests, and the Mutant Weewoo builds them in whatever locale they can find including trees, on the ground, or even as a type of “floating nest” on top of shallow water. Because the location of the nest varies, Mutant Weewoos have adopted a “use whatever material that works” mantra and use whatever they can find around to build their nests. Mutant Weewoos often return to the same nest year after year to hatch their eggs, and they tend to build on top of the same nest year after year as well. As you can imagine, these nests can become enormous!

     4. Grey Weewoo

     Now, Grey Weewoos. The Grey Weewoo is a funny little creature. He is a bit melancholy, he is fearful of predators, and he wants to be enclosed in darkness. For these reasons, the Grey Weewoo tends to build what is referred to as a “Spherical Nest.”

     These nests are round and enclosed, with only one small opening to the outside world. The structure of the nest means that it blends in quite well with the outside environment. This keeps the Grey Weewoo safe from predators and other intruders that may wish to disturb its peace.

     To best disguise its nest, Grey Weewoos build them high up in trees and use Cloudy Napkins as the predominant material. This allows them to blend in with the sky. Grey Weewoos line their nest with their feathers to create a soft layer for their eggs.

     5. Pirate Weewoo

     Unlike the Grey Weewoo, the Pirate Weewoo has wanderlust! The Pirate Weewoo is forever eager to join active pirates on their excursions around Neopia. For this reason, the Pirate Weewoo builds nests that are termed “Cavity Nests” in the wooden poles found aboard ships. The Pirate Weewoo digs holes in the poles with its beak and claws, and nests inside the cavity created in the wood. In this way, the Pirate Weewoo can care for its young while also participating in traditional pirate activities around Neopia.

     Pirate Weewoos differ on whether they intend to decorate their cavity nest. Some prefer to leave the cavity bare, while others fill the nest with a variety of feathers, rags, and souvenirs from their voyages such as seashells, pendants, or other knickknacks. Neither my father nor my grandfather could figure out why Pirate Weewoos made different choices in this regard, and this is a question that I am still actively working on. There is always more to find out when studying Weewoo nests!

     6. Maraquan Weewoo

     Okay, moving on to the Maraquan Weewoo. This Weewoo lives underwater, so these Petpets don’t have very many options for where to build their nest. They can’t just leave out a nest in the open, for fear that some large Maraquan Neopian will come along and gobble it up. For this reason, Maraquan Weewoos build what is termed a “Burrow Nest” inside of the coral or horizontally on the rocks that can be found on Maraqua’s ocean floor. How incredible!

     These Weewoos literally excavate a little cave in these hard materials to build a cosy little nest. Sometimes, though, if they’re lucky, they can find abandoned nests created by previous generations of Maraquan Weewoos and save themselves the time and effort of excavating a brand new one. Different Maraquan Weewoos use different burrowing styles: they can use their beaks or their feet, and some of them even fly at the spot with their claws exposed for the greatest impact.

     The Maraquan Weewoo often lines the inside of the nest with feathers or vegetation though, like the Pirate Weewoo, some leave the nest bare. However, things are still often dangerous in Maraqua and, for security, Maraquan Weewoos tend to live in colonies.

     7. Darigan Weewoo

     The Darigan Weewoo fears no one: no Petpet, no Neopian, and no villain! So, the nest choice of a Darigan Weewoo is, by far, the boldest. The Darigan Weewoo builds “Saucer Nests” that are plate-shaped. These nests are shallow and spread out to give the Darigan Weewoo enough space to perch and survey the world below. However, because these nests are not very deep or thick, the eggs of the Darigan Weewoo are often more exposed than those of other birds. This does not phase the Darigan Weewoo, however! It just sits, guarding its eggs, and daring any passers-by to try to intrude.

     8. Faerie Weewoo

     Faerie Weewoos are the most delicate Weewoo. They are gorgeous little Petpets that flit around daintily and try to create and use things of beauty. The nests that Faerie Weewoos build are aesthetically pleasing “Pendant Nests.” Pendant Nests are elongated sacks that hang from tree branches, much like a pendant from a chain that you would hang around your neck. They generally have a downward facing entrance to protect the Faerie Weewoo from any intruder who wishes to steal its beautiful eggs.

     The Faerie Weewoo uses a variety of materials to build its nests, but it prefers colourful materials such as linen and ribbon in a variety of pinks, purples, and blues. See if you can spot them the next time you are about – they are quite a sight to behold!

     9. White Weewoo

     I left the best for very last: The White Weewoo. These pretty little Petpets construct what is typically called a “Cup Nest”. Cup Nests have a smooth hemispherical interior; it almost looks like a bowl. They build these nests high up in the trees, or along the ledges of Neohome.

     What does the White Weewoo use to build its nest? Why old editions of the Neopian Times, of course! White Weewoos love picking up the Neopian Times that Neopians recycle, tearing them up with their beak, and using the strips to create little, flexible nests. How delightful!

     “Well Mr. Neopian Times Reporter, that’s all from me! That covers the nesting habits of 9 Weewoos and, as you can see, the Weewoo nest differs dramatically based on the colour of the Weewoo.

     “Thank you so much very much for coming. I do appreciate your interest in the habits of Weewoos. Are you sure I can’t offer you a cup of tea or chocolate chip cookie? No? Well then, all the best with your 900th issue, my good friend. I look forward to seeing my name in print. Stop back again for the 1000th issue and I may just have the answer to the Pirate Weewoo question. How exciting that there’s always something new to learn about Weewoos!”