The Capture

[Tim Bruening]

Jake is infested by a Yeerk, so his Animorph friends have to hold him captive for 3 days (9am on Saturday to 9am on Monday) until the Yeerk starves to death.

Meanwhile, Ax morphs Jake in order to cover for him.  PP 151-152:  According to his parents and his Controller brother Tom, "Jake" had been eating like he was trying to eat everything in the house.  Tom says that last night (Sunday), Jake had eaten 6 pieces of chicken and an entire pie, and had kept yapping about how great the food was.  Tom also says that "Jake" had kept saying things like "Potatoes. Toes. Tay-toes.".

IMHO, "Jake"'s weird behavior should make Tom suspicious as to whether he has any connection to "Andalite bandits".  (Jake even wondered if Tom's new Yeerk was suspicious).  He should then have shared his suspicions with Assistant Principal Chapman, leading to the early exposure of the Animorphs.

[Chad32]

This could be chalked up to his inexperience around an Andalite enjoying the sensation of taste.

[Tim Bruening]

This could be chalked up to his inexperience around an Andalite enjoying the sensation of taste.

Even if Tom had never seen an Andalite in human morph going nuts with food, I believe that the sudden drastic change in "Jake"'s behavior for two nights, followed by a return to normal behavior, should have made Tom suspicious enough to report Jake's odd behavior lead to whoever ranks just above him in the Yeerk organization.  I would expect all Controllers to be on the lookout for weird behaviors.