![]() Platypus that live in colder climates tend to be larger than those that live in warmer climates. ![]() Female adult platypuses tend to be smaller than males, averaging approximately 17 inches in length. Importantly, they are one of the few mammals that are able to deliver poisonous venom when feeling threatened or battling with another male platypus when seeking a mate.Ī male adult platypus is on average 20 inches long, including their approximately 5-inch tail, and about 3 pounds. Although female monotremes do not have nipples, they produce milk for their young that is released through pores in the skin.Īs noted above, platypus have flat bills, webbed feet, paddle-like tails, and slick, glossy, furry bodies. Known as puggles, baby platypus that are born from eggs also suckle their mother following their hatching. ![]() Rather, they lay eggs as did their amniote ancestors-vertebrates that underwent embryonic development within the innermost membrane (called an amnion), including reptiles, birds, and some mammals. Platypus are endemic to rivers in eastern Australia and are monotremes, meaning that unlike most mammals, they do not give live birth. The venomous barbs can deliver a poison that is thought to be able to kill small animals and produce severe swelling and excruciating pain in humans. The male platypus uses the venom against predators or when competing against other males when seeking mates. Male platypus essentially have a secret weapon: spurs on the back of their hind legs connecting to a gland (known as a crural gland) that secretes venom. ![]() Notably, they are one of the few mammals that are venomous and are also illegal as pets. Can you have a platypus as a pet?Īlthough many may find them cute due to their flat bills and webbed feet reminiscent of ducks, paddle-like tails like beavers, and their glossy, furry bodies as seen in otters, you should not pursue to have a platypus as a pet as they can actually be extremely dangerous animals. In fact, according to the BBC, when a platypus was first brought from Australia to Britain, most who viewed the animal didn’t believe that it was real but that it was actually two animals sewn together. Platypus, which are endemic to eastern Australia, are semiaquatic, egg-laying mammals that are intriguing and highly unusual animals with a truly unique appearance. ![]()
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